La Placita Cinco, Santa Ana, California is a development that replaced an underused surface parking lot and gas station with a community of family- oriented affordable homes, outdoor amenities, and reinvigorated commercial center.

The site, formerly called “Tiny Time Plaza” is a 2.25- acre commercial property located at the northeast corner of Fifth Street and Hawley Street situated between a residential neighborhood to the north and east, and industrial and commercial uses to the south and west. It is half- century old retail center consisting of 2 single- story commercial buildings along the north and east edges of the property, setback from the street behind a large surface parking lot and former gas station which had been most recently used for auto- services. The asphalt surface area encompassed over two thirds of the property with ill-defined edges that blended into the pedestrian walkways in front of the building storefronts and adjacent public sidewalks.

La Placita Cinco leveraged the under-utilized land area of inefficient surface parking lot to develop fifty affordable apartment homes near the OC Streetcar. In addition to providing much-needed housing, this development transformed the impermeable surfaces with landscaped areas and sustainable stormwater management facilities that retain and treat all runoff on site, as well as a new tree canopy and white roofs. New walkways and curb extensions also increased pedestrian safety and neighborhood connectivity.

Location: Santa Ana, California
Developers: Community Development Partners (Principal Developer) & Magis Realty (co-Developer)