Google is giving San Jose $5 million for community benefits

Even thought Google's multi-million SQFT megaproject is still on hold, they are holding true to several of the commitments they made to the city of San Jose. 

Google will give $5 million to San Jose as part of its community benefits agreement for the Downtown West Project. $4.25 million will be put into the Community Stabilization and Opportunity Pathways Fund.  This aims to support under-resourced communities in San Jose due to rising costs and increase job opportunities.

If the project comes to fruition, then Google will invest a total of $155 million into public benefits for the San Jose community. However, that will be a rounding error compared to value of having 10,000 or so high-paying tech jobs that would be added to Downtown San Jose along with the ecosystem to support those workers.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

Google still investing in Downtown San Jose, outdoor dining and beer garden coming to Downtown West

Many have speculated that Google's plans to build a flagship office in Downtown San Jose near Diridon have been cancelled due to the state of the office market and tech worker's reluctance to return to physical offices. However, Google has continued to make small moves to show their intentions have not changed. This includes funding community programming (Creekside Socials) to bring people to "Downtown West" and beginning to prep various parcels they have assembled for eventual construction. This latest announcement marks one of the clearest signs that plans are still a go.

Google is now looking to fund new experiences and placemaking in the neighborhood. In early 2025 they plan to add food & beverage, health & wellness, and retail concepts along Barack Obama Boulevard and South Montgomery street. The goal is to create a lively street scene BEFORE the Google offices are built. I'll take it.

Google is partnered with Jamestown, development and real estate experts responsible for Ghirardelli Square in SF, Fourth Street in Berkeley, and both Chelsea Market and Pier 57 in NYC. The duo is eyeing 57 Barack Obama Boulevards for a beer garden and dining spots. It does have a cool industrial vibe to it that looks ripe for something trendy.

One of the first major construction projects will likely be an affordable housing project on the site of the old Orchard Supply Hardware store. Dirt has already been moved to clear the site.

The goal for early investment is to get others excited about developing here and truly creating a brand new district and ecosystem. It could easily evolve to have a better quality of life than Mountain View, as it's close to the biggest transit project on the West Coast and the 300+ eateries, bars, and entertainment venues in Downtown San Jose. That's not to mention the fact that housing close to this area is nearly a fraction of what you pay for Mountain View and Palo Alto.

Exiting times are ahead for Downtown West.

Source: The Mercury News

Downtown West Creekside Socials - Upcoming free classes

Downtown West's Creekside Socials programming is continuing into July. To me this gives hope that Google still has a foot in the door with San Jose. Their multi-million SQFT, mixed-use campus next to Diridon Station might be on hold, but the promised cultural activities and activation of the new neighborhood are still pushing forward.

The latest event is a series of West African dance classes on July 12, July 29, August 16th, and August 30th. This is hosted by Kuumba and is a energetic dance workout featuring live drummers and highlighting the dance and spirit of West Africa. All classes go from 6-7pm at 56 Barack Obama Blvd. in Downtown San Jose. 

There is also a sewing and upcycling event hosted by Chopsticks Alley Art from 5-7pm on Thursday, July 11th. This event will also feature live music by San Jose musician, Lucas Tecson.

Both events are free and you can RSVP to either over here.

Google might bring an affordable housing project to Downtown San Jose

Google still has one foot in the door for their ambitious Downtown San Jose plans. A mixed-used project with millions of square feet of office buildings in a neighborhood now dubbed "Downtown West" have been put on hold, but Google has continued some of their projects to build culture and vibrancy around the new district. Now it looks like they might move forward with an affordable housing project where an old Orchard Supply Hardware store once stood (San Jose company btw).

Earlier this year they razed a building at 720 West San Carlos and now they are evaluating building an affordable housing project on this site. If there were to move forward, it would signal that Google is still serious about investing in Downtown San Jose. If they return to the original plan, up to 20,000 employees could be working in of the capital of Silicon Valley. The economic impact and cultural impact would be significant, especially considering Google has some of the highest median salaries of any company on Earth.

Source: The Mercury News

 

Has Google forgotten about Downtown San Jose?

The short answer is... no.

If Google had no plans to execute on their vision for Downtown West near Diridon, they would have immediately halted all work on their real estate holdings in San Jose. Instead, they are still making small updates and preparations. For example, a former Orchard Supply Hardware at 720 West San Carlos is being bulldozed over the next couple months to make way for future construction.

The eventual goal is to build 7.3 million SQFT of office space, 4,000 residential units, 500k SQFT of retail, 300 hotel rooms, and 15 acres of open space in Downtown West. Google wants to employ as many as 20,000 workers in San Jose.

Source: The Mercury News

Content 16.2

The latest issue of Content Magazine is about to drop (Silicon Valley's top publication on local arts and culture). This issue will come with a limited edition flexi disc vinyl record from Needle to the Groove, as long as you preorder or subscribe by January 31st.

To top it off, they will do a Pick-Up Party in partnership with Creekside Social on February 22nd at 20 Barack Obama Boulevard in Downtown San Jose. Subscribers always get some sort of perk at these parties--often a free cocktail, apps, or other goodies.

Here are some of the people featured in the upcoming issue:

Musician - Amara 林 | Videographer - Victor Aquino | Photographer - Britt Bradley | Rapper - Chow Mane | RecordLabel - Discos Resaca Collective | Dancer - Srividya Eashwar | Artist - Girafa | Rap Crew - Kid Lords | Photographer - Josie Lepe | Artist - Julie Meridian | Record Shop and Label - Needle to the Groove Records | Illustrator - Shaka Shaw | 2024 San José Creative Ambassadors - Dancer - Alice Hur - Artist - Pantea Karimi - Artist - Deborah Kennedy - Artist - Rayos Magos - Storyteller - Yosimar Reyes

To learn more or subscribe, head over here.

Eight-story apartment building proposed near future San Jose Google campus

A restaurant called Con Sabor a Mexico on 500 West San Carlos Street might become the site of an eight-story apartment building. The address is significant since it's in the "Downtown West" neighborhood that Google eventually wants to turn into an urban campus in the Downtown San Jose.

The proposed building would have 90 apartments across eight floors, and 2,670 SQFT of ground-floor retail. Based on the initial render it looks like it will include some amount of parking. I don't quite understand the grid on one side of the building. Those could be some form of child-safe balconies or interior hallways that allow airflow to pass through.

Even without factoring for the Google campus, the location is a few blocks away from Diridon station and a few blocks away from Discovery Meadow and the Guadalupe River trail. The site would be extremely convenient for Adobe employees as well.

So far the development plans are preliminary and there is no formal ETA.

Source: The Mercury News

SanJose2030 Man on the Street Ep1

Our friend and fellow San Jose-enthusiast David Manzo from Bejaw Productions has started a new YouTube series to document the many changes Downtown San Jose will experience through 2030. 

In his inaugural video, he takes us through the Alameda, Downtown West, and ends with a very cool time lapse deconstruction of the old Poor House Bistro as well as a tour of its new home at Little Italy San Jose. While it's sad to see the original Poor House shut down to make way for Google, the new location is going to be amazing and will help Little Italy thrive!

Check out the video below or over here.