The 88 Interactive Art Codes - "Show Your Stripes" v2.0

My favorite art project Downtown is still the LED light installation at The 88. Few people realize that the lights are completely interactive and can be controlled by anyone. Where else can you completely change four stories of a high-rise facade with nothing but a cell phone?

All you need to do is dial (408) 287-0128, wait for the tone, then enter any 3 digits (including # or *), then press 0 and hang up. I recommend saving this number on your phone and impressing your friends whenever you walk by The 88.

Last month, the artist Jim Conti significantly expanded the number of codes available. When "Show Your Stripes" launched in 2008, there were only 129 possible combinations. Now there are 318!!! During SubZERO last June, Jim asked festival-goers for feedback and ideas. The new additions are a direct result of that feedback.

Below you can find a full list of all public codes and a rough description of the effect. There are also some secret codes that are not on the list such as *14, *25, *69, *88, ***, and my personal favorite *#*. If you find any other "Easter Egg" codes that are not on the list below, let me know and I'll add them to this post!

Downtown Condo Crawl Open House + Free Drink at SPSM!

This Saturday from 12-4pm you can check out all of the high-rise condo buildings in Downtown San Jose with free pedicab transportation between each one! If you have ever wondered what living in a high-rise would be like, this would be a good opportunity to get more information and see all of your San Jose options. As an added bonus, if you visit all 3 towers you will get a drink ticket for use at the San Pedro Square Market (complete digression here, but it's really coming along nicely and well worth a visit). 


Fore more info click to enlarge the image below or click here, here, or here. (Come on, I know you want to click all 3!)

The 88 Interactive Art Codes

One of my favorite art projects downtown is the LED light installation at The 88. It happens to be completely dynamic and interactive. Have you ever wanted to change the way a high-rise looks with a push of a button? All you need to do is dial (408) 287-0128, wait for the tone, then enter any 3 digits (including # or *), then press 0 and hang up.

Here are the codes I was able to find online so far:

*25 - Xmas Dance
*14 - Valentine's Day Beat
*88 - The 88
*** - Ship's Wheel
168 - Green with Red Bolt
182 - Happy
193 - Rainbow Chase
194 - RGB Down
197 - Rainbow Sweep
228 - Yellow Sweep
268 - Brackets Out
311 - Cyan Sweep
323 - Red Pulse
341 - Slow Easter Sweep
486 - Arrows Going Down
555 - Green Warp
666 - Bright Red
526 - Red with Blue Sweep
541 - Easter Sweeps
565 - Green Pulse
766 - Snow Falling
919 - Blue Flutter
927 - Mom's B-Day
931 - Rainbow Left to Right

My favorite is one I discovered on my own: *#*  I won't spoil what this one does!

If anyone knows of any others, I would be happy to add them to the list =)

The 88 Achieves a Perfect Walk Score!

Walk Score is a website that lets you know how walkable a particular home or neighborhood is. Proximity to restaurants, grocery stores, retail, parks, schools, transit hubs and entertainment all factor into the score. Getting a perfect 100 is near impossible, even in very dense cities. However, one of the downtown San Jose condo projects managed to pull it off. Thanks to being located in the middle of the downtown core, The 88 achieves a perfect 100/100 walk-ability score. After the San Pedro Square Market opens, I imagine Axis will also be very close to 100 (right now it's at 89). For more details, just click here.

A Room With a View

Interested in getting a taste of what it would be like to live on the 21st floor of a high-rise right in the middle of Downtown San Jose? Tomorrow is your chance at The 88, just register using the link below!

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		CELEBRATE SUMMER WITH US! cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music and tours!  Summer has finally descended upon the Bay Area and we are excited to celebrate its arrival!  Join us next Thursday on our Skyline Observation Terrace to savor a cocktail and the best views in Silicon Valley. Date:   Thursday, August 26th Time:   5:007:30pmLocation: 21st Floor Skyline Observation Terrace REGISTER: http://the88penthouse.eventbrite.com

Nice Blog Post RE: The 88

I recently ran into this article on The 88. Interesting read, especially since it is written by a former San Franciscan. Here's my favorite quote: "San Francisco isn’t the only urban option for the Bay Area. San Jose downtown is a newer, cleaner, safer urban option for the Bay Area." Click here for the full post.

The 88 Promo Video

In honor of The 88 snagging Downtown Condo Owner #1500, I thought I'd share a promo I found that highlights the benefits of living downtown using stories from actual residents there:

Downtown Safeway Photos

It looks like the upscale Safeway called "The Market" in downtown San Jose is really coming along. I managed to sneak a few photos while walking by and you can make out a sushi bar (the Rivermark Safeway in Santa Clara has one of these) and a Tully's coffee stand.  Also, it looks like 4 different elevators will service the store. Two of them are off to the side and are the main elevators for the public parking structure at The 88, and the other two are in the store itself and are still under construction.  My guess is that the additional two elevators will go directly from reserved Safeway parking into the store, and perhaps are the reason why the public garage has not opened yet.

The 88 - Observation Terrace (Open to all 88 Residents)

Okay, so maybe you can't afford the $2.75 million penthouse that I posted photos of yesterday. If you want to sit outside and bask in the Silicon Valley skyline while sipping on a glass of wine, you still have a couple of options. Option #1 is above. The 88 is the only residential high-rise to offer ALL residents a shared penthouse-level terrace. Condo owners can go up to the 21st floor and enjoy the view (and possibly that bar in the 3rd photo). Right now they have a bench, but I'm sure they'll be adding some patio furniture as more residents move in.

Oh, I mentioned a couple of options. Option #2 is to join or become friends with a member of the Capital Club (top floor of the Knight Ridder Builder next to the Fairmont). There are 2 massive balconies, a private restaurant, and a bar up there. As far as I know, these are the only two places in downtown San Jose where you can enjoy the view outdoors without purchasing a penthouse.

The 88 - Flagship Penthouse (Oh Baby)

The photos don't do this one justice. This is the largest penthouse unit on the 21st floor and has not one but two balconies, one of which is at least 700sqft.  Inside, you're looking at 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, around 2400sqft, and spectacular views from every window.  

The 88 - Corner Studio

The 88 - Podium, Pool, and Lobby

Views from The 88 - Coming Soon

Last Saturday, I had to chance to explore The 88 (that sexy residential high rise on Market and 2nd St.). Between City Heights, Axis, and The 88, I would have to say the The 88 has the most luxurious feel to it as well as the best location. 360 isn't showing off units in the actual building yet, so it is too early to judge. The soundproofing was impressive. You couldn't hear a single airplane from inside the units (can't say the same about Axis or City Heights). The downside to The 88 is that the condos are on average a bit smaller than the other residential developments downtown. Only 2 out of the nearly 200 condos are 3 bedroom units, and none of them really have a dedicate den area like 360. Most of the units seem to be studios and 1 bedrooms. That being said, one of the model units is a corner studio with a view that will blow you away.

I will be posting photos from my visit to The 88 over the next couple of days. The view from the terrace and penthouses on the 21st floor is priceless. Well, I take that back... the price is around $2.75 million (they do have some penthouses at $1.5, but those are without the balconies).