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Hillsboro Cultural Hub Spotlight: Calle Diez

Post Date:09/15/2024

You may have heard of Orenco Station, Tanasbourne, or Downtown Hillsboro. But have you heard of...

Calle Diez

At the junction of culture, transportation, and economy, Calle Diez is the center of Hillsboro’s Latino community and a unique multi-cultural business hub for Washington County.

You might know it as 10th Avenue, Shute Park, or TV Highway.

Calle Diez is home to a free outdoor summer concert series (Showtime), the only public pool in Hillsboro, a community senior center serving meals and offering activities, and a dynamic library full of bilingual resources and books.

Calle Diez 2 1 While those treasured institutions help make the neighborhood great, that’s not what makes it special.

“It’s where many Latino people in Hillsboro call home,” says Nansi Lopez, Policy Director at Centro Cultural. “It’s a place where you see interconnectedness of family, relationships, and community.”

More than 67% of residents in Calle Diez are Hispanic or Latino, compared to 21% of the City of Hillsboro and 18% of Washington County.

This culture is reflected in the shops, restaurants, and businesses in Calle Diez, where many people come to find specialty items — whether food, clothing, or goods — that are specific to their culture or remind them of their heritage or native country.

People also frequent Calle Diez to access services in Spanish, such as legal, medical, and beauty, and to send money and goods to family in Mexico, Central and South America.

“It makes you so proud to see all the Hispanic business owners here now,” says Isabell Mendoza, who with her family, owns Su Casa Super Mercado, one of the oldest mercados in the state. At its current location at 10th Avenue and Walnut Street, Su Casa is a neighborhood staple where you can buy fresh produce, bread, dairy products, meats, candies, household items, and much more.

Thousands of cars drive through Calle Diez on five lanes of traffic via Oregon Route 8 every day.

The neighborhood is currently characterized by an auto-centric design. While additional work is being done to evaluate transportation options, community members have helped articulate a vision for the area: a safe, walkable neighborhood with a sense of identity and place that is connected to nature.

The City of Hillsboro is currently using that vision along with data, analysis, and additional community engagement, to preserve and enhance the neighborhood where in the last five years, home sale prices have risen faster than surrounding areas. The goal — through creation of an equitable development strategy — is to improve life for community members, while maintaining the character and composition of Hillsboro’s Calle Diez.

“I am hoping we come up with a creative solution, and not a dramatic solution,” said Olivia Alcaire, currently serving her second term on the Hillsboro City Council. “We don’t want to displace the businesses and people there.”

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Like every neighborhood, Calle Diez is not without its challenges. The area has some of the highest poverty rates in the region, as more than half of the City’s supply of affordable housing is concentrated there. There are a variety of complex housing issues and needs, and safety continues to be a priority for many.

While plans for a long-term strategy to reduce the risk of accelerating gentrification are in the works, using art and culture to create a sense of place is already in motion. The area is part of Hillsboro’s Downtown and recently established Cultural Arts District, that includes the hubs of Main Street and the Avenues, M&M Marketplace, and Calle Diez.

Murals by Latino artists that reflect aspects of local life now line parts of 10th Avenue, and new public art shaped by feedback from Calle Diez community members will go up at the library and in Shute Park in 2025. This winter, during the darkest months of the year, festive lights will brighten commercial and recreation areas around Calle Diez for the fourth season in a row. And small grants have supported business improvements at a variety of establishments.

People are proud to celebrate Calle Diez and the cultural diversity that makes it unique in Hillsboro, the region, and the state. All of that is what makes the neighborhood special.

About the Cultural Arts District

The City of Hillsboro celebrates the power of arts and culture to drive economic prosperity, strengthen community connection and equity, preserve our cultural assets, and welcome residents and visitors to experience our vital City.

In 2019, Hillsboro designated Washington County’s first Cultural Arts District in the heart of Downtown. Hillsboro is also the first city in Oregon to create a dedicated staff position to work with partners, colleagues, artists, makers, and culture bearers to support the community’s goals for an inclusive District.

Hillsboro's Cultural Arts District is anchored by the hubs of Main Street & the Avenues, Shute Park & the 10th Avenue Corridor, and M&M Marketplace. The Cultural Arts District is founded on:

A history of strong community partnerships
Forward-thinking investment in revitalization
Essential contributions of local artists, culture bearers, and businesses
Passion for welcoming people to engage in meaningful experiences through the arts

See a play or concert. Take a creative class. Discover locally owned boutiques and restaurants. Experience events like the Hillsboro Art Walk every First Tuesday of the month, or visit one of our dynamic art and performance spaces. Dance, move, and enjoy nature. Bring friends — or meet new friends and neighbors — and create lasting memories in our Cultural Arts District.

Hillsboro A&E Magazine

Hillsboro A&E shines a light on the thriving arts and culture community in Hillsboro, with a special focus on Hillsboro's Cultural Arts District. This free magazine is published twice a year and distributed around Hillsboro and the Portland Metro Area. It features news and events from local businesses, community organizations, and the City of Hillsboro.