City: San Diego
State/Province: California
Country: United States

Marco Li Mandri, Chief Executive Administrator, The Little Italy Association:
The opening of the Piazza della Famiglia is significant not only to San Diego but around the country—it serves as a model for innovative community projects that want to create great public spaces. The Piazza della Famiglia enriches San Diego’s Little Italy, acting as a pioneer for other neighborhoods in the U.S. on how a community can activate its public spaces and improve its community by building a central gathering place. It’s especially unique to the U.S. because it reflects the European lifestyle of coming together in public spaces—to eat, drink, people watch, interact with friends and relax after shopping. It also invites residents, visitors and the community to engage with each other.