A three-alarm fire destroyed the vacant former MACSA youth center in San Jose early Friday.

At about 1 a.m., San Jose firefighters responded to a large fire at the vacant building at 600 Sinclair Drive in the city’s Mayfair district, officials said.

Fire officials told NBC Bay Area the building was fully involved when they arrived.

A fire department spokesperson said the blaze was challenging to fully knock down due to many enclosed compartments within the structure. Crews remained at the scene throughout the day for fire watch.

San Jose City Councilman Peter Ortiz, whose district includes the MACSA center, told NBC Bay Area that groups working to save MACSA had just secured an investment from the city.

“We wanted to save that building because it meant so much to our Latino community,

See Full Page