Millions of dollars will turn a mostly vacant East San Jose building into a cultural gem. Local advocates describe it as a vital investment to support neighborhoods where some of the city’s most vulnerable residents live.
The School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza recently received $6 million from the Knight Foundation, a historic investment to help transform La Placita from a vacant building into a cultural community hub. Plans for the 28,000-square-foot commercial building across from the East San Jose plaza include a small theater, an affordable cafe and a food pantry. Those services will add to the Alum Rock Health Center on site, which Gardner Health Services opened this month to provide walk-in medical, dental and chiropractic care.
The funding marks the largest West Coast investment made by the Knight Foundation, known for philanthropic support of journalism and arts and culture. La Placita is anticipated to create $150 million in economic benefits for the Mayfair neighborhood, where many of San Jose’s lower-income Mexican and Vietnamese American residents live. The cultural hub’s renovations are slated for completion by the end of 2026.
Jessica Paz-Cedillos, CEO of the School of Arts and Culture and San José Spotlight columnist, said the project is a labor of love. Her organization bought the building three years ago in collaboration with Gardner Health Services for $10.2 million as part of a $30 million plan. The building was vacant for more than a decade before the purchase.
“It speaks to the work that we are doing. It speaks to our impact,” she told San José Spotlight. “It speaks to the community that we are trying to develop and that we know our residents and families and youth deserve.”
La Placita’s revitalization builds on the community’s broader vision for the Mayfair neighborhood. Local leaders want the area to be designated as La Avenida Cultural District under a state program that recognizes neighborhoods with cultural significance. The Mayfair neighborhood would be the first cultural district in San Jose if approved by the state.
Allan Madoc, Knight Foundation director of San Jose community impact, wants East San Jose to be recognized as a cultural mecca.
“(La Placita) is going to create local jobs. It’s going to create economic output here for generations,” he told San José Spotlight. “Hopefully (and) importantly, this is a catalytic moment … Hopefully (they’ll) unlock other sources of funding, not just for La Placita, but the broader vision of the cultural precinct.”
More funding could come sooner rather than later.
Councilmember Peter Ortiz, who represents District 5 where La Placita is, has been pushing for a $30 million revitalization fund for East San Jose. The San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee advanced his proposal last month.
Ortiz said the investment in La Placita will help keep the momentum going. He wants the project to become the heart of East San Jose’s identity as a safe, fun place for families to gather and small businesses to thrive.
“For decades, our community has not received the same level of public and private investment as other parts of the city, despite being rich in culture, history and resilience,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight. “(The funding) validates what our residents have always known — that the East Side is a cultural and economic engine for San Jose’s future.”
And while renovations won’t be done on La Placita for at least a year, local nonprofits are already jumping on board.
Veggielution will provide fresh fruits and vegetables to La Placita’s food pantry — a service Executive Director Shawn Gerth said is critical after Santa Clara County declared a public health crisis in the Latino community earlier this month. East San Jose doesn’t have as much access to nutritious, affordable food, officials said.
“Veggielution believes access to fresh, nutritious produce is a fundamental right,” Gerth told San José Spotlight. “We’re committed to addressing these disparities through fresh food access, nutritional support and culturally relevant support at La Placita.”
Paz-Cedillos said she wants La Placita to bring hope as San Jose residents grapple with the fear of immigration raids and sweeping federal cuts to social safety net programs. She said the work doesn’t stop, even during uncertain times.
“We are having to stabilize and protect our community,” she told San José Spotlight. “What this investment does (is) it also allows us to keep our eye on the prize. We’re building because we cannot stop building the communities that we want to see.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.
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