Upcoming Events

Photo by Heritage staff.

HeritageYP Happy Hour, June 5

Join us 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.

Annual Membership Meeting, June 8

Photo by Joie de Vivre Hotels.

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.

View of the Cadillac Hotel. Photo by Mark Ellinger.

“Tenderloin Living, 1907 – Today,” June 8

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.

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 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. 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.

“Community Summit: Sustaining San Francisco’s Living History,” June 15

Parol Lantern Festival in SoMa. Photo by the Bayanihan Community Center.

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. These forces pose a threat to cultural diversity. While various communities throughout San Francisco are working to reverse this trend, significant progress cannot be made without a coordinated and concerted effort.

On Saturday, June 15 (please note date change), “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 contribute to San Francisco’s unique cultural identity.

What is the community summit? The Summit will be organized into two parts – a morning session focusing on immediate threats to neighborhood social and cultural heritage resources, as well as an afternoon working session focusing on strategies for sustaining the city’s heritage businesses and commercial corridors. Representatives from the Bayview, Chinatown, Japantown, Mission District, and South of Market will present during the morning session. A panel with representatives from Heritage, the Gellert Family Business Resource Center, Marcus Books, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and Small Business Commission will guide the conversation during the afternoon session. Keynote speaker Darlene Rios Drapkin of Urban Transformation will discuss lessons from the Main Street program in the Bay Area during the lunch hour.

What do we expect to accomplish? The Summit will serve as a catalyst for developing recommendations in the following areas: (1) a citywide heritage business designation program and (2) cultural and social heritage neighborhood programs.

Gathering at Marcus Books. Photo by Steve Rhodes.

Who should attend? The Summit is intended for communities, groups, and individuals that create, maintain, and transmit cultural heritage in San Francisco. Participants may include artists, business owners, civic leaders, community activists, educators, faith-based and non-profit leaders, historians, planners, and preservationists.

When: Saturday, June 15, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission Street). The event is free to the public. We are asking for a suggested donation of $15 to cover the cost of lunch, however, no one will be turned away.

The Summit will be presented by San Francisco Heritage in partnership with the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, California Office of Historic Preservation, Japantown Organizing Committee, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Page & Turnbull, San Francisco Latino Historical Society, San Francisco Planning Department, and SoMa Pilipinas.

Thank you to the California Office of Historic Preservation and the San Francisco Planning Department for their generous support of our program and to the Bayanihan Community Center for hosting the event!