Building code update would make it much easier for anyone to own an EV in San Jose

San Jose is essentially ground zero for electric cars. Nearly 30% of new car sales are electrified and it has one of the highest concentrations of EVs in the world. Next week the San Jose City Council is going to vote on whether to make EVs even more accessible to everyone. The proposal is to have each multi-family residence with parking to have at least once space that is EV-ready.

Charging an EV where you live is a lot more convenient than going to to a charging station. It's extremely easy to charge where you live for San Jose homeowners with a detached home or even a townhome, but things get complicated when you live in an apartment complex.

It's also worth mentioning that this would not be retroactive. The vote would be to update the building code for all future multi-family developments. 

Opponents could argue that we desperately need housing and this would be another cost to discourage builders, but given how the car market is going I think most people will expect this in any new apartment they rent in the next 5-10 years. Also, a fair compromise would be to require a 120v outlet instead of the more expensive, but much faster 220v. A standard 120v outlet is cheap and powerful enough to add 50-60 miles per night on an EV, which is enough for 99% of drivers. 

Source: San Jose Spotlight

New housing development proposed in North San Jose

250 apartments are being eyed in North San Jose at North First Street between Charcot and East Brokaw. Currently there is a 122,500 SQFT six-story office building on the site. It's not clear if this is an office conversion or they are planning to tear down and replace the building. Given the size of the building there already, my bet is on an office-to-housing conversion.

Source: The Mercury News

San Jose is one of America's most creative cities

San Jose was recently ranked as America's 9th most creative city by Singulart. This was based on criteria such as the percentage of people surveyed that are training to be in a creative field, create art, work with textiles, redesign rooms at home, and hours spent on creative hobbies each week. San Jose scored very highly in hobbies such as photography.

New York unsurprisingly came in at #1, LA was #13, and SF was #19. For more info head over to the source link below.

Source: Singulart

Latest photo of The Fay

Quick post today, it has been a crazy week. Below is a recent photo of The Fay luxury apartment project, which looks pretty nice right next to The Sparq in Downtown San Jose's SoFA District. The Fay has reached its max height and is clearly visible off of 280.

Source: aphelion2100 from the San Jose Development Forum

Abandoned youth center will turn into affordable housing for teachers

A blighted building that used to have classrooms, a gym, and track for the Mexican American Community Services Agency is going to be torn down to make way for a much needed project--housing for teachers. The Alum Rock Union School District is planning to build 78 homes across the 23-acre site which has sat vacant for over 10 years.

Housing costs are completely out of control and if we want our kids to be able to have a decent education, teachers need a place to live. The subsidized housing will go a lot way to attract talent to Alum Rock Union School District.

Surprisingly there is some pushback from the community on tearing down the building. As it would likely cost over $30 million to repair, it would be extremely expensive to integrate it into the housing project.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

Chick-fil-A proposed near Downtown San Jose

Yet another Chick-fil-A is planned for San Jose. This one is technically in Midtown but is just a few blocks away from Downtown San Jose at 1301 West San Carlos Street. This was once the site of a Burger King with a drive-through. Several years after the restaurant closed the building was razed and turned into a parking lot.

Most of the restaurant would be on that empty parking lot, but one building with Taqueria Eduardo and two other small businesses would have to be torn down to make way for the Chick-fil-A if the project is approved.

The popular chain is also trying to open a new restaurant in Evergreen at the corner of East Capitol Expressway and Silver Creek Road in a Target parking lot.

Source: The Mercury News

San Pedro Square in Downtown San Jose is officially closed to cars... permanently

In a move that will delight pedestrians and Downtown San Jose advocates, San Pedro Square will officially become a pedestrian mall between West Santa Clara Street and St. John Street. It was first closed to traffic for an extended period to provide more room for outdoor diners during COVID and helped dozens of businesses to survive. After the pandemic, few people seemed to miss the ability to drive through the street.

Turning this area into a permanent pedestrian mall will allow even more activation up and down the street. It was already the most thriving district in Downtown San Jose, due in a large part to the San Pedro Square Market. Now the possibilities to add more businesses in the parking garage or even temporary popups down the middle of the street will help take the district to the next level. 

Improvements such as enhanced lighting and more public art are already in discussions with property owners in the area.

Source: SVBJ

Urban Putt has a new grand opening date - February 8th

The hottest new minigolf place in the Bay Area is opening up in Downtown San Jose in a couple weeks. They have some of the most unique holes you can imagine with nods to Silicon Valley and unique interactive elements. The Winchester Mystery House, Sharks, a submarine, and a UFO are all items you'll find throughout the venue. When you're done, there are craft cocktails and unique food items to try out. It's one of the most exciting new entertainment options Downtown in years and is actually the first minigolf place I can remember in the area.

Opening day is February 8th starting at 4pm and it's located at 201 South 2nd Street (the old Camera 12 Movie Theater). For more info head to their website over here.

San Jose's Electric Light Tower and its connection to the Eiffel Tower

Built in 1881, the San Jose Electric Light Tower was one of the 50 tallest man-made structures on earth upon completion. It stood nearly as tall as the Signia Hotel in Downtown San Jose, but was built over 120 years ago. Not only was it extremely innovative for its time (illuminating a half-mile radius), but there several connections between this project and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. This is all the more reason to build a new landmark that pays homage to San Jose's Electric Light Tower.

You can now rent Tom Wohlmut's exceptional documentary linking the San Jose Electric Light Tower to the Eiffel Tower over here. The 56 minute film takes you through a journey of how San Jose's innovative light tower was built, how it brought San Jose international recognition, and how it was tragically destroyed. 

There were also several short interviews recorded about the relationship between the two towers that not many people had the chance to see. You can find those videos embedded below. 

Mario Fontana ETH-Zurich from TAW on Vimeo.

Bernard Meurtin Interview from TAW on Vimeo.

Corentin Interview Ver 1.0 from TAW on Vimeo.

San Jose looking for options to prevent encampments on the Guadalupe River Trail

The Guadalupe River Trail and Guadalupe River Park is essentially San Jose's "Central Park." The core of the trail and park network stretches from San Jose International Airport, through Downtown San Jose, all the way to the Children's Discovery Museum. Last year, San Jose received $ 2 million to relocate the homeless living in encampments along the trail and reclaim the trail for public use. Unfortunately, the encampments have come back.

Mayor Matt Mahan is proposing to redirect existing city funds to address this issue as soon as possible. He is also hoping that a similar policy could be used to address re-encampment in other public spaces in San Jose.

The Guadalupe River Trail and Park system has the potential to be one of the best urban parks in the Bay Area. It should be safe and accessible to everyone, and clearing or relocating the encampments is critical to that goal.

Source: KRON4