San Jose Downtown Association TownHall at the SAP Center

The SJDA hosted a TownHall meeting focused on professional sports and arts in Downtown San Jose last month. It's worth watching the whole 60min session below, but there were three tidbits that were news to me:

• There is interest in doing another "fiberglass shark" artist collaboration. This was a very successful program years ago where 100 shark statues were decorated by local artists and then auctioned for charity. Many you can still find throughout San Jose today.
• There was a push to have a restaurant week coincide with the Super Bowl. Thousands of people will be staying in the South Bay, not SF during that week. We need to make sure they patronize local restaurants and this would be great timing for a foodie event.
• Postgame concerts after the World Cup. There will be six World Cup games at Levi's and plans are forming to have a major concert/party after each one in Downtown San Jose.

You can watch the full recording below.

Easter Brunch in Downtown San Jose 🐣🥂

As usual, the San Jose Downtown Association has a list of all the great brunch options in Downtown San Jose for Easter weekend. They also have a brief history of brunch in America.

I'll call out Rollati specifically since they have a special Easter Menu with a Cocoa Pappardelle (lamb ragu, pistachio, and mint gremolata) and Italian Easter Bread pictured below. However, you can't go wrong with any of the restaurants below. I've been to all but one.

For your convenience, here is the entire DTSJ brunch list with links to the restaurant in the title:

Rollati

Brunch at Rollati is best enjoyed with a group of friends, so you can order the Aperol Spritz Tower for four, which is their featured Brunch Cocktail.  Brunch entrees include Italian Toast (Sweet Batard, Nutella, Maple Syrup) and Buttermilk Pancakes with Huckleberry, plus the entire lunch menu.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.

The FAB

The FAB brunch menu includes Egg Machaca, Pozole, and their hearty loaded dirty fries, served “breakfast-style” with a soft over-easy egg.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.

The Club on Post

The brunch menu at The Club includes Berry Waffles, Chilaquiles, Crab Cake Benedict, or a Club Burger, served brunch-style, with an egg on top of the Wagyu patty.  There’s a full bar and specialty cocktails, but the Fever Tree Sparking Sicilian Lemonade is worth a try.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun 11am to 3pm.

SP2 Communal Bar  & Restaurant

The Sourdough Machi Waffle, Tri-Tip Hash, Smoked Salmon Scramble (to name just a few) pair perfectly with imaginative cocktails that include an Elderflower Spritz, Passionfruit Bellini, and a drink called Corpse Reviver No. 2.  SP2 also has a preset Brunch menu that allows you to choose an entree, side and a salad for the fixed price of $45.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 2pm.

The Farmer’s Union

The Chuy’s Michelada at Farmer’s Union is practically a meal, but you will want to try the Chicken Fried Chicken & Eggs or the Huevos Motulenos with turkey, peas, cojita cheese, and friend plantain.  Brunch served Sun.11am to 3pm.

Mama Kin

Brunch at Mama Kin includes the usual brunch staples, along with Cajun Creole specialties of the house, but it’s mostly about the vibe.  On Saturday, the R&B Brunch and Day Party, features R&B tunes from the 80s to the 2000s.  Sunday is the Boom Box Brunch and Day Party, with a DJ playing music from the golden era of Hip Hop.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 10am to 3pm.

Poor House Bistro

Jambalaya Scramble, Pecan pancakes, New Orleans-style Beignets, and Pain Perdu (New Orleans French Toast) are just a few choices on the brunch menu at PHB. Doors open 10 am, but the live Blues on the Patio entertainment doesn’t start until noon.  Brunch served Sun. 10am to 2pm.

Whispers Cafe & Creperie

The sweet and savory crepes at Whispers are offered all day every day, but it’s a very popular place for brunch on the weekends. It’s also the longest hours for Brunch in the downtown, for early risers who don’t want to wait until 10 a.m. to eat.  Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 8am to 3 pm.

