The School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza is grateful to announce a $2 million program related investment (PRI) from Sobrato Philanthropies for La Avenida.
For over ten years, the School of Arts and Culture (SOAC) at the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) has served as a cultural hub for East San José, hosting community events and educational programs that promote local artists and arts organizations. And, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Plaza served over 150,000 residents, leading an 18-month emergency response that reached every corner of their community via food distribution, testing, and vaccination.
As the community enters recovery, SOAC’s bold solution to meet the ongoing needs of their neighborhood and the increased displacement of residents is La Avenida. La Avenida is a multi-phased project designed to revitalize the Alum Rock Avenue Corridor located in the Mayfair neighborhood of East San José. Sobrato’s investment in the first phase of this wide-reaching vision allows SOAC to acquire the 28,000 square-foot vacant commercial property across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza. This space will expand cultural programming and bring needed family wellness services, which will be provided by SOAC's equity partner Gardner Health Services. The development of this space is the first step to future development that includes affordable housing and commercial space for local businesses and community-based providers on La Plaza’s six acres.