The San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center (SFFCC) will soon open its doors in San Franciscos downtown, near the Yerba Buena Center arts community where Mission Hiring hall executive director and SFFCC co-founder Don Marcos says a significant Filipino presence is lacking. Filipinos have deep roots in the South of Market, especially in the Yerba Buena area, where immigrants newly-arrived in San Francisco first settled and where a vibrant Filipino community once thrived. Following the 1977 evictions at the International Hotel in Manilatown, which served as a catalyst for nationwide tenant rights and affordable housing movements, a number of International Hotel residents settled in the South of Market. The South of Market, much like Manilatown, was considered the heart of San Franciscos Filipino community, Its face changed with the construction of the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, as the Filipino population declined but refused to leave entirely. A representation of the Filipino contribution of the Filipino arts and culture makes sense especially in light of all the development in the neighborhood, says Marcos. Scheduled to be housed in the Metreon Center, which originally opened in 1999, the SFFCC will occupy a multi-purpose space measuring 4,800 square feet. The project has engaged the architecture firm Fillon Solis Architects to create the space design; the design calls for a multi-use, multi-function facility that can accommodate different types of programs, as well as offices for administration and event planning. It can be an exhibit space one day, a small event space another day, a meeting place for community workshops, rehearsal space, small performances, official events and cultural entertainment, Marcos says. The space and seating will be easily reconfigurable, again catering to programming needs, which will include traditional performances, displays and cutting-edge presentations from Filipino American artists. The new space will also be adjacent to the Metreons Action Theatre, which will be made available to the Centers needs. This will be the place where innovative things happen, Marcos says. So were also focusing on current and future Filipino leaders in the arts and other fields. It will provide the space and forum not just for the Filipino community but also other communities and cultures of the Pacific, Marcos is quick to point out the working relationship between SFFCCs relationship with the Metreons new owners, the Westfield Corporation, Inc. Westfield also owns the neighboring Westfield San Francisco Centre. He credits the developers for providing the SFFCC with start-up funding, signage and elevator access to the space, drawing some of the shopping public. The SFFCC is projected to open in SAN FRANCISCO FILIPINO CULTURAL CENTER 101 Fourth Street Second Floor of the Metreon Center The proposed space will be 4,800 square feet Fillon Solis Architects, Inc. has designed a multi-use, multi- function center Open plan space will allow for rehearsal and dance space, exhibits, community workshops and services, traditional and cutting-edge presentations, as well as offices for administration and event booking The developers, Westfield Corporation, will provide the SFFCC the space start-up funds, signage, and access to the space, which will draw the shopping public The Metreon originally opened in 1999; SFFCC projected to open in CONTACT: Dennis Marzan Executive Assistant SF Filipino Cultural Center