Monday, December 12, 2016

December 2016 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:
  • The San Jose MarketCenter is expanding by 8,000 SQFT. New tenants include Blaze Pizza and Wells Fargo. There is still one 2,369 SQFT space remaining to be leased. The expansion will also include some much-needed additional parking.
  • Several political measures will impact Downtown San Jose:
    • Measure A will help reduce the homeless population.
    • Measure B provides funding for bringing BART to Downtown and repairing roads.
    • Measure F will help recruit more police officers and improve security.
  • Cubamex Sandwiches is now open at 325 S. First Street.
  • Rookies Sports Lodge will open this month in the former Billy Berk's location at 99 S. First.
  • Divine Wineries has moved into the space at 40 Post formerly occupies by Sherman Cellars and Red Light Wine Room.
  • TechShop San Jose has raised the $1 million needed to rehabilitate the former Zanotto's space on Second Street for TechShop machinery and is on track for a Spring 2017 opening.
  • SJDA offers funding for creative ideas that activate public spaces--if you have one email sjda@sjdowntown.com.
  • On Dec. 18, up to 5,000 runners will participate in the TiVO Santa Run Silicon Valley, which benefits both Downtown Ice and Christmas in the Park.
To read the newsletter, click here!


Friday, December 9, 2016

Content Magazine 9.0 Pick-up Party and 5th Anniversary next week

My favorite San Jose magazine is celebrating its fifth year with a free event next Tuesday, December 13th at Art Object Gallery (592 N. 5th St., San Jose).

Music will be provided by Wax Moon, Cado Dos Santos, Mardi Morillo, April Gee, and Steely Nash. Snacks and light bites will be provided by Michi Sushi, The Cookie Boys, Manresa Bread, and the Mount Hamilton GrandView Restaurant.

Content Magazine subscribers will get a complimentary beverage and holiday gift bag along with their issue. If you are still not a subscriber, head over here.

They are also partnering with Toys for Tots on this event. It is encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need (age range is 0-16).

The event will run from 7pm-10pm and street parking is available as well as a city lot on 6th and Jackson.


Thursday, December 8, 2016

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

San Jose BART Station - latest updates

San Jose is just one year away from finally being connected to BART. Below is the latest update from the VTA, which is responsible for the extension to Silicon Valley. Both the Milpitas and San Jose stations should be open in late 2017. Watch the short video below for construction photos and details.




Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Inside San Jose's BriteLab

First off, let me say that I have really missed Nathan Donato-Weinstein's articles in the SVBJ. I am thrilled to see him writing again in the SJ Economy blog.

He recently visited BriteLab, a high-tech South San Jose manufacturing company that makes everything from 3D printers to electric skateboards. The 55,000 SQFT space is a startup incubator that helps new companies bring their products to market. BriteLab provides product-development, design, engineering, manufacturing, and support services. Currently BriteLab employs 75 people, but they are planning to grow to 150.

For all the details, check out Nathan's article over here.

Source: SJ Economy


Monday, December 5, 2016

Santana Row 'Capstone' building is officially under construction

Development in the Santana Row neighborhood will likely never be fully complete, but the last major project with an official Santana Row street address is now underway. '700 Santana Row' will provide a bookend to what is one of the most successful mixed-use developments in the world.

The 284,000 SQFT premium office building will be located at the very end of the row next to the CineArts movie theater. The offices feature 13-foot ceilings, expansive floor plans, and a 15,000 SQFT garden terrace on the roof. The ground floor will have a signature plaza that will be open to all.

Parking will be available in a new parking structure that will also be open to the public during evenings and weekends. Thankfully, Santana Row will be offering shuttle service to Diridon Station as an alternate transportation option. The total cost of the project is expected to be between $205-215 million and completion should wrap up by Q3 2018 according to the SVBJ.

The full press release is below. Thanks to Ron Heckmann for sending this in.






Federal Realty Starts Construction on 700 Santana Row, Headquarters-Quality, Large-Floorplate Office Building Anchoring Iconic Santana Row

284,000 square-foot Class-A Office Building in Silicon Valley’s premier urban neighborhood
designed to attract burgeoning Silicon Valley firms

San Jose, CA (Dec. 1, 2016) -- Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) started construction today on 700 Santana Row, a 284,000 square-foot office building set on a signature plaza with a sweeping design that anchors the end of Santana Row, Silicon Valley’s iconic mixed-use neighborhood. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo joined Federal Realty executives and other local officials to commemorate the ground breaking.

The state-of-the-art, eight-story structure at Santana Row at Olsen Drive features 30,000 and 48,000 square-foot floorplates, modern architecture and headquarters-quality office space with concrete construction, which gives the building distinctive design qualities compared to traditional Silicon Valley office buildings. 700 Santana Row follows the highly successful 500 Santana Row, a six-story office building on an adjacent site fully-leased to Splunk Inc. in 2015 with occupancy slated to begin next month. The project cost is estimated at $205-$215 million.

"700 Santana Row is a ‘capstone’ building that takes full advantage of being the visual book-end to Santana Row, which has become one of the most popular live-work-dine-shop environments in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. No other office building will have this unique, commanding location,” said Jan Sweetnam, Federal Realty’s Western Region Chief Operating Officer.  “We’ve designed the building with a concrete structure and loft-like feel more often found in San Francisco’s SOMA district and other urban centers. 700 Santana Row will feature expansive natural light with tall, market-leading 13-foot ceilings and open floor plans, which in turn will provide companies with high-productivity, collaborative workspaces for their employees.”

