A once-overlooked alleyway in downtown San Bernardino has been transformed into a vibrant public art corridor, now known as Sole Alley — a $770,000 investment made possible through the Clean California Grant and collaboration between the City of San Bernardino, CalTrans, Arts Connection, Realicore Real Estate, and local creatives.
Located on West Fourth Street between D and E streets in the heart of the city’s Historic Arts District, Sole Alley now features community murals, brick-laid pavement, upgraded lighting, public seating, and a neon-lit archway entrance bearing the words “Sole Alley,” flanked by neon shoes and the phrase “Love and Unity.”
The transformation was supported by over $700,000 in Clean California grant funding from CalTrans and included partnerships with city staff, organizers, and artists. Improvements include decorative pavers, bike racks, new landscaping, performance space, and lighting infrastructure.
The murals lining the alley were created by seven Inland Empire artists: Angel Ba Soul, Heather Andrews-Horton, Victoria Banegas, A’kailah Byrd-Greene, Joel Lopez, Duan Kellum, and Juwaun McCrary, also known as UUPAH.
Despite the scorching heat that evening, the event drew a crowd that included Mayor Tran, Councilmembers Sanchez, Dr. Treasure Ortiz, and Mario Flores, as well as San Bernardino’s forthcoming City Manager Eric Levitt, who officially begins his role on August 4. Guests mingled in the courtyard with live music, vibrant murals, and a backdrop of dramatic summer clouds casting a glowing ambiance over the neon-lit alleyway.
Surrounded by small businesses like Viva La Boba, Diverse Sole, Three Little Blue Byrds Boutique, The Barbers Club, and Grounded Self Care Studio, Sole Alley is poised to become a permanent fixture for downtown events — including art walks, performances, and cultural programming.
What was once an overlooked passage is now a cornerstone of San Bernardino’s downtown revitalization — a corridor that honors its past while making way for a future rooted in creativity, culture, and community.