Transit-oriented developments in San Jose

TODGod posted a video earlier this month highlighting all of the TODs (transit oriented developments) in San Jose. He goes though the VTA Light Rail network station-by-station in the first 7 minutes in the video embedded below. There are more projects than I expected, and hopefully it will make a notable impact in the coming years.

Source: TODGod on Youtube

Meet Donatello at San Jose's Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

Happy Hollow has a new resident, a capybara named Donatello. He got his name after picking up sticks with his mouth and swinging them around like a Ninja Turtle. Happy Hollow is also in the process of expanding the capybara habitat to include a larger yard and more vantage points for visitors. It should be ready later this year, but you can go visit Donatello right now.

It's amazing how many San Jose residents have never been to this cute little zoo. It's very nicely maintained and is the perfect size for toddlers and elementary school-aged kids. There is also a historic puppet theater, a handful of carnival-type rides, and a family roller coaster. It's also rarely crowded. If you have kids, it's the perfect outing to work into a weekend.

Source: SJ Today

MACLA Presents: Esto No Tiene Nombre Performed by Denice Frohman

San José, CA – January 15, 2025 – MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana is proud to present the West Coast debut of the full-length version of Esto No Tiene Nombre, a one-woman show written and performed by the acclaimed poet and performer Denice Frohman. The performances will take place from March 21–23, 2025, at MACLA’s Castellano Playhouse in downtown San José.

Esto No Tiene Nombre is a powerful tribute to the oral histories of Latina lesbian elders, brought to life through a series of poignant, vivid vignettes. Denice Frohman, known for her electrifying storytelling and lyrical depth, brings to life voices gathered as part of I See My Light Shining: Oral Histories of Our Elders, a project curated by MacArthur Fellow Jacqueline Woodson.

These narratives, curated under Woodson’s visionary guidance, serve as the foundation for Frohman’s powerful exploration of identity, love, and survival. The show spans stories of resilience, connection, and joy, from pre-Stonewall police raids in Philadelphia to the intimate moments of first kisses. Frohman intertwines her own personal journey with the voices of Latina lesbian elders, including activists, barbers, lovers, and chefs, to offer a moving and multidimensional portrait of their lives and legacies.

About Denice Frohman

Denice Frohman is an award-winning poet, performer, and writer from New York City whose groundbreaking work explores culture, identity, queerness, and social justice. As a queer Nuyorican and the daughter of Puerto Rican and Jewish parents, Frohman uses her craft to challenge power structures and preserve cultural heritage. A former Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion, she has performed on iconic stages like The Apollo, MoMA PS1, and The White House during the Obama Administration.

Her poetry has been featured in The New York Times, Poem-A-Day by the Academy of American Poets, and anthologies like Nepantla: An Anthology for Queer Poets of Color and The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNext. Supported by organizations such as The Pew Center for the Arts and Baldwin for the Arts, Frohman’s work continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Website: www.denicefrohman.com

Instagram: @denicefrohman

About MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana

MACLA is an inclusive contemporary arts space grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience that incubates new visual, literary and performance art in order to engage people in civic dialogue and community transformation.

Founded in 1989, MACLA emerged from a broad community mobilization in San José and across the nation advocating for multicultural arts. Since its inception, MACLA has envisioned arts programming as a powerful vehicle for civic dialogue and social equity serving over 38,000 people annually and produces 50 programs each year in three core program tracts: visual arts; performance and literary arts; and youth arts education.

MACLA is located at 510 South First Street, San José, CA 95113

For tickets, additional photos, media opportunties or more details about Esto No Tiene Nombre and other MACLA events, visit www.maclaarte.org, email info@maclaarte.org, or call (408) 998-ARTE.

Don’t miss this unforgettable performance that celebrates Latina lesbian history, love, and resilience. Join us for Esto No Tiene Nombre, March 21–23, 2025, at MACLA’s Castellano Playhouse!

