Mexican Heritage Plaza set to expand services in East San Jose
City leaders approve funding for San Jose's east side
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a multi-million boost for the city's east side. The money will be used to improve community access to health care, food and the arts. It's an area that city leaders say has historically faced underinvestment.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose City Council on Tuesday afternoon unanimously approved a multi-million dollar boost for the city’s east side. In a community which leaders say has historically faced under-investment, the money will be used to improve community access to health care, food and the arts.
Funding for the arts
What we know:
The city was expected to approve a $3 million grant to expand services at the Mexican Heritage Plaza. The site of the Mexican Heritage Plaza has a long history in San Jose where César Chavez organized farmworkers in the 1960s. It has been a cultural hub of East San Jose, and is now expanding to a complex across Alum Rock Avenue to what is called "La Placita."
The funding is going to the "School of Arts and Culture" which runs the Mexican Heritage Plaza and its programs. It will also include a 200-seat "black box theater" for performing arts which will host free and low-cost youth community programming, a health care center and a resource center for child care.
Local impact
What they're saying:
"It makes me feel really great and blessed to be able to help others," said Gloria Castaneda, who owns a local catering company and will run the café at the expanded facility. Castaneda said it would never have happened without both private and city investment in the community. "We will hire a pastry chef, a regular chef, grill cooks some waiters and also students after school to help us to prep," Castaneda said.
Councilmember Peter Oritz, who represents the east side, said: "I know that when you invest in local entrepreneurs, local artists, existing residents – it improves the quality of life for everyone. It addresses existing blight, empty storefronts, and allows the community to prosper together," Ortiz said.
Jessica Paz-Cedillos, the CEO of the School of Arts and Culture, said: "For us, ‘La Placita’ is proof of concept. As a cultural organization, we have entered the community development game. And what we are able to demonstrate is that we as cultural organization, that is community rooted, can do this work," Paz-Cedillo said.
The expanded resources at La Placita are expected to be open for the community in early 2027.
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