Ready for tenant build-out in the third quarter of 2018, 700 Santana Row will also feature a three-per-thousand dedicated parking ratio and a 15,000 square-foot roof-top terrace and garden with majestic views of Santana Row, the San Jose skyline and distant foothills.  Shuttle service will take Santana Row office tenants to nearby Diridon Station for Caltrain and VTA light rail service.

“And unlike the congested 101 corridor,” Sweetnam added, “Santana Row is located directly off of Interstate 280 in close proximity to residential neighborhoods and office parks in San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, and throughout Silicon Valley.”

“The on-site amenities and walkable environment that Santana Row offers has become a recruiting and retention tool for Splunk, Experian, Si-Bone and the other companies located here,” said Jeff Berkes, President-West Coast for Federal Realty Investment Trust.

Newmark Cornish & Carey is the leasing agent for the project.  700 Santana Row has been designed by WRNS Studio of San Francisco, and Devcon Construction is the general contractor.

Santana Row’s world-class amenities include 50 shops, 30 restaurants, a 215-room boutique hotel offering extensive full service conference facilities, two parks and multiple plazas with outdoor seating and free wifi, 615 rental homes and 219 privately owned condominiums.

For more information on leasing at 700 Santana Row, contact Randy Gabrielson, Todd Shaffer, or Tracey Solari of Newmark Cornish & Carey at 408.727.9600.  Or visit http://theofficesatsr.com/building/700-offices/


About Federal Realty

Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, our mission is to deliver long term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Our expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 96 properties include over 2,800 tenants, in approximately 22 million square feet, and over 1,800 residential units.

Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 49 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.FederalRealty.com.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

San Jose rents are going back up

Just when it looked like the real estate market was simmering down, San Jose rents have jumped up again. In fact, for November rents are up percentage-wise more than anywhere else in the county for one-bedroom units. The average rental price for these is now $2,591/month, which is a 13% increase over the previous month.

The reason for the surge is not clear, but most experts believe we are indeed at the top of the market and expect some decline going forward. It might be a good time to hold off on signing a long-term rental agreement.

Source: SVBJ


Friday, December 2, 2016

New art unveiling at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles tonight

The first Artist in Residence for the SJMQT is Amy Ahlstrom, an urban, pop art quilter. She is unveiling five San Jose-themed quilts at the First Friday Art Walk tonight entitled "Faces & Places of San Jose." She asked people to submit photos of San Jose graffiti, faces, street art, buildings, signage, and she made the quilts based on those photos. Below is a video that explains her process as well as a couple preview photos.

While you are in the museum, there is also a new exhibit called the "California Art Quilt Revolution" which showcases 40 years of Northern Californian quilting history.

The museum will be open late along with the rest of the galleries in SoFA and admission is free for South First Friday. It's a cool museum--make sure to include it in your art walk!





Thursday, December 1, 2016

San Jose Metro unemployment is holding below 4%

For the second straight month, unemployment in Silicon Valley has stayed under that magical 4% threshold. It did tick up a tenth of a point from 3.8% in September to 3.9% in October. California is at 5.3% unemployment while the nation is averaging 4.7%. So the net of it is that the nation as a whole is doing quite well, but San Jose is in an exceptional position when it comes to jobs. The rate is even more impressive when you consider we have the highest paying jobs for any large city in the country, if not the world. Now let's find a way to fix those potholes.

Source: SVBJ


Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#12DaysofArts Social Media Scavenger Hunt (Dec 1 - 12)



#12DaysofArts takes over San Jose
San Jose Art Partners Gifting the City with Holiday Cheer Through Social Media Scavenger Hunt

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Nov. 22, 2016) – For the second consecutive year, San Jose arts partners will give away mystery prizes through a citywide scavenger hunt. From Dec. 1 through Dec. 12, participants can utilize #12DaysOfArts during this social media campaign, to create awareness for the arts in San Jose.

Each day will start anew with a social media clue. Check the Downtown Associations social media daily for directions on where to go; seek out museums, theaters and galleries – search high and low. Go online Dec. 1 to take part and spread the word with, #12DaysofArts. Off you go in search of a mystery prize, to see the arts through a new set of eyes. The first ten players at each location will win, and the next day the hunt starts again.

“We all enjoyed the 12 Days of Arts so much last year that we had to do it again.” Says Sherrill Ingalls, Director of Marketing and Communications at the San Jose Museum of Art. “It’s a fun way for the arts organizations to give back to the people who support the arts downtown year-round and to spread the word about the variety of offerings in San Jose. We hope that people familiar with the San Jose Museum of Art will discover new experiences in theater and music, and vice versa.”

Don’t worry, there will be two grand prizes during this scavenger hunt flurry. Use Twitter and Instagram to post #12DaysofArts, and discover what San Jose holds dear to its heart.

"#12DaysofArts provides everyone with the opportunity to take a timeout from the usual holiday craziness, be inspired and pique our own creative instincts," said Rick Jensen, Communications Director, San Jose Downtown Association. "Enjoy the thrill of the hunt."

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About San Jose Downtown Association
The SJDA is a non-profit, membership-based organization founded in 1986 to represent business and property owners. We make downtown a better place for business, residents and visitors through events, advocacy, marketing and more.

About San Jose Museum of Art
The San Jose Museum of Art celebrates new ideas, stimulates creativity, and inspires connection with every visit. Welcoming and thought provoking, the Museum delights visitors with it’s surprising and playful perspective on the art and artists of our time.

About Team San Jose
Team San Jose (TSJ) is an innovative partnership unifying the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau, hotels, arts, labor and venues to deliver an exceptional visitor experience. TSJ manages the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, California Theatre, Center for the Performing Arts, City National Civic, Montgomery Theater, Parkside Hall, and South Hall. For more information, visit www.sanjose.org.