Chris Lake Takes Over Arena Green East in Downtown San Jose for Daytime House Party

Arena Green East will host a full-day outdoor house music event on Saturday, August 22, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Chris Lake headlines the lineup alongside Murda Beatz and Jackie Hollander at the open-air venue near the Guadalupe River and Little Italy.

The gathering is billed as a daytime party with big house energy and open-air vibes across the park space. Entry is limited to ages 18 and older, with a valid government-issued ID required. The event runs rain or shine and marks a notable activation of Arena Green East for this style of electronic music gathering.

Fans can expect a multi-hour set list in a setting that combines park space with nearby neighborhood energy. Tickets remain available through the event page for those planning to attend the afternoon-into-evening session.

This stop forms part of Chris Lake’s ongoing tour schedule and brings a high-profile electronic act to a central San Jose location for the first time in this format.

Tickets and additional details are available at the Eventbrite listing for the show.

Hijau Coffee Opens Permanent Spot with Indonesian Flavors on West San Carlos

After two years as a farmers market pop-up, Hijau has opened its first brick-and-mortar café at 1432 West San Carlos Street, Suite 70. Owners Lisa Maria and Ryan Prawiradjaja held a soft opening on August 13 and now serve customers Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends until 4 p.m.

Maria, whose parents roasted coffee in West Java, wanted to bring more Indonesian flavors to the Bay Area. The menu features three signature lattes: pandan with notes of coconut and vanilla, nastar inspired by pineapple tarts, and klepon drawing from the green coconut-rice dessert. Coffee is sourced from Indonesia, and the space includes batik textiles and teak furniture that reflect the couple’s heritage.

The path from pop-up tables at the Rose Garden and De Anza farmers markets to a permanent counter involved significant permitting and inspection costs that totaled around $27,000. The pair paused market appearances in late spring to focus on the build-out.

Hijau adds a distinctive coffee option to the midtown corridor and expands the city’s range of Southeast Asian culinary voices. Regular hours are now in effect for anyone ready to try the tropical-inspired drinks.

Source: The Mercury News

UserMoment Prepares Northern California Launch from San Jose

A San Jose startup is set to introduce a new way for people and businesses to book local creative talent. UserMoment Technologies plans to open its location-based marketplace across Northern California on September 15, with an initial focus on San Jose, the broader Bay Area, and Sacramento.

The platform connects clients who need photographers, videographers, drone operators, or content creators with available professionals nearby. Users can choose real-time dispatch for more immediate requests, browse profiles and schedules for advanced bookings, or post their own project details and let creators respond. After a shoot, private galleries arrive through a U-Code system that lets clients preview and access their media securely.

Founder and CEO Andrews Dela Vega Puriran, a Filipino American U.S. Air Force veteran, developed the idea while completing a nursing program in Fremont. He balanced clinicals and classes with the work of building the platform, drawing on earlier inspiration from high school senior portrait systems that used unique codes for photo delivery. The company has already run early field tests of photo delivery and purchase flows.

UserMoment aims to give independent creators more direct paid opportunities while simplifying the search for local creative help at family events, small business campaigns, real estate shoots, and community gatherings. The San Jose-based team is currently finishing product polish, security work, and creator onboarding ahead of the September launch.

For more information, visit usermoment.com.

 

Hoka Brings Its First Bay Area Store to Santana Row

Hoka plans to open its first Bay Area storefront at Santana Row this fall, filling the roughly 850-square-foot space previously occupied by Arc’teryx. The outdoor apparel brand relocated to a larger location at Westfield Valley Fair, creating the opening for the popular performance footwear company. Marketing materials already posted at the site confirm a fall debut.

The arrival aligns with broader shifts toward active lifestyles at the mixed-use center. A 60,000-square-foot Life Time fitness club is also preparing to open in the former Best Buy space. Reformation, the Los Angeles-based women’s clothing brand, is preparing a more than 2,000-square-foot store next to Sezane for a fall opening as well. Johnny Doughnuts celebrated the launch of its fifth location at the Row in late June, while the upscale cocktail bar Flora is expected later this year in the former Rosie McCann’s space.

