While it only rises to 5-stories, it will add quite a bit of density to Midtown and help better connect the Downtown San Jose area with Santana Row. Another bonus is that this project is close to transit.
Build out is going to take 2 years and one of our readers that lives across the street has reported that most of the site has already been leveled, including the Meyer Appliance building.
Sources: SJBJ, Heather
Better late than never on this story, I guess. The demolition of the old building started weeks ago, but it already looks a million times better than it previously did. I hope San Jose pushes the other used car dealerships to either renovate or move out. As the property value in the area increases this will happen organically to San Carlos, but I would love the city to give it a boost.
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteSan Jose Skyline Could Get A Facelift. I think this slipped past you Josh: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Jose-Skyline-Could-Get-Facelift-181455511.html
ReplyDeleteGreat article by NBC Bay Area. I've always wondered: why not take a page out of Las Vegas development? No, I'm not talking casinos and Mega resorts. You have many a 600 ft skyscraper in the vicinity of McCarran airport (think N1 street east of SJC) and a historic core at Fremont Street (think our current core). While I still feel our airport will have to be relocated by mid-century, we could have a grand SJ skyline much sooner.
ReplyDeleteSome of the casinos and buildings in Vegas aren't that tall. I believe Caesar's is only 18/20 stories, same goes for Imperial Palace, Bally's, etc. I think San Jose could have a great mid-level skyline if we do it well.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Mandalay Bay (just west of the airport) stands at 485 ft., while the towers of the new City Centre, Palazzo and Wynn stand +600 ft. Could the same/similar heights happen on N1 street east/northeast of SJC? Perhaps..
DeleteYes definitely Anthony. I just came back from Vegas and they do have several buildings over 400, 500 and 600 feet tall...even near the airport. I hope the FAA study gives SJ the green light to build tall!
DeleteWhat a downer at the end: Damian Trujillo said it would take the FAA several YEARS to rule on this. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteFor the love of god, if we cannot move the airport, can we move the runways?
Exactly Bob. I've wondered the same. Why not reposition the runways so the planes don't fly DIRECTLY over downtown SJ.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
DeleteTrust me, the geek in me has played with Google Earth a million times reconfiguring the runways at SJC. It would cost hundreds of millions (perhaps a billion?) to acquire adjacent properties and you would piss off thousands of SJ residents not currently exposed to jet noise. Don't think repositioning will ever happen. Best bet is to be patient for at least 20 years; perhaps Moffett will become available or southeast Gilroy more accessible (high-speed rail?).
In the meantime, I say allow a height limit of 700 ft. Along N1 street between Skyport and Montegue. Core skyscrapers can wait...
Sigh, I know you're right Anthony. Nothing we could do really about the airport...
DeleteI used to think more along the lines of downtown core having the highest possible buildings, and other areas (Santana Row, North 1st, South San Jose, etc) having lower-height buildings to make SJDT stand out. Same as Sam Liccardo's thoughts in the video link.
But now, after my trip back from Paris, I am beginning to think along what you're thinking.
The old section of Paris (or the Paris in the pictures we all know and see) are mid-rise in general except for the Eiffel Tower. The Business District of Paris - La Defense - is riddled with 600 ft high residential/office towers to the extreme west of the Paris core. Now, granted, Paris' airport is about 20-30 miles away (an hour by train), and is not the cause of the high-rise business district being pushed to the far west, but because of the old Paris is already built at the city's core.
We have the airport blocking the city's core, so let's make the best of it and build a 500-600 ft high-rise office/residential core at North 1st.
Downtown will still hold the entertainment, arts, faires, and convention gatherings, along with all the sports facilities.
The city should go with this vision and make it happen with incentives and whatnot...
I totally agree with Bob and maybe one day, all the buildings from Casino M8trix area and along 1st street down south to Downtown San Jose can go from really tall to downtown heighhts, kinda like a Wilshire Blvd in LA.
DeleteMy text diagram:
Casino M8trix area: IiIIIIiiiiiiii (1st street) all the way to downtown: iiiiiiiiiii
Totally agree with Bob and Anon! The Paris, Vegas, Wilshore Blvd model for San Jose development! Reside on the 60th floor of a N1 high-rise and take light-rail to the historic core for sports, arts and a good time: sounds good to me. Lets make this happen San Jose!
DeleteBTW Josh, sorry for going way off topic. Meridian-type developments should stretch from downtown to Santana Row/VF. Perhaps 6-10 story residential could be worked in as well. N1 street from east of the airport northward would be reserved for true skyscraper development as mentioned above.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can really see us getting some nice buildings on North 1st. We did have a 30 story tower proposed at one point but it fell through. There are at least 2 huge projects happening in North First and hopefully they will bring more interest in the district and someone will decide to go tall with their next development.
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