A few years ago, I had a conversation with the late Chris Esparza about La Placita, an expansion of the Mexican Heritage Plaza that had become his passion project. As an event producer, he knew that each time an awesome event was held at the East San Jose venue, the specter of gentrification creeped in a little more.
It was important, he told me, to make sure that events and future development helped the people in the Alum Rock neighborhood instead of pushing them out.
He would have been smiling Thursday when construction officially started on the $30 million, 28,000 square-foot cultural hub on Alum Rock Avenue across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza.
“La Placita will not only transform a long-vacant site in East San Jose — it will create a permanent home for arts, small business, and community life. This is what equitable, community-centered development looks like,” said Jessica Paz-Cedillos, executive director of the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza…