San Diego

Quartyard's New Lease on Life

East Village's Quartyard has announced that it will be relocating in late-2017

The last time SoundDiego reported on Quartyard -- the "urban park" situated on a 28,000-square-foot city-owned lot at 1102 Market St. -- its future seemed a bit murky. Two developers were in talks to purchase the lot from the city, which would’ve effectively shut down the venue.

East Village residents were understandably up in arms about the potential sale, campaigning online and in person to save Quartyard, but according to its masterminds -- Philip Auchettl, David Loewenstein and Jason Grauten (who work together as RAD Lab) -- those efforts were actually a bit misguided.

"Quartyard was built as a placeholder for future development with the intention to activate a vacant, publicly owned lot, then relocate once the city sells," Auchettl told SoundDiego via email in 2016.

Bottom line: When Quartyard came to fruition in 2014, it was never meant to stay in one place. The beauty in its concept is the venue’s ability to adapt and evolve throughout various relocations. And now that time has come: Quartyard is, indeed, moving.

According to a video/update posted to their website on Monday, May 8, they confirmed that their lease on the 1102 Market St. space has ended, but will be re-opening only a couple of blocks away at 13th and Market later this year (the specific date is still yet to be determined).

In more good news for Quartyard-goers -- they also wrote that the current space “will remain open until the beginning of summer,” and confirmed that everything patrons have grown to love about the urban park (live music, dog park, beer garden, eateries, coffee shop, etc.) will still be offered in its new location.

All in all, it looks like everyone wins -- and that doesn’t happen very often in these types of situations. East Village residents still have a Quartyard to enjoy, the park gets a new lease on life, and its various vendors remain.

Onward and upward, as they say.

Dustin Lothspeich books The Merrow, plays in Diamond Lakes, and runs the music equipment-worshipping blog Gear and Loathing in San Diego. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly.

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