Built in 1966, San Francisco’s Empress of China closed in 2016; 10 years later, a collaborative founded by six nonprofits returned it to community ownership and reopened its doors
San Francisco’s historic Empress of China building has returned to community ownership a decade after closing, following its purchase by a group formed by six leading Asian American non-profit organisations. The Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative announced the purchase of the landmark six-storey property at 838 Grant Avenue, clearing the way to turn the former banquet venue into a permanent arts and cultural campus. Built in 1966, the venue was an important gathering place for generations of Chinatown families and visitors before closing its doors in 2016. The return to community ownership was marked by a public open house called “The Empress Re-Imagined”, giving residents a chance to enter the historic building for the first time in 10 years. Details about the purchase and long-term plans were published by the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative and SF Station.
Six non-profits unite for historic purchase
The purchase was made by the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative, an alliance formed in 2017 by six Asian American non-profit organisations. The group includes the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, the Chinese Culture Foundation of San Francisco, the Chinese Historical Society of America, the Center for Asian American Media, the Chinatown Community Development Center, and Chinese for Affirmative Action. The joint initiative was created on the belief that local residents and cultural organisations should have direct control over property to protect the neighbourhood’s heritage. By securing ownership of 838 Grant Avenue, the coalition hopes to prevent commercial displacement and keep the venue focused on public and community use. Funding for the purchase and the first stage of changes to the building came from philanthropic support. This included grants from the Svane Family Foundation, Grants for the Arts, the San Francisco Arts Commission, and the San Francisco Foundation.
Plan for a neighbourhood arts campus
Under the plan outlined by the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative, the 17,000-square-foot building will undergo long-term planning to create an integrated cultural campus. The facility is expected to work alongside the collaborative’s nearby location at 800 Grant Avenue, creating a connected group of arts venues along the neighbourhood’s main commercial corridor. The plan calls for the building’s multiple floors to be turned into public galleries, performance halls, archival exhibition areas, and artist residency studios. Instead of operating only as a traditional museum, the venue will serve as an active space where local artists, historians and civic advocates can work together on public projects.Statements published by the Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative from Mabel Teng, co-Executive Director of the organisation, stressed the importance of local institutions having control over the property. “The Chinese name for this open house event is 皇后有請, which translates to ‘The Empress is Inviting You In.’ We hope people will walk through these doors, feel a deep sense of ownership, and recognize that this space is theirs to shape,” says Mabel Teng, co-Executive Director, CMAC. “CMAC was founded on the conviction that Chinatown has the agency to tell and amplify its own stories, and our transformation of the iconic Empress of China is a vital step in this direction.”Co-Executive Director Stephen Gong also highlighted the importance of the project, saying the physical restoration of the building is part of a wider economic and cultural recovery plan for the area. “CMAC is undergoing long-range planning to transform this landmark into a dynamic cultural campus—a place where the community and visitors can find a safe sense of belonging. This open house is a warm invitation to everyone to join the conversation. Together, we can transform Grant Avenue into a constellation of art hubs driven by community architecture, design, and creativity,” says Stephen Gong, co-Executive Director, CMAC.
Public open house begins a new chapter
The community open house gave visitors their first look at temporary interior installations created for the reopening. Visual artist Summer Lee redesigned the ground-floor space as a communal lounge, using furniture and display fixtures to encourage people to gather and reflect on the building’s history. The reopening programme included cultural performances involving different generations. These included a traditional First Nations drumming ceremony by Mike Ballenger, Buddhist blessings by Ven. Ta Chun Shih of Miu Kuang Temple and Ven. Yanmi Shi of the Guanyin Meditation Center, along with live performances by Lion Dance ME and the Young Woman’s Choral Projects. Historical film projections and displays of archival photographs were presented across the upper floors, showing the venue’s history of more than 50 years as a major banquet hall. Additional community workshops were held with Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. and ShadowLight Productions. The sessions included interactive shadow puppetry and archival photography projects led by local artists. The Chinatown Media and Arts Collaborative is now preparing master renovation plans for the building. Details about construction dates and the different stages of architectural work will be announced after a series of public community design sessions planned for the coming months.
