Market Creek Plaza, located on a former abandoned factory site in the diverse, yet underserved Diamond Neighborhoods of San Diego, embodies many of the principles of equitable development. Conceived through a partnership between the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (JCNI) and local residents, Market Creek Plaza is a thriving 10-acre, mixed-use commercial and cultural center anchored by a Food 4 Less supermarket. It is among the nation's first real estate development projects to be designed, built, and ultimately owned (in the most literal sense) by community residents.
With support from JCNI, Diamond residents initially organized into teams and crafted development plans that included a large, well-stocked supermarket, local grocery and construction jobs, small business opportunities, and a plaza design reflecting the cultural diversity of the neighborhood. Both the extensive resident engagement in Market Creek Plaza and the project’s double bottom line outcomes demonstrate how equitable development can not only revitalize neighborhoods, but also ensure that local residents of color benefit.
Market Creek Plaza: Toward Resident Ownership of Neighborhood Change details Market Creek’s planning, design, and implementation process, and highlights the importance of resident involvement in this groundbreaking community development project.
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