Plywood Update: Actual Progress Spotted at The Patio

The Castro: Hands down, one of the city's most enduring and most baffling plywood projects has long been The Patio (non-Luisa Hanson division of course). The perennially delayed space with the perpetual red neon signage has been in various stages of construction and blight for the last decade, with owner Les Natali involved in contractor disputes, permitting issues and lord knows what other kinds of fun. But—but—a recent spot-check at 531 Castro reveals that there has actually been significant progress in the last six months. Now, whether something actually opens in the near future is another story entirely; last we heard, Natali still wanted to make the place a Mel's-like diner but needed a tenant.
· DelayWire: The Patio Cafe Fights 10 Years of Stasis [~ESF~]
· EaterWire: The Patio Cafe Wants Tenants [~ESF~]For more stories from Eater SF, go to sf.eater.com.