According to a recent article in SF Gate on March 23rd, Mission Community Market reopened on March 23rd, unveiling its new multi-use public space, La Placita.
La Placita is the result of a partnership between the weekly farmers' market - held on Thursday evenings from 4-8PM - the Planning Department, Department of Public Works and Gehl San Francisco to provide a space in the heart of the Mission design for public use.
The Mission Community Marketplace began as an idea to improve the neighborhood, transforming it into a clean, safe location where the community could come together to buy and sell food and produce, where artists and performers could entertain the public, where families, friends and neighbors could gather. The vision for La Placita was to 'stitch together the physical heart of the Mission, to celebrate diversity and welcome children, families, seniors, students and everyone in between.'
Located at Bartlett and 22nd Streets, the plaza was designed by John Bela, an urban designer and landscape architect. In addition to large curved wood and metal pergolas, providing vendors and shoppers with shade on sunny days and protection from inclement weather, the space also features artwork by local muralist Jet Martinez.
“Unicornio de la Misiòn,” at Bartlett and 22nd, is a continuation of Jet Martinez’s work inspired by Mexican folk art forms.
While La Placita will serve as the anchor for the weekly farmer's market, the neighborhood plaza was created to be a place to hold public music and dance performances, street festivals and other community gatherings.
Photo: Sarah Fritsche, Sarah Fritsche/The Chronicle
La Placita's opening night vendors included Urban Sprouts, a stall featuring plants grown by students from June Jordan High School in the Excelsior as well as stands featuring dried fruits and nuts from Winters Fruit Tree, strawberries from Yerena Farms and local food makers like Reem's Arab Street Food and Marla Bakery. More produce and food stalls will join the rotation in the coming weeks as the market ramps up for spring.
A grand opening block party will be held at La Placita on Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
From the Mission Community Market website, promoting La Placita.
