In 1913, the Wigwam Theater opened at 2555 Mission Street; by 1930 the name had changed to the New Rialto Theater; and in 1947 it was renamed the Crown Theater before finally becoming the iconic Cine Latino in 1974.
Since its closure in 1987, the Cine Latino has been lifeless. Owner Vera Cort said that she and her husband purchased the property approximately 13 years ago.
“We are not developers,” she said. “We purchase, fix up and reopen all of our properties.”
So far, the Cort family has done so, opening many establishments in the Mission including: Flour + Water, Southern Pacific Brewery, Atlas Café, Southern Exposure, Central Kitchen and 1890 Bryant St. Studios, to name a few.
Cort spent eight years doing extensive planning for the Cine Latino space. Originally it was set to be a climbing gym, but members of the community rejected the idea, and the space will now be turned into a gym and a restaurant/bookstore.
The restaurant / bookstore portion has been claimed by “Busboys and Poets,” a unique fusion of food, art, film, books and politics. The first location was founded in 2005 in Washington D.C. by Andy Shallal, an Iraqi American artist and activist.
Since then the organization has grown, and currently describes itself as a “community gathering space” and a “resource for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers.” It has expanded to include green practices and fair trade stores in some locations. According to Cort, Busboys and Poets will occupy two-thirds of the ground floor and the gym will make up for the rest.
Cort was unwilling to reveal the name of the gym that will be going into the building. She did, however, confirm that “gym memberships will be affordable and accessible to members of the Mission community.” She also said that the Cine Latino marquee and façade are being restored to their original look.
Another architectural addition will be an open roof, where Cort foresees the gym being used for classes, and the restaurant hosting gatherings.
When asked how she thought the estimated $1 million project would affect the climate on Mission Street, she replied “That whole block is changing—the New Mission Theater is being updated, and so is the Giant Value. I think we can expect a different feeling on that block in the coming years.” She also believes that the gym and restaurant will be a positive addition to the community.
“There are really no affordable gyms in the area, and the Busboys and Poets fits well in the Mission,” she said.
Eric Arguello of the Lower 24th Street Merchants Association agrees that the Cine Latino block is changing.
“The whole neighborhood is changing,” he said.
And it is, in fact the 2010 U.S. census reported that over 7,000 Latinos moved out of the Mission between the years 2000 and 2010.
Arguello believes that “It’s always good to see revitalization,” and sees opportunity in the new development inside the Cine Latino, “as long as it is accessible to the members of the community.”
Though the Cine Latino is projected to cater to the residents of the Mission, the future of the rest of the development in the Mission is uncertain. Arguello noted that “maintaining small business, and being a part of the planning process is key” in preserving the roots of this neighborhood.
Information on upcoming planning meetings can be found at www.sf-planning.org.
In the meantime, the first phase of construction of the Cine Latino is expected to be complete by the spring and the final date of completion is unknown.