Fountain Restaurant

Located inside the Signia by Hilton San Jose, next to the Circle of Palms, offers a weekend brunch that includes Lobster Benedict served atop fresh artichoke hearts, generous Avocado Toast and Trout Toast, Pancakes, and Belgian Waffles. The weekend brunch menu also adds lunchtime go-tos like the tasty Fountain Burger with balsamic onion jam and gruyere, plus salads, sandwiches, and a crowd-pleasing kid’s selection with Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Tenders and Sliders.

Rollati's Cocoa Pappardelle (lamb ragu, pistachio, and mint gremolata) and Italian Easter Bread

Get #DTSJLucky for St. Patrick's Day (Mar 8-17)

Today the #DTSJLucky the Leprechaun Hunt kicks off until St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, Marth 17th.

The more you find, the more you can win. Enter for a chance to win gift cards to downtown San Jose businesses when you post a selfie with Lucky, tag @sj_downtown on Instagram or @sjdowntown on Facebook and include #DTSJLucky, or submit your photo with the submission form.

 

Also, earn 2 extra entries when you post or submit a photo of you participating in the Shamrock Run!

Pro tip: use the Lucky the Leprechaun map at sjdowntown.com/dtsjlucky

Winners will be announced every day on @sj_downtown's stories starting on March 11, with a grand prize valued at $250 for the person with the most entries.

Spend $125 at San Jose Downtown Businesses and get a $25 gift card

In the spirit of supporting local San Jose businesses, the San Jose Downtown Association is offering a special promotion this holiday season. If you spend $125 at Downtown San Jose businesses between Nov. 24 and Dec 24th, they will send you a $25 gift card.

Downtown San Jose in this case is defined as the Business Improvement District. Just provide the receipt(s) from any retail store, restaurant, cafe, museum, theatre, or entertainment venue located within the highlighted area in the map below and claim you gift card over here.

There are some exclusions such as touring shows, Sharks tickets, parking, and stays at hotels. 

San Jose Downtown Association Annual Meeting

The San Jose Downtown Association is having their annual meeting this Friday from 8-9:30am at the Hammer Theater, 101 Paseo de San Antonio.

The agenda includes SJDA CEO Alex Stettinski's Downtown Address, financial reports, committee reports, and election of new board members. It's always a interesting meeting discussing the biggest news impacting Downtown San Jose (plus they have delicious muffins).

You can register for free over here.

Starlight Cinemas

Outdoor movies are heading back to St. James Park this summer staring July 1st with Mean Girls. This event is free, just bring a chair or blanket to the park. July 15th will feature Ferris Bueller's Day Off, then Moana on July 29th and Back to the Future on August 5th will close out the series.

Showtime is around 8:30pm. There are also pre-movie activities like lawn games at 7:30pm on July 1st and July 15th and 7pm on July 29th and August 5th.

For more info head over here.

SJDA Annual Meeting 2022

Scott Knies' final State of the Downtown address can be watched in full below. He outlines several initiatives that he was not able to complete in his 34 year career at the SJDA such as creating a new Downtown Plan, cleaning up our streets from those that suffer from mental illnesses and addition, and doing something about old and deteriorating buildings Downtown that have not been maintained by their owners. He also introduces the SJDA's new CEO, Alex Stettinski.

Scott Knies: The Exit Roast

After a whopping 34 years of service, Scott Knies is retiring his post as the executive director of the San Jose Downtown Association. He was the first hired executive for the SJDA and launched many great initiatives and events such as Music in the Park, Downtown Ice, and the Downtown Farmer's Market. 

He's going out with a bang. A roast will be held in his honor at the Signia by Hilton (former Fairmont) on Saturday, October 29th from 6-10pm. You can buy tickets over here.

He'll also be doing his last "State of Downtown" speech and slideshow on October 14th.

SJDA Year in Review 2019 + Flashback to 1989

We're closing out a strong year for Downtown San Jose filled with a multitude of new project announcements across every sector: residential, commercial, hotel, entertainment, and transportation. No one summarizes it better than Scott Knies from the San Jose Downtown Association. Below is his full presentation that highlights the most significant events of 2019 and touches on where we are going in 2020.

As an added bonus, you can also watch a SJDA video from 1989 to see how far we've come in the past 30 years.

SJDA hosting a public year-in-review meeting this Friday

The San Jose Downtown Association always throws an amazing end-of-year meeting with an entertaining slideshow presented by Scott Knies. The event is free and open to the public. It is also early enough that many people can attend before work.

This year topics include BART decisions, the future Google campus Downtown, and election results. Oh, and there will be complimentary coffee and muffins.

The event takes place this Friday, December 14th at Hammer Theatre Center (101 Paseo De San Antonio) from 8am to 9:30am. You can RSVP by emailing sjdarsvp@sjdowntown.com

"State of the Downtown" speech by Scott Knies

Below is a speech by the President of the San Jose Downtown Association, delivered at the October 12th Annual Meeting. It provides a great perspective on where we are today and the key opportunities and risks going forward for Downtown San Jose

“State of the Downtown” speech by Scott Knies

October 12, 2018 

San Jose Downtown Association Annual Meeting

The Momentum Moment: Downtown San Jose’s West Side Story 

In the past 12 months, more than a billion dollars’ worth of downtown property has changed hands. Led by Google, Jay Paul and Gary Dillabough, this massive investment by the private sector is more than half of what the San Jose Redevelopment Agency spent downtown during three decades. It is the surest sign yet of a different direction for San Jose’s center city. 

Yet that new direction depends on who you ask. 

Is this finally San Jose’s moment for its downtown to realize its potential as a vital and beautiful urban community? Is this our time to firmly root San Jose’s unique advantages of diversity, innovation and climate into downtown physical, cultural and social spaces? 

Or, if you adhere to the narrative generated by savvy organizers holding prayer vigils, City Hall marches and protests outside Google’s Mountain View headquarters, the proposed development on downtown’s westside represents every real and existential ill of Silicon Valley: gentrification, high rent, lack of housing, income inequality, bad traffic, not enough union labor. 

While the media may give more attention to protesters, the hearts and minds of most San Joseans support Google’s arrival downtown as we figure how best to embrace the opportunities and rise to the challenges this intense growth will bring. We have to do it right! This new blueprint for urban infrastructure must be planned better, be more interesting inside and out, and be more inclusive than anything San Jose has done before. We have an extraordinary chance to create a city within the city – a model of the future; one that inspires civic pride by putting people ahead of buildings and cars; in providing a positive environment for jobs, homes, recreation, health and joy; and how it prototypes solutions to societal issues like affordability, climate change and the unhoused. 

Is that too large a vision to put on the back of downtown – especially the 250 acres on the westside? We think not. This is San Jose’s moment. 

The vision became exponentially larger 16 months ago when Google’s plans for downtown went public: they were buying up parcels paralleling the Caltrain tracks with the potential to design and build an urban tech district the likes the world has yet to imagine. The antithesis of the Apple Spaceship in Cupertino, Google sees a daisy chain of next generation green buildings integrated into a city street grid enhanced by digital technology and connected by lots of public spaces – sidewalks, plazas, paseos, creek trails, cricket fields, dog parks, playgrounds and bike lanes – and the Dancing Pig sign.

With the Diridon depot train station roughly the midpoint of its acquisitions, Google is assembling land that could accommodate 8-10 million feet and support 20,000 jobs. Buildings could stretch from Auzerais Street on the south to Julian Street on the north, connected by the aforementioned public spaces such as bike paths, a liberated Los Gatos Creek and new streets. Ultimately occupying about 50 acres on the westside, Google has already goosed the promise of downtown higher than any other big plans in the recent past, like the Palladium pipe-dream during the dot-com era, or the Oakland A’s stadium from the prior decade. 

I spoke about Google’s downtown plans last Friday at the Capital Club and when I finished one of the first questions was “where is the westside of downtown?” The westside is a very large area roughly between the Caltrain tracks on the west, Highway 87 on the east, the Union Pacific tracks on the north and Interstate 280 on the south. It includes the Delmas Park neighborhood, Little Italy, Guadalupe River Park and most notably the train station and SAP Center, home of the San Jose Sharks. The city developed a land use plan for 250 acres on the westside years ago that didn’t anticipate the intensity of Google’s urban campus. Even though the current specific plan doesn’t come close to the densities now being considered and has to be redone, along with environmental work, the overall vision for the westside is solid: San Jose needs jobs; put the jobs where the transit modes all come together in an area large enough to incorporate offices, all types of housing, entertainment, open space and link it impeccably with the downtown core.

This last point is crucial to the Downtown Association as well as Google and city leaders. The connections today between the westside and core leave much to be desired. Highway 87 is a formidable barrier and the handful of east/west streets that pass under the freeway all have different problems for bikes, scooters and pedestrians, more so after dark. Think about mobility a decade from now with tens of thousands more residents and employees downtown. Google alone is expecting to generate 8,000 bike riders a day. Downtown streets will have to change. What role will embedded pavement technology play? Is Park Avenue our best east-west link? Or should we develop an entirely new connection reserved for bikes and pedestrians-only – say, an extension of Post Street?

The private sector is not the only one investing billions in downtown’s future and contributing to the current momentum. The BART subway extension and Caltrain electrification are essential public infrastructure projects finally breaking ground while high speed rail and Diridon depot planning are underway.

First, a big shout out to the Valley Transportation Agency Board of Directors and VTA General Manager Nuria Fernandez for their leadership in helping secure the single bore option for construction of BART. You may recall, this was headed to a heavyweight fight between VTA and BART – BART wanted twin bore construction that would dig up five blocks of Santa Clara Street for years. Then on deadline, in April, BART agreed to the single bore! San Jose usually punches way below its weight in Bay Area power tussles. I cannot recall a bigger regional win for our community. 

The impact of the single bore decision was immediate. Instead of facing paralysis on Santa Clara Street for seven years while blocks were torn up, several key properties transacted – including three corners of First and Santa Clara Streets. Investors saw buildings, tenants and businesses could now survive the BART construction while planning ahead for when the trains arrive downtown, which VTA says could be as soon as 2027.

There will be two downtown BART stations: one beneath Santa Clara Street between Market and Third Streets; and the other on the westside connected to the current Diridon depot. That is the mega-station where all the transportation modes intersect. I hope as we design the station as befitting its future stature we will rename it San Jose Central Station – still keeping the Diridon name attached to the historic, brick depot. 

One of the most significant, and under the radar, achievements of the past year was the four-party agreement on the planning for San Jose Central Station. High Speed Rail, VTA/BART and Caltrain were in separate silos designing their own rail systems – and this disconnect was most apparent where all their systems converged downtown. Now working together, with the City of San Jose, the four entities signed an agreement, each one contributing funds, towards joint planning of San Jose Central Station. 

I believe this transit planning agreement is most important for how High Speed Rail might ultimately work in our city. BART was always underground in a subway and Caltrain was always at-grade on their existing rails, but High Speed Rail preferred an alignment in an aerial viaduct with tracks 75 feet above the ground! It would be another Highway 87 barrier on the westside and the Downtown Association has consistently opposed the aerial monstrosity. Now there is another alignment on the table, as part of a City-generated option and representative of the new four-party collaborative spirit between the transit agencies. It is still early in the process to see how this slightly elevated above ground alignment works for the San Jose Central Station, high speed rail operations and the overall community, but anything other than the aerial overpass will be an improvement. 

