An Urban Development Project: A Look into San Diego's Barrio Logan

When I began this project in 2007, I noticed what seemed to be a mass exodus of Logan Avenue’s 1700 block. My concern grew when families living on Logan Avenue were moving out of their rental home, since the land was sold to the City of San Diego to build affordable housing. For two months I concentrated on the transformation of this block: 1700 Logan Avenue and its surrounding streets. When I began this project, the block had 13 residential units and 5 commercial spaces that were to be razed to increase housing by 7-times.

Transformations to the block were rapid, and wthin 3 months, I managed to capture four distinct phases of immediate changes: 1) The Barrio: the initial surroundings of the block and barrio elements, 2) Relocation: traces of displacement, 3) Construction: preparing to raze the land, and 4) Production Notes: a conceptualization of a gentrified barrio. As of 2014, new facades have reshaped the barrio as an influx of artist galleries and local businesses have significantly modified the area’s overall landscape.