Santana Row has experienced some turnover on the dining side. Vine Hospitality’s portfolio-wide closures eliminated LB Steak, Left Bank and Meso Modern Mediterranean, removing more than 175 jobs from the center. Those vacancies form part of the ongoing evolution that has also brought in new retail and fitness options.

Source: SVBJ

Glen Fest Returns to Willow Glen on September 26

Glen Fest takes over a stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Downtown Willow Glen on Saturday, September 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free community festival centers on the Bank of America lot at 1245 Lincoln Avenue and spills into the surrounding independent shops and restaurants.

Live bands play throughout the day while more than a dozen food trucks and vendors offer everything from BBQ and lobster rolls to Mexican street food, Asian-inspired dishes, and local honey. Beer and wine are available for adults. A dedicated kids court features bouncy houses, face painting, a photo booth, and visits from local sports teams, all without any extra ticket.

The event remains fully walkable and dog-friendly for those who keep pets on leashes. Shops along the avenue stay open during their regular hours, giving visitors a chance to browse boutiques, the children’s bookstore, and other neighborhood spots between sets and meals.

Now in its third year, Glen Fest has grown into the largest single-day gathering on the Downtown Willow Glen calendar. Families and neighbors who arrive earlier in the day often find lighter crowds and easier access to the kids activities.

Check the Downtown Willow Glen Business Association channels closer to the date for the final band and vendor lineup.

Source: Downtown Willow Glen

Boutique Grocery Heads to Ground Floor of San Pedro Square Housing Towers

An independent boutique grocery store is preparing to lease 12,000 square feet of ground-floor space at the two residential towers located at 188 West St. James Street in the San Pedro Square neighborhood of Downtown San Jose. The space faces San Pedro Square Market and sits within a complex that includes a 22-story eastern tower with 337 units and a 20-story western tower with 303 units.

The market will offer fresh food, sandwiches, a salad bar, a hot bar, burritos, and additional prepared items once the street-level shell is ready. Opening is projected for sometime in 2027. Leasing efforts are being handled by Nick Goddard of Colliers.

Downtown San Jose has long operated with limited grocery options. Whole Foods on The Alameda has served the western edge since 2014, and Sakura Market opened more recently on South Market Street. A new neighborhood-focused market at this central location will give residents of the towers and surrounding blocks easier access to everyday essentials and ready-to-eat meals.

The western tower continues to market condominiums for sale while the eastern tower remains under consideration for potential workforce housing by the San Jose Unified School District. Adding a practical retail anchor at street level should help activate the base of these buildings and support the daily needs of people living and working nearby.

Source: SiliconValley.com

Icon Echo Advances with 645 Homes Near City Hall in Downtown San Jose

Urban Catalyst’s Icon Echo project is moving forward with plans for two eight-story residential buildings that will deliver 645 new apartments in Downtown San Jose. The development covers a 2.1-acre site along North Fourth Street between East Santa Clara Street and East Saint John Street, across from San Jose City Hall and a short walk from Saint James Park.

The unit mix includes 233 studios, 272 one-bedrooms, and 140 two-bedrooms, with 33 of the homes deed-restricted as affordable. Each building rises to 89 feet and features podium-top courtyards, ground-level parking with stackers totaling 527 spaces, and a small retail space on the Icon building. Architect BDE Architecture has designed the exteriors with brick veneer, stucco, and cast stone panels.

A Planning Director’s hearing on the site development permit and vesting tentative map took place on August 12, with city staff recommending approval. The project represents a shift from earlier mixed-use concepts that included office space, reflecting the current emphasis on adding housing in the urban core.

