Another forward step for the Mercado
The Mercado project down on Cesar Chavez Parkway in Barrio Logan took a step forward today when a Superior Court judge ruled that San Diego is the rightful owner of the property, according to a City Attorney press release I just received. Spurred by City Attorney Mike Aguirre, the City Council voted to take the land back from foot-dragging developer Sam Marasco in May. Marasco sued the city and lost his bid to reclaim the development this afternoon. The judge also ruled that Marasco is not entitled to damages from the city, though the city still has a civil suit worth at least $3 million aimed at him.
CityBeat reporters have been tracking this project for a while now, and we’re all pleased to see the possibility of this piece of prime real estate, empty for over a decade, get a little closer to becoming the hub of activity everyone wants. The people of Barrio Logan live literally in the shadows cast by downtown’s tall buildings, but they live just on the wrong side of the redevelopment area managed by the Center City Development Corporation. The Mercado project was supposed to be the bone tossed to them.
