Video: New Projects to Raise Downtown San Jose Skyline

CBS has created a nice two minute segment highlighting the high-rise boom in Downtown San Jose. They mention four project, but that is just scratching the surface. Expect Downtown to look quite a bit different five years from now than it does today.

Source: Rick Upton and Dirt Patch from the San Jose Development Forum


Transcript:

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) — New high-rise projects are about to push San Jose’s historically low-rise skyline to new levels. But there’s a catch to all of this development.

When Mayor Sam Liccardo pulls up the blinds at his 18th floor office at City Hall, he sees a city growing up.

“I think you’re going to see more unique architecture as the downtown evolves,” Liccardo said.

That evolution is taking off again. At least four new high rise commercial and residential projects in the pipeline for Downtown San Jose. Dramatic, soaring projects that will reshape the city skyline and bring thousands of more residents to live here.

“We are seeing much more interest and investment in the downtown than I think anyone has seen in several generations,” Liccardo told KPIX 5.

But the sky is not the limit. Downtown San Jose lies in the final approach flight path to Mineta San Jose International Airport. The FAA has restricted buildings to 24 stories on the south end of downtown and 18 stories closer to the airport.

It will forever give the city a “blockier” look than a Manhattanized one.

“I’m certain we have lost an opportunity to build dozens of high rise towers because of the height restrictions imposed by the airport,” Liccardo said.

When new buildings go up, parking will go away. Acres of surface level parking lots, a downtown mainstay for decades, will slowly disappear as new buildings take their place.

“We’re going to have a lot of underground parking to replace that,” said Jimmy Starkovich, who has worked in Downtown San Jose for 40 years.

“San Jose is really starting to become alive,” he said.

Several New Restaurants Coming Downtown!

There were definitely some high-profile restaurant closures over the past couple years. However, those empty spaces will soon be filled with the next generation of Downtown San Jose restaurants.

The most significant recent closure in my mine is that of Sonoma Chicken Coup, a Downtown staple for many years. Sonoma left a 8,000 SQFT void in San Pedro Square, a gigantic space to fill in the restaurant world. Sushi Confidential is slated to take over that giant space with their second restaurant. The first is a Campbell hotspot offering innovative twists on Japanese food. The Downtown San Jose location will likely have the largest outdoor space of any Sushi restaurant in the Bay Area and be a welcome addition to our restaurant scene. The goal is to open by Super Bowl 50 on February 7th.

Up next is Blackbird Taven, which was located in what must be the unluckiest corner in Downtown San Jose. ASQEW Grill, Zing, and Ruffled Feathers Eatery were all predecessors at 200 South First Street. The proprietor behind B2 Coffee is looking to turn that luck around with their 3rd coffee shop called Social Policy. Of course they will have amazing coffee, but the larger location will also allow more bakery items, lunch fare, and small plates. Oh, and they will also have beer and wine! The store is already under construction and may be open before the end of the year.

Last on the list for today, the Fahrenheit Lounge space is being filled with the popular Pieology chain. I'm sure it will be a huge hit with SJSU students and provide a solid casual option for that part of Downtown.

I have also updated the Downtown San Jose Restaurants Google Sheet with these latest changes.

Source: SVBJ, SVBJ Article #2

WeWork Wants to Build Co-Working Office Space Downtown

WeWork is the leading co-working office company in the United States. Co-working is a hot product for entrepreneurs right now who don't need a lot of space but are looking to be part of a start-up culture and atmosphere. It usually involves a minimal amount of dedicated space and a whole lot of shared resources that include everything from conference rooms to beer and popcorn. Currently, NextSpace on 92 S. Second is the only co-working location in Downtown San Jose.

WeWork is a $10 billion company (with 30,000 members) that is looking to build its first Silicon Valley location in Downtown San Jose. While the company has five offices in San Francisco, there are none in the South Bay.

The rumor is that they are looking to lease between 70,000 and 90,000 SQFT of office space from the Towers@2nd complex on Second Street. These are twin high-rises with Ike's Sandwiches and ISO:Beers on the ground floor. It is also the complex housing the San Jose Mercury News.

If this comes to fruition, it will mean a lot more startups coming to Downtown San Jose. This would no doubt continue to drive the cultural Renaissance Downtown San Jose is experiencing and help fill vacancies with office and retail. Downtown is proving to be an ideal place where people can work, live, and play. As entrepreneurs graduate from co-working to their own dedicated spaces, there are options of all shapes and sizes in Downtown San Jose along with enough housing coming online to put their workers withing walking distance. The future is coming, and it's looking good.

