Filipino Cultural Centre proposal shifts to new 10-storey building in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant area

The proposal to build a new permanent Filipino Cultural Centre in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood has changed drastically, with a proposed new facility at a nearby property replacing the previous concept and location first announced in Fall 2025.

In an announcement this afternoon, local developer PortLiving and non-profit organization Filipino Legacy Society are advancing a revised proposal to redevelop 160 East 2nd Ave. into a new 10-storey, mixed-use building with hotel and cultural centre uses.

This new location is situated near the southwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and East 2nd Avenue, immediately south of the MEC store.

Furthermore, the new location for the project is roughly two city blocks north of the previously proposed site at 1940 Main St.

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Designed by Formosis Architecture, the cultural centre at 160 East 2nd Ave. would span approximately 45,000 sq. ft. across five levels, occupying all or part of each floor. It would feature exhibition galleries, classrooms, art spaces, meeting rooms, and a double-height event hall. Plans also include a cultural cafe and a landscaped rooftop for the Filipino community’s gatherings.

Between the uppermost levels and the bulk of the cultural centre space within the lower levels, there would be three floors of hotel rooms and one floor of office space. Additionally, some creative/light industrial space would be situated within the underground levels. These hotel, office, and industrial uses would provide an ongoing source of revenue for the cultural centre.

The lot size has a street frontage of just 46 ft., which would produce a narrow building. Due to the lot’s width, no underground vehicle parking is proposed.

In contrast, the previous concept at 1940 Main St. placed a 60,000 sq. ft. cultural centre across the first six levels of a 30-storey, mixed-use hotel tower. A second hotel-only tower was proposed nearby at 143 East 3rd Ave.

Existing condition:

Future condition:

The revised concept at 160 East 2nd Ave. would still provide a significantly sized cultural centre, even though it would have approximately 15,000 sq. ft. less space for the facility.

This new location is within a short walking distance from two SkyTrain stations — an eight-minute walk south from the Expo Line’s Main Street-Science World Station, and a 10-minute walk west from the Millennium Line’s future Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station. The area is also served by frequent north-south bus routes along Main Street.

While the cultural centre would move to the East 2nd Avenue site, the original two properties just to the south remain part of PortLiving’s longer-term development vision.

The proponents now describe the proposed cultural centre at the East 2nd Avenue location as the first major component of a broader Main Street Campus dedicated to the Filipino community’s culture and heritage. The new conceptual artistic renderings for the project also show a fully enclosed pedestrian bridge spanning above the laneway — linking the hotel floors of the new building at 160 East 2nd Ave. with an unspecified future tower development immediately to the south at the site of 143 East 3rd Ave.

So far, the proponents have not specified what kind of uses could occur at the adjacent site of 143 East 3rd Ave., but it would presumably also include a hotel use.

“Today’s announcement shows that our community is closer than ever to realizing its dream of building a cultural home in Vancouver,” said Warren Dean Flandez of the Filipino Legacy Society.

“This project responds to community and government feedback, providing the Filipino Canadians with a standalone world-class centre, powered by an endowment that will ensure its operational stability for future generations.”

The proponents assert that they are working toward establishing an independently operated cultural institution that would welcome involvement from different Filipino organizations and individuals, without being controlled by any single community group.

PortLiving’s role would include providing the site and expertise in planning and development. The Filipino Legacy Society is among the organizations leading and supporting the initiative.

“For years, the Filipino community has envisioned a permanent cultural home in Vancouver. At 160 East 2nd, we have an opportunity to turn that vision into something tangible,” said Tobi Reyes, the founder and CEO of PortLiving.

“But this is about more than one building. We see the potential for a Main Street Campus that can grow over time, connecting generations and creating a destination for Filipinos from across Canada and around the world.”

Records show the 160 East 2nd Ave. property recently changed hands in a deal worth $2.5 million.

According to PortLiving, its involvement in efforts to establish a Filipino Cultural Centre dates back to 2009, including a company-funded survey of 600 respondents in 2017 and 2018 and collaboration with several community organizations.

Vancouver City Council endorsed establishing a Filipino Cultural Centre in June 2023. In December 2025, City Council approved a member motion by Mayor Ken Sim, directing City of Vancouver staff to prioritize reviewing PortLiving’s earlier cultural centre and hotel proposal at 1940 Main St. and 143 East 3rd Ave.

The revised proposal comes as both the BC NDP and Conservative Party of British Columbia have promised $15 million toward a Filipino Cultural Centre. As the proponents acknowledge, neither party’s commitment during the provincial election campaign period has been assigned to a particular site.

Last month, just before Premier David Eby’s snap election call, the provincial government announced it had chosen the City of Surrey as the location for where a new South Asian museum would be built. The City of Vancouver was also considered for the South Asian museum, but Surrey was selected following community consultation.

The promised provincial funding during the election campaign would supplement the federal government’s commitment, announced in 2025 to help fund a new Filipino Cultural Centre in B.C. The federal government has not publicly disclosed the amount of its contribution, but the Conservatives say Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration would match the proposed $15 million in provincial funding, bringing the combined contribution from both senior governments to $30 million.

PortLiving is aiming to begin construction in 2027. The next steps include community consultation, municipal application submissions and approvals, securing construction financing, and establishing how the new cultural centre would be governed and operated.

No construction budget or potential opening date was provided. Further development of the proposed campus would proceed in phases as funding and partnerships come together.

In September 2026, work was well underway to convert the former Blenz Coffee space inside the Library Square atrium in Downtown Vancouver into a temporary Filipino Cultural Centre operated by the Filipino Legacy Society, with its efforts directly supported by Vancouver’s municipal government. Spanning more than 1,500 sq. ft., the interim centre is expected to fully open soon and serve the community until a permanent home is ready.

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• BC NDP chooses Surrey for South Asian museum location, instead of Vancouver
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