Rio Piedras, a historic neighborhood in San Juan, covers 38 acres and 17 city blocks and suffers from decades of physical and economic decline: crime, depopulation, poor public realm, high vacancies, and inappropriate densities of development. The City of San Juan commissioned AD+A, Inc. to analyze the area’s issues and present an effective revitalization strategy to reverse decline. AD+A, Inc.’s development program that calls for increased densification of commercial corridors, reconnection of pedestrian pathways, and establishment of visually powerful gateways with commercial and service nodes of activity. Proposed development includes 611 dwelling units and 1.38 million sf of new or restructured construction. Particular emphasis is given towards the Plaza de Convalecencia and the Paseo de Diego, two large related public activity centers. The overall public realm is enhanced with covered pedestrian walkways, trellised terraces, courtyards, and plazas.