Source: SVBJ

Playful People Productions Presents: Guys and Dolls

Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls JR, is an oddball romantic comedy. Gambler Nathan Detroit tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend, nightclub performer Adelaide,whose chronic flu is brought on by the fact she's been engaged to the same man for 14 years. Nathan turns to the slick, high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson for the dough, but Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced and pure-at-heart missionary Sarah Brown. Guys And Dolls JR. takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.

Guys and Dolls is a cornerstone of the musical comedy stage that continues to delight audiences over 50 years after its Broadway premiere. Featuring the songs "Luck be a Lady" and "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," this musical is the perfect balance of story, dance, music, and romance.

Our shows often sell out prior to the show weekend. Be sure to buy your tickets early, you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic production.

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theatre, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, November 6th - 7:00pm
Saturday, November 7th -11:00am, 3:00pm  and 7:00pm
Sunday, November 8th - 11:00am, and 3:00pm


Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, $8 children 11 and under,  and $6 Children’s floor seating

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, $10 children 11 and under, and $6 Children’s floor seating


Founded in 2010, Playful People Production’s mission is to provide a quality, caring environment where children, teens and their families can have positive theater experiences. We strive to involve all family members in the many aspects of on stage and backstage theater in a safe and fun environment and offer participation in theatrical productions, classes, summer stock and camps for ages 3-93.

Playful People Productions is run by a mother-daughter team, Barbara Galiotto and Katie D’ Arcey, who between them have approximately 50 years of experience in the musical theater world. Both are Positive Discipline trained and worked as early Childhood Educators as well as in the theater.

Happy Halloween 2015!!!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween tonight! Do you have a favorite neighborhood for trick-or-treating? Post it in the comments.

Sourisseau News: Ice Cold Beer!

In the latest installment of Sourisseau News, learn about the history of beer in San Jose. The local beer scene is exploding today, but its history goes back over 150 years. Eagle Brewery was founded in 1853 by a German immigrant and was the first brewery in San Jose. The brewery itself was located the corner of Market and San Carlos, where the Westin San Jose (previously the Saint Claire) currently sits. For the rest of the story, you'll have to watch the two minute video below!


Ice Cold Beer! from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

The New San Jose Patent Office is Open for Business!

Silicon Valley's Patent Office is officially open at City Hall, taking about 35,000 SQFT between three floors. After fierce competition regarding where the office would be located, Downtown San Jose scored a huge win thanks to a lucrative offer from the city.

The Patent Office is currently open to the public. Not only are there several computers that can be used for patent research, but they are offering free courses on topics such as starting companies, trademarks, and the process for registering patents.

The Silicon Valley Business Journal grabbed some photos of the interior a couple weeks ago, and it looks more like a tech office than a government office (minus the court room). Hit the source link for more information and the full photo-set.

Source: SVBJ

San Jose Might Become First City in California to Get Google Fiber

Google Fiber is quite possibly the best internet service provider in the United States. Residents that are lucky enough to live in one of the very limited number of Google "Fiberhoods" are able to purchase 1,000 Mbps internet access (download and upload) for $70/mo. That is many times faster than the fastest "elite" services that Comcast and AT&T offer, at a fraction of the cost. You can also add 150 TV channels for another $60. Even those that do not purchase the service benefit, competing internet providers are forced to offer faster services and/or drop prices in order to compete with Google.

If you are strapped for cash and live in an area serviced by Google Fiber, no worries. You can also choose to get 5 Mbps internet access at no cost--$0/mo. Elementary Schools in Fiberhoods get the Gigabit internet service at no cost. The service is so attractive that several companies moved to Kansas City specifically to get Google Fiber. The internet has become an integral part of people's lives, and no one understands this more than the people living in Google's backyard... so when are San Joseans getting Google Fiber?!

Now the good news. Google has applied for permits to build two shelters called "Fiber Huts" in San Jose. These are the structures required to roll out Google Fiber, and Google would not be building them unless they are serious about an expansion of the service to San Jose. The rumor is that an official announcement for the service could come as early as next month!

If San Jose is selected for Google Fiber service, they would install 2,300 miles of fiber (some below ground and some using utility poles). Existing infrastructure would be utilized, so disruptions should be minimal. This would be another big win for San Jose. It seems like we're on a roll lately with good news around major development and infrastructure projects!

Source: The Merc