A new safety hub opened on San Francisco's Sixth Street Friday, offering increased beat patrols in the area and access to service providers, according to city officials.

The Central Market Safety Hub at 72 Sixth St. will be open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Managed by the Police Department, it will be home base for 24 foot-patrol officers associated with the Southern Station but assigned to the area, who will use the space to deploy and write reports, according to police.

Previously, there were 16 foot-patrol officers assigned to the area.

"The activation of the Central Market Safety Hub on Sixth Street will allow police officers assigned to this area to remain in the Central Market area," police Chief Greg Suhr said in a statement. "This hub is in direct response to the public's request for more police presence along this corridor and will help the city's efforts to transform this neighborhood."

The office will also the house the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs' Community Ambassador Program. Community Ambassadors provide safe passage to employees, patrons and transit riders in the Central Market area between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., according to city officials.

In addition, the office will house homeless services, neighborhood prosecutors and adult probation employees.

The safety hub site has long been slated for a police substation, but plans stalled early in 2012 when a new state law went into effect ordering the dissolution of local redevelopment agencies.

San Francisco's redevelopment agency was overseeing the project, prompting officials to alter their plans and instead pay $775,000 out of the city's general fund for renovations to the building.

"Since my first day in office, the Sixth Street substation has been one of my top priorities, from identifying funding for its completion after the dissolution of redevelopment to working with SFPD leadership to ensure the original vision for the safety hub is implemented," Supervisor Jane Kim said in a statement today.

Mayor Ed Lee marked the opening of the Central Market Safety Hub at 72 Sixth St. at noon today with a ribbon cutting celebration.

"The opening of the SFPD Central Market Safety Hub marks another milestone in our continuing effort to revitalize and transform the Central Market neighborhood," said Lee.