1500th Person to Call the Heart of Downtown San Jose Home!

Last Thursday Downtown San Jose achieved a major milestone in its history. Sarah Ligda became the 1500th person to clutch the keys of a brand new Downtown San Jose condo! If you've been to downtown lately, you've probably noticed that there are a few more lights on when you look up at the sky and a few more feet on the streets. Despite a rocky economy the heart of our city continues to grow in every way possible: density, eclecticism, and culture. It's becoming a place were people want to live, work, play, and just be. Every key that gets passed on to new condo owners chisels away at the stereotypes and misconceptions Downtown has dealt with for decades and paves the way for a much brighter future.

Now, it is with tremendous pleasure that The San Jose Blog gets to bring you the following press release before anyone else. Enjoy!

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SAN JOSE (March 4, 2010) Sarah Ligda, a recent San Jose State University masters-degree graduate now working in high-technology in Silicon Valley, was heralded today as the 1500th new downtown resident of San Jose’s two-year surge of condominiums. A resident of The 88 highrise at 88 E. San Fernando, Sarah joins the growing population of singles, couples and families who are finding greater appeal in urban life than the previous generation, a lifestyle also seen as a path toward greater sustainability for the planet, according to officials who gathered downtown to mark the occasion.

Nearly two-dozen new downtown retailers were also feted, including 12 that have opened in 2009 and 11 more planned to open in 2010.

San Jose City Council Member Sam Liccardo, San Jose Downtown Association Executive Director Scott Knies and The 88’s Seth Bland of developer Wilson Meany Sullivan were among the officials presenting a basket of downtown retailer gifts to Sarah.

The 1500th resident marks the move-in of over 850 new buyers, plus a multiplier for household size, in nearly 20 downtown properties since late 2007 when the first highrise, City Heights, welcomed new residents, according to research by Pacific Marketing Associates.

“Sarah’s move to downtown is emblematic of our emerging Downtown populace,” said Liccardo. “She’s a young, well-educated, tech worker seeking an urban environment where she needs to walk no more than a block to encounter a yoga studio, Brazilian restaurant, grocery store, a live theater, and a comedy club. It’s all here.”

“Day by day, we’re seeing small but significant forward-steps downtown, and the addition of 1500 new residents plus our new retailers is part of that story,” said Knies. “The new downtown condominium buildings are bringing more vibrance and activity compared to a year or two ago, and you can see the incremental change every afternoon and evening on the sidewalks and in the restaurants.”

The new downtown retailers of 2009-10 include:

-- Newly-opened in the past year::
The Market by Safeway, E. San Fernando at 2nd
Maceio’s Brazilian Restaurant - 72 S. First St.
Soula Power Yoga Studio - 200 S. First Street
Icebee Yogurt - 151 S. Second St
Silk Road Mediterranean Café - 185 Park Ave
San Jose Glass Artist Alliance – 465 S. First St.
The Heel Bar – shoe repair, service for residents – 134 E Santa Clara St
Love’s Cupcakes - 85 E. San Fernando St.
WOW Noodle Bar - 76 S. First St.
The Old Wagon Saloon & Grill - 73 N. San Pedro St.
Downtown Yoga Shala 450 S. First St.
The Cheesesteak Shop - 76 E. Santa Clara St.

-- Retailer planned in First Quarter 2010
The MMoon Empanada Restaurant - 177 W. Santa Clara St [cq: MMoon with 2 M's)
The Pasta Market - Market Center on Coleman
Pho 69 - 321 S. First St
U-Food Grill - 143 W Santa Clara St
Tangerine Hookah Lounge - Fountain Alley
Morton’s The Steakhouse – expansion (177 Park Ave.)
La Victoria – expansion - 131 W. Santa Clara St.

-- Planned later 2010:
Market at San Pedro Square – open August 2010
Flames Eatery - 88 S 4th St - expansion to add bakery and extra seating - December 2010
Higher Fire Ceramics Gallery & Studio – 495 S Market – Summer 2010
Ross Dress for Less – 27 S First St –June 2010

From the left: Seth Bland of The 88; Scott Knies from the SJDA; Nancy Avila from Maceio’s Brazilian Steakhouse; Sarah Ligda, the ceremonial 1500th new downtown condo resident; Sam Liccardo, City Council Member; Kimberly Beach, store manager of The Market by Safeway; and (Mr.) Meredith Davis, a teacher at Soula Power Yoga.