Plaza Viva Tijuana

Plaza Viva Tijuana is an open-air shopping center in the Empleados Federales neighborhood of Tijuana, immediately in front of what was formerly the only exit to Mexico for pedestrians crossing from San Ysidro, San Diego on the U.S. side of the border. It houses numerous pharmacies targeted at U.S. customers, handicraft and souvenir shops, restaurants,[1] and one of Tijuana's largest gay nightclubs (formerly "Éxtasis" now "Club Fusion").[2]

An empty Plaza Viva Tijuana in December 2010

It is located at what has been the exit point for pedestrians crossing southbound into Mexico via various configurations of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. In 2012, the Puerta México pedestrian crossing on the west side of the southbound vehicular crossing, controversially, closed,[3] replaced by the new Puerta México Este pedestrian entry to Mexico on the east side. It still allowed pedestrians to walk westward 500m and exit to Tijuana in front of the Plaza, but gave pedestrians easy access to areas on the east side of the border such as the Zona Río. Business plummeted for merchants in the center, by up to 80% in one instance.[4]

In July 2016, Plaza Viva Tijuana returned to its role as a focal point for pedestrians walking from Tijuana to San Ysidro when it became the starting point of the new pedestrian walkway to and from the new PedWest pedestrian crossing, via which pedestrians cross to Virginia Avenue and the Las Americas Premium Outlets on the U.S. side. Since then, there has been a reconfiguration and the pedestrian terminus is immediately west of the Plaza, across Aves. Alberto Aldrete and José María Larroque.

References

1. Top 10 San Diego, Pamela Barrus, p. 197
2. Baja California and Los Cabos, Danny Palmerlee, p. 81
3. "Tijuana Protesters: Keep Old Border Crossing Open", T.B. Beaudeau, San Diego Reader, Oct. 31, 2012
4. "Se desploman ventas en 80% en alrededores del Chaparral", Uniradio