After a long history of underinvestment in East San Jose, a community development project located across the street from the Mexican Heritage Plaza will receive a grant worth more than $6 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, marking the largest investment on the West Coast from the major philanthropic organization.

The goal of the La Placita project is to transform a 28,000-square-foot commercial property on Alum Rock Avenue, which has struggled with vacancies, into a hub addressing some of the community’s most pressing needs, including healthcare, cultural programming, food security, and bolstering small businesses. It’s part of a grander vision to create a cultural district, known as La Avenida, and a push to revitalize East San Jose.

“We see this as a great investm

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