Cayucos Vets Hall Restoration

The Cayucos Vets Hall, formerly the Cass Warehouse, was constructed in 1875 by Capt. James Cass, founder of Cayucos. It is located at the base of the Cayucos Pier in Cayucos State Beach, a popular tourist area. Over the years the facility functioned as an important community and event center, but it was deemed structurally unsound in 2016 and closed to the public.

The County Board of Supervisors awarded the construction contract to restore the historic facility to JG Contracting of Nipomo in October 2022. Full rehabilitation of the facility and surrounding site will restore a central piece of Cayucos history and the heartbeat of the community where residents and visitors have gathered for generations.

Original Cayucos Vets Hall

Project Scope

The Vets Hall has been determined to have historic significance at the local, state and national level, and therefore the project's design and construction shall meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The scope of the rehabilitation project includes:

  • Removal of non-historic additions and rehabilitation of the original Cass warehouse (Main Hall)
  • Salvaging original historic materials for re-application; adding new-to-match where needed
  • Providing a new foundation 2.5 feet higher than current to address sea level rise
  • Installation of new steel framing between wood trusses to provide structural stability
  • Construction of a new addition with Art Gallery, History Museum and Kitchen in style to match the original historic building
  • Renovating the BBQ patio and picnic area adjacent to the Hall
  • Providing new ADA compliant exterior decking and boardwalk with access to the beach and the pier

Construction Schedule

  • Notice to Proceed Issued: December 5, 2022
  • Contract Schedule Total # of Days: 436 calendar days
  • Completion Date: February 15, 2024

Upcoming Work - March 2022

  • Selective Interior and Exterior Demolition
  • Salvaging of historic materials for re-use
  • Structural stabilization, raising and moving of the original warehouse structure so a new foundation may be built.

Project Contacts

For more information, please contact Margaret Mayfield, Project Manager III, via email or call (805) 781-1523

Construction Photos

February 2022: Removal of exterior stucco reveals original redwood siding.

The Cayucos Veteran's Memorial Hall Rehabilitation project kicked-off construction on December 2, 2022 with a public 'groundbreaking' event.

Funding Partners

Construction of this project has been made possible with grant funds awarded to the project by the California Natural Resources Agency and California State Parks through programs funded by Proposition 68, and by the State Coastal Conservancy. Additionally, the community of Cayucos has raised over $500,000 in contributions for the project through the Restore the Cayucos Vets Hall Committee.

California Natural Resources Agency
Cultural, Community and Natural Resources grant program: $4,437,000 award

The mission of the California Natural Resources Agency is to restore, protect and manage the state's natural, historical, and cultural resources for current and future generations using creative approaches and solutions based on science, collaboration and respect for all the communities and interests involved.

California Department of Parks & Recreation
Locally-Operated State Parks grant program: $705,250 award

The mission of the California Department of Parks and Recreation is to provide for the health, inspiration, and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.

State Coastal Conservancy grant: $345,000 award

The Coastal Conservancy is a California state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California's coast. It acts with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California's coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians.

Perspective Renderings of the Completed Project

Contact Public Works via web form, email, or call us at (805) 781-5252.