Courtesy of Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Mark your calendars! Heritage will host its 2013 Annual Membership Meeting at the Phoenix Hotel (601 Eddy Street) on Saturday, June 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Executive director Mike Buhler will update members on Heritage’s advocacy and programming activities since the January meeting, including the launch of “Legacy Bars & Restaurants.” A special guest speaker will be announced later this month.

The meeting will take place at the Phoenix Hotel, an irreverent, mid-century motor lodge in the heart of the Tenderloin. Located within walking distance to some of San Francisco’s most celebrated clubs and performance halls, including the Great American Music Hall, the Warfield, and the Orpheum Theater, the hotel has been the crash pad  for such musicians as Joan Jett, the Psychedelic Furs, and Pearl Jam during its storied operation. Its distinctive outdoor pool features a custom mural by Francis Forlenza entitled “My Fifteen Minutes.” You never know who you might see tuning a guitar or hanging out by the pool!

The event is free to Heritage members and includes a continental breakfast. For more information about the meeting, please contact Carolyn Squeri, director of membership and development, at csqueri@sfheritage.org or 415-441-3000 x14.

Photo by Mike Rohde on Flickr.

Heritage is pleased to announce the Community Summit: “Sustaining San Francisco’s Living History” on Saturday, June 15.  

In a city undergoing tremendous cultural, social, and demographic changes, increasing rents and property values are pushing many long-time residents and businesses out of the city. While various communities throughout San Francisco are working to reverse this trend, significant progress cannot be made without a coordinated and concerted effort.

“Sustaining San Francisco’s Living History” will convene community, business, and civic leaders for a discussion about what can be done to prevent the loss of heritage businesses and community institutions that help define San Francisco’s unique cultural identity.

The Summit will take place on June 15 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Doors will open for registration at 9:30 a.m. The event is free to the public, with a $15 suggested donation to cover the cost of lunch.

Keynote presenter Darlene Rios Drapkin of Urban Transformation will discuss lessons from the Main Street program in the Bay Area during the lunch hour. Other speakers include representatives from the Chinatown Community Development Center, Filipino American Development Foundation, Japantown Organizing Committee, Lower 24^th Streets Merchants Association, Marcus Books, San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s “Invest in Neighborhoods” initiative, San Francisco Planning Department, and the Small Business Commission. Ethno musician Danongan Kalanduyan will deliver a special Filipino Kulintang performance and Gloria Toolsie, one of the original founders of San Francisco’s annual Carnaval festival, will demonstrate homemade Trinidadian Carnival costumes and the traditional delicacies of Caribbean foodways.

Additional details, including a complete list of speakers and event partners, are available here. Seating is limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible. For more information, please contact Desiree Smith or Laura Dominguez.

Gene Compton’s Cafeteria at 101 Taylor Street, the site of the first recorded transgender riot in U.S. history. Photo: San Francisco History Center, SFPL.

Join Heritage for “Tenderloin Living, 1907 – Today,” a special walking tour of the Tenderloin on Saturday, June 8^th that explores the history of one of San Francisco’s most complex neighborhoods.

Historians and community advocates Felicia Elizondo, Donna Graves, Katherine Petrin, and Shayne Watson will uncover the living heritage of the Tenderloin through the places that reveal its layered past, including the history of the LGBT community, affordable housing, and Southeast Asian immigration. Special guest Philip Nguyen of the Southeast Asian Community Center will also present a brief history on the creation of Little Saigon.

The tour will set the stage for Heritage’s upcoming “Community Summit: Sustaining San Francisco’s Living History,” scheduled for the following weekend on Saturday, June 15^th.  The goal of the walking tour and the summit is to discuss strategies for preventing the loss of heritage businesses and community institutions that contribute to San Francisco’s unique cultural identity.

Photo by Heritage staff.

Please join us June 8^th as we discover previously untold stories and learn more about the evolution of the Tenderloin’s social and cultural identity. Some of the sites that we’ll visit include: Glide Memorial Church, Compton’s Cafeteria, El Rosa Hotel, Aunt Charlie’s, Southeast Asian Community Center, Kelly Cullen Community, and the Cadillac Hotel.

The tour will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Registration is limited to 20 people. Join us for an optional lunch at 1:00 at Bang San Thai Cuisine, located at 791 O’Farrell Street. Lunch tickets are $22 and include food, beverage, and a $2 processing fee.

Update: Registration is now full. To be placed on a waiting list, please email Laura Dominguez.

Photo by davitydave on Flickr.

Your voice is needed to support designation of the Duboce Park Landmark District! Please join Heritage next Monday, May 13th at 1:30 p.m. in City Hall Room 263 as we urge the Land Use and Economic Development Committee to recommend designation of the proposed district. Boasting one of the most intact collections of “Painted Ladies” in the city, the four blocks that comprise Duboce Park are undeniably special and worthy of protection. It’s our responsibility to make sure the Board of Supervisors know that San Francisco supports the proposed landmark district.

The Duboce Park Landmark District was identified as eligible for listing in the National Register in 2008 and was added to the Planning Department’s Landmark Designation Work Program in June 2011. Since then, an unprecedented community outreach effort led by the City has informed the nomination process. After a lengthy, collaborative public process, the proposed historic district is a model of community engagement, responsiveness, and compromise.

In addition, Supervisor Wiener worked with Heritage and the Planning Department to craft legislation to ease access to property tax benefits under the City’s Mills Act program for historic homeowners in Duboce Park and throughout the city. Owners of contributing buildings within the proposed district qualify for a property tax reduction of up to 50 percent to offset the costs of maintaining and improving their historic home.

The agenda for the meeting is available here. You can also read Heritage’s letter of support for the proposed district.

Photo by Heritage staff.

Join HeritageYP for breathtaking views of San Francisco from the lounge at the Empress of China! On Wednesday, June 5 at 6 p.m., HeritageYP will host an early summer happy hour in partnership with the APA Young Planners Group. All are invited to attend an evening of lively conversation and networking at one of Chinatown’s most storied establishments.

Since 1965, the Empress of China has been the only high-rise Chinese roof garden restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Included in Heritage’s master list of Legacy Bars & Restaurants, the Empress is known for its stunning views of surrounding landmarks, including Nob Hill and Coit Tower. Under a canopy inspired by designs from the Han dynasty, the cocktail lounge serves up its signature Mai Tais daily.