I would be remiss not to mention how parking fits into the transportation equation. The Downtown Association supports the Sharks lawsuit against VTA for not planning a single parking space for the two downtown BART stations. We understand this is a transitional time. We are in-between a future where autonomous vehicles and flying cars will forever change cities, and the present day – where automobiles are still the San Jose way. Rather than completely stop building parking spaces, let’s balance the realities of today with the dreams of tomorrow. We already see this happening with automated parking stacks, garage floors designed so they can be converted later to other uses and hotel proposals with only offsite parking. We must not put downtown at a competitive disadvantage because we subjugated the automobile too far ahead of market. 

Another significant planning action in the works is the downtown airspace study addressing the current city practice of requiring building heights below what the Federal Aviation Administration allows. The study’s technical analysis was presented to a City Council committee last month with several options, including going up to the FAA heights. Since there are already many tall buildings in the downtown core, this could result in up to 35 additional feet depending on where the site is located. On the westside, however, the tallest building is the arena at 110 feet. The FAA allows 225 feet at the arena, so the potential doubling of height on the westside is THE most substantial opportunity as the City Council considers the big picture for downtown, the airport and San Jose itself.

Even though we’ve been debating height limits since 2007, I realize this will be painted by some as a Google move when in fact it benefits the entire downtown and goals for density, jobs and housing near transit. If the heights are not raised, Google and other developments on the westside will have shorter, wider buildings that take up larger footprints of land thereby leaving less room for parks, plazas and the people-centric spaces that make urban centers more memorable and livable.

The potential of doubling building heights on the westside is a once-in-a-generation decision and the decision-makers should treat it as such. We already have heard from Google they are willing to fund reasonable community benefits for their project but how will the rest of downtown be treated? How will the city regulate this potential height gain and the increased values it represents for both land owners and the community? Will it be treated as another fee – like housing projects pay now for parks; or an as infrastructure assessment district to help fund, say, new streets linking the westside and core? And what does the community receive for the additional height? One percent for art funds? Public space projects, lighting and landscape? Architectural enhancements such as something other than flat rooftops? We look forward to the discussions ahead as the growth of downtown and complete terra forming of the westside has opened up a new suite of policy topics and future planning.

The immediate consideration in front of us is the public sale of the former redevelopment lands to Google. The city formed a Station Area Advisory Committee, with the unfortunate acronym of SAAG, to vet community interests, wishes and demands. As the SAAG process winds down, the decision on the sale heads to the City Council in December. These 23 acres of city-owned and former ballpark lands are a critical milestone in our own downtown San Jose West Side Story. As I mentioned earlier, there are different views on the deal. Some are convinced Google will take more than it gives to San Jose. Others see a strong, global-minded partner reinforcing a civic vision for density, jobs, less traffic and smart growth. In looking at the westside’s 250 acres, there’s plenty of room for affordable housing, and the opportunity to develop new types of living spaces in a mixed-use, walkable downtown that welcomes it. Don’t underestimate your voice in this matter. Please consider attending the City Council meetings and speak. I am often asked what can be done to help. Here is your chance to help.

We’ll update you with the when and where of the hearings. Please connect with our social media platforms, talk to me, any Downtown Association staff or one of the 15 volunteers who are going to follow me up to the podium this morning. Each will give you a little summary of what they have been up to the past year in their community involvement with downtown and this organization. We’ve got three other boards, a bunch of committees, there’s numerous city commissions and task forces – so many ways to get plugged in with your neighbors, peers, public servants, and fellow downtowners. Join in the journey as we create, together, a magnificent public life in downtown San Jose.

Thanks for your attention and enjoy the rest of the meeting. 

St. Patrick's Day in San Jose

Rick Jensen from the San Jose Downtown Association has some great recommendations for St. Patty's in the latest edition of Downtowner Online. O'Flaherty's is always going to be a great option, but if you can't make it in (and it is guaranteed to be packed), there is a new Mexican Irish bar on E. San Fernando called San Patricios that is worth visiting. Check out Rick's recommendations below and subscribe to the newsletter over here.