Once built, the complex will place hundreds of new residents within easy reach of transit, civic buildings, and the daily activity of Downtown San Jose. The mid-rise scale fits the surrounding blocks while contributing meaningful density to an area that continues to evolve.

Source: SF YIMBY

New Housing Community Planned for Former Oracle Campus

Valley Oak Partners continues advancing its proposal to transform 38 acres of the former Oracle campus in Santa Clara into a mixed residential community of 584 homes. The San Jose-based developer shared updated details on timeline and design during a recent community meeting, outlining plans for 48 single-family homes, 416 townhomes and 120 apartments.

The project site currently contains nearly 500,000 square feet of vacant office buildings that would be removed. Seven acres of open space would feature parks, a recreation and yoga deck, bocce court, playground and lawns. The two-story single-family homes are expected to measure between 2,400 and 2,700 square feet, while the affordable apartment building would reach six stories. Architect KTGY and landscape planner RHAA are guiding the design work. The development borders a historic park and buildings that will remain untouched.

Environmental review is underway and typically requires about a year. Valley Oak anticipates securing project approvals by mid-2027, after which it intends to purchase the land from Oracle as a joint venture with a homebuilder. Past partnerships have included firms such as Lennar, Pulte and KB Home. Demolition and infrastructure work could follow later in 2027, with home construction potentially starting in the first half of 2028.

The proposal operates under the builder’s remedy, which limits a city’s ability to reject qualifying housing projects that include a required share of lower-income units. A formal application was filed in 2024 after a preliminary filing the previous year. If the schedule holds, the redevelopment would convert underused office land into a range of housing options with substantial outdoor amenities in a location close to major employment centers and transportation routes serving San Jose and the broader South Bay.

Source: SVBJ

Affordable Townhomes Arrive in East San Jose to Expand Homeownership Options

A new collection of 18 townhomes is taking shape at 125 Kirk Avenue in East San Jose, directly across from Linda Vista Elementary School. Developer AlphaX RE Capital, led by Stephanie Yi, is delivering the project known as The Kirk with a focus on creating ownership opportunities for working families.

Two three-bedroom units will be offered at roughly $300,000 below market rates, while the remaining homes—mostly four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath floor plans ranging from 1,481 to 1,909 square feet—are priced between $1.18 million and $1.3 million. Select buyers can also access a $50,000 credit and interest rates starting as low as 3.99 percent.

The project opened to the public on August 14, with some units expected to become available as early as October and full construction completion targeted for February 2027. Local leaders have welcomed the development as a practical step toward keeping more families rooted in the neighborhood and building long-term equity.

East San Jose has long needed additional pathways to ownership that match the incomes of teachers, nurses, small-business owners, and other working residents. This modest-scale effort shows how targeted new construction can open doors without waiting for larger citywide solutions.

For details on availability and qualification, contact the developer directly through their sales channels.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

Hotel De Anza Undergoes Major Remodel in Downtown San Jose

The historic Hotel De Anza at 233 West Santa Clara Street has entered a wide-ranging remodel that will refresh both its exterior and interior spaces. Owners Dhaval Panchal and Sean Curtis, who acquired the 100-room property in 2024, are restoring the 10-story Art Deco tower with a full exterior repaint that returns the building to its 1990s color scheme.

Scaffolding already stands along the facade as crews prepare the structure for top-to-bottom updates. Inside, work focuses on the lobby, Palm Terrace, and the historic Hedley Club. Just left of the main entrance, a new restaurant is taking shape and is expected to become a notable dining destination once complete.

Many of the upgrades are scheduled for completion before the end of 2026. The neon sign atop the hotel was already relit last year, marking an early visible step in the restoration. Built in 1931 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the tower ranks among San Jose’s few remaining Zig Zag Moderne buildings and has previously been rescued from demolition and renovated.

The ownership team aims to position the refreshed Hotel De Anza as a welcoming community gathering place that strengthens the daily rhythm of Downtown San Jose.

Source: The Mercury News