Since opening in October 2024, River Street Marketplace has become one of Orange County’s most beloved destinations. Located in one of California’s oldest neighborhoods and surrounded by properties on the National Historic Registry, the project transformed an existing nursery into an experiential village embracing the site’s natural and cultural history. SWA helped lead the site’s rezoning and planning process over nine years to align the design with community values and San Juan Capistrano’s historic, agrarian character.

The result is a pedestrian-scaled environment framed by neighborhood-scaled buildings arranged in a historical, non-orthogonal pattern. Gravel pathways, native plantings, and shaded courtyards evoke the area’s rustic heritage, while flexible outdoor spaces invite dining, play, and informal gathering. Reclaimed wood and materials were sourced within 300 miles of the site in Los Rios, reducing embodied carbon and deepening the project’s connection to place.

The final design, developed in collaboration with RSM Design and Bickel Group Architecture, is a community hub that feels both historic and new—grounded in the rhythms of local life, celebrating California’s oldest neighborhood while adapting for its future. It has quickly become not only the social and commercial hub of San Juan Capistrano, but a popular lifestyle destination that draws families and visitors from throughout Southern California.