Saturday – St. Patrick’s Day – Happy St. Patrick’s Day, San Jose! Don’t forget to wear green while you celebrate in downtown SJ at one of our many dining options. Spend the evening feeling festive and lucky with a drink in hand at O'Flaherty's Irish Pub St. Patrick's Day Celebration, a downtown favorite venue which is packed every year on this holiday!
Besides O'Flaherty's, Liveandlocalsj.com reports other music options: 

• St. Patrick’s Day Concert with Peter Daldry, Cap and Iain at Art Boutiki
• Jay Meduri Tribute to Van Morrison at Poor House Bistro
• Casey Wickstrom & the Irish Rogues at the Brit

New Year's Eve in San Jose

If you are still figuring out what to do for New Year's Eve this Sunday, Rick Jensen from the SJDA has a lot of great suggestions in his last newsletter. His post is below and we also recommend subscribing to his newsletter over here.

Sunday – New Year’s Eve in Downtown – Happy 2018, San Jose! Celebrate the beginning of a new year with champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a ball drop at the Marriott’s New Year’s Eve Extravaganza III or at The GlassHouse’s NYE Party. Or join in on the music and dancing at the Fairmont’s 1920s themed NYE celebrations. Reminisce 2017 with an end-of-the-year comedy show by Will Durst and Co. at the Tabard Theatre. Take your pick of the downtown restaurants for fine dining this weekend.

2017: Downtown in Review

Below are the highlights from the annual San Jose Downtown Association's Year-in-Review meeting. It touches on all of the significant development projects that either broke ground or were proposed this year. The video also covers ongoing concerns such as High Speed Rail alignment, BART construction, and the homeless. A lot is going on Downtown, so check out all of the details here!

Scott Knies on big changes coming to Downtown

The Merc has a great interview with Scott Knies, the Executive Director of the San Jose Downtown Association. He discusses big changes, including the potential Google mega-campus which he is already dubbing the GoJo district (Google Jose). Residential, restaurants, and height restrictions also come up in the conversation. Check it out at the link below.

Source: The Merc

Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant Week is July 7-16

A total of 19 restaurants are participating in this year's Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant Week. Each restaurant will feature prix fixe multi-course meals, discounts, or chef's specials. This is one of the best times to try out new restaurants Downtown, and it is a very strong list of eateries this year. Participating restaurants include:

• 71 Saint Peter Modern European Kitchen
• Café Stritch
• The Farmers’ Union
• The Grill on the Alley
• Habana Cuba Restaurant
• Il Fornaio
• La Pastaia
• Loft Bar and Bistro
• M Asian Fusion Restaurant
• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks
• Mezcal
• Mosaic Restaurant and Lounge
• Nemea Greek Taverna
• Nomikai Social Food + Drinkery
• Olla Cocina
• Our House
• Poor House Bistro
• Scott’s Seafood San Jose
• SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant

As an example, 71 Saint Peter is offering a $45 four-course meal with prosciutto wrapped melon, charred octopus salad, pan-roasted quail or braised short ribs, and a Bergamot orange creme brulee. To see all of the menus and specials, head over to the Dine Downtown website.

Dine Downtown is produced by the San Jose Downtown Association and sponsored by Sysco. Dinners begin at 5:30pm nightly and the event runs from July 7th to 16th.

Downtown Farmers’ Market’s 25th season begins May 5th

Fresh produce, hot food, unique gifts available 
each Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at San Pedro Square

SAN JOSE – The Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market, presented by Kaiser Permanente, opens for its 25th season on May 5 along San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets.

The market offers more than fresh-picked fruits and vegetables direct from more than certified organic growers. The market campaign, which continues into November, opens with avocados, citrus fruits, rhubarb and strawberries in late season, the early tree-ripened fruits and berries, plus artichokes, asparagus, peas, green garlic and dozens of other vegetable varieties.