Performance Dates:

Friday, March, 21, 2025 – Doors: 7:30 PM | Show: 8:00 PM

Saturday, March, 22, 2025 – Doors: 7:30 PM | Show: 8:00 PM

Sunday, March, 23, 2025 (Matinée) – Doors: 1:30 PM | Show: 2:00 PM

Tickets available at macla.eventbrite.com

$45 Reserved Seating

$30 General Admission

$10 Students

Run time: Approximately 75 minutes

Valentine's Day in San Jose 💗

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! If you are looking for a list of fun things to do, head over to Visit San Jose. You'll find a list of romantic restaurants and sweet shops along with unique suggestions. The image below IS in San Jose. It's the Grandview Restaurant on the way to Mount Hamilton. Check it out along with other ideas over here.

VTA planning to build homes by Branham Light Rail

VTA is planning to build a new affordable housing project on a 2.5-acre parking lot at the Branham Light Rail station ins South San Jose. The project would consist of 45 townhomes, 10 of which would be dedicated to extremely low-income earners in Santa Clara County. The homes would either be three or four-bedroom units.

This is just one of many projects that the VTA has planned for transit-oriented development. This is their fifth project underway and there are a dozen more in the pipeline.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

San Jose affordable housing development proposed for Berryessa

San Jose-based Swenson is proposing a 260-unit affordable housing complex at 1655 Berryessa Road, near the Berryessa BART station (8 minute walk). It would be built in a section of a 13-acre site where a total of 646 homes are planned.

The affordable homes would be placed in a six-story apartment building next to a seven-story apartment building with 338 market-rate units and a mix of 48 townhomes and single-family homes.

Originally the site was going to feature much needed micro-homes, a product that rarely exists in the South Bay. However, the developers were not able to get financing and had to pivot to a more traditional type of housing.

Source: The Mercury News

February cultural events in San Jose

The Silicon Valley Business Journal has a list of notable cultural events in San Jose this month.  MACLA gallery is hosting a figure drawing on Feb 12th starting at 6:45pm. Opera San Jose is kicking off their season with "Bluebeard's Castle" on Feb 15. Works/San Jose has a new exhibit. The San Jose Improve is hosting open mic nights on Feb 12th at 8pm. A lot's going on! Check out the source link below for all of the details.

Source: SVBJ

Mixed-use affordable housing in Midtown San Jose

A new mid-rise building has been proposed for Midtown between Downtown and Santana Row/Valley Fair.  The building would be a seven stories and 83 feet tall and include 94 affordable apartments along with 1,950 SQFT of retail on a compact 0.56-acre site. The mix would be 24 studios, 22 one-bedroom, 24, two-bedroom, and 24 three-bedroom units. There would be enough parking for 38 cars and 58 bicycles.

Amenities include on-site support services for households making less than 60% of the median income as well as a rooftop deck overlooking San Carlos street.

The address is 1921-1927 West San Carlos Street. Technically this is part of Burbank, an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County. Part of the project would annex this land to be part of the City of San Jose and raze five one-story commercial structures.

Groundbreaking is targeted for 2026, with 18 months of construction and a completion date sometime in 2028.

Source: SF YIMBY

Where to watch the Super Bowl in San Jose

Super Bowl LIX starts today at 3:30pm. Our friends at SJ Today have a list of recommendations on where to watch the game. Personally I'm biased toward the San Pedro Square Market since you have a wide variety of food to choose from and can watch either indoors or outdoors. 

The Brit is also a great option. They'll be doing Taylor Swift and commercial-themed bingo buring the game as well as raffle prizes and food specials.

Source: SJ Today

New Ross store coming to East San Jose

A former site of a 23,700 SQFT Rite Aid at 1030 South White Road is going to get a new tenant. Ross has just signed a 10-year lease (with options to extend another 10 years). This is in the White Road Plaza shopping center anchored by a Cardenas Markets and dd's Discounts.

As many big box stores have been closing in recent years, it opens up opportunities for retailers like Ross that are financially performing well. It will also be nice to have access to another clothing store for the Alum Rock/East San Jose community.

Source: The Mercury News