Opening day features live music by Amigos Music and samples of locally made hummus, cheeses, Indian foods and dips, baked goods, jams and more.

The Downtown Farmers’ Market also offers artisan booths for unique gifts, cut flowers, and gourmet foods.

In the height of the season, the market may include up to 40 vendors.  On average, 2,500 residents, office workers and visitors head to the Farmers’ Market and San Pedro Square for lunch, activities, people-watching and shopping. Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable and washed bags.

Market partner Kaiser Permanente has teamed with the Downtown Association and PCFMA for seven years to focus attendees on healthful and “green” living. Kaiser Permanente will schedule its Blender Bike for Smoothies on occasion, allowing shoppers to hop on the stationary bike and whip up a smoothie made from fresh Farmers’ Market fruit.

Parking validations for Farmers’ Market shoppers are available for the Market-San Pedro Garage at the SJDA information table. Visit sjdowntownparking.com.

Follow the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Twitter @SJ_Downtown and Facebook.com/sjdowntown. Check http://sjdowntown.com/farmers-market-presented-by-kaiser-permanente/. Call (408) 279-1775 for information.

About the San Jose Downtown Association:  The San Jose Downtown Association is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose. Established in 1986, SJDA programs more than 100 days of events each year.

The San Jose Downtown Association Looks Back at 2014

The SVBJ has a great photo recap of the Downtown Association's annual review of the year's business developments. 2014 was a great year for Downtown. One South Market and Centerra were both topped off and will be available for leasing next year, half a dozen other residential projects are close to moving forward, a new hotel will soon break ground, the new courthouse is moving along nicely, and the San Pedro Square Market continues to thrive and bring people to Downtown. Office vacancy plummeted and more tech companies are moving Downtown month after month.

The Association also took a look forward at 2015, where their key priorities will be St. James Park revitalization, addressing homelessness, and building up San Jose's identity. To have a look at the summary of the presentation, just hit the source link below.

Source: SVBJ

Summer in St. James Park Noontime Concert Tomorrow

San Jose Jazz, the San Jose Downtown Association, and the Saint James Park Pilot Urban Activation Team have all come together to create weekly outdoor concerts in Saint James Park. The goal is to create a communal safe space in the park and use arts as a method to inspire engagement. Two of these concerts have already happened, and the last one in September will feature Oscar Pangilinan.

The concert takes place tomorrow starting at 11:30am and is completely free. For more information, click here!

SUMMER IN ST JAMES PARK NOONTIME CONCERT: OSCAR PANGILINAN

St James Park
North 2nd Street (between St James Street and St John Street), San Jose | MAP
Free Admission

BIO

Join the San Jose Downtown Association for Summer in St James Park. Come enjoy cold beverages, live music and fun activities on select days, and a rotating cast of gourmet food trucks.

Special for this outing, San Jose Jazz is programming Bay Area saxophonistOscar Pangilinan. Whether performing with his self-led modern jazz outfit The Bad Ones, or joining established Bay Area musicians like John Worley, Aaron Lington, and Kristen Strom, Oscar’s creative musical interpretations and seasoned writing skills boosts him as one of the up-and-coming musicians on the scene.

This event is generously supported by the Saint James Park Pilot Urban Activation Team.

SEP 25THURSDAY11:30AM

SAINT JAMES PARK

GENRE(S):HOMEGROWN, MODERN JAZZ, UP AND COMING

Summer in St. James Park

I really have to hand it to the Downtown Association for upping their efforts this summer to activate St. James Park. On top of the world cup viewings, Startlight Cinemas, and Music in the Park, several other regular events are being planned. Every Wednesday in July there will be food trucks from 11am to 1:30pm, pick-up soccer games from 11:30am to 1:30pm, and free drop-in yoga from noon to 1pm.

To see the full list of events just head over to www.sjdowntown.com/summerinstjames.