Thursday, September 2, 2010
More Italian Family Festa Photos!
Thomas Wohlmut sent me a few shots from last weekend's Italian Family Festa that really show off the number of people that attended. This event was a huge success and hopefully will become a downtown tradition for many years to come.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Walking Tour of the Future A's Stadium + Diridon Area
I was fortunate enough to make it to the walking tour of the proposed A's stadium and Diridon area improvements. Imagine a state of the art ballpark along a new riverfront park, a short walk away from a bustling HSR/BART/Light Rail/ACE/Caltrain station, and adjacent to a massive retail and entertainment hub (this is the new plan for the area in front of Diridon and the HP Pavilion). It's a very realistic vision with a lot of intelligent and passionate people leading the charge.
I also noticed several friends at the walking tour:
BASEBALL SAN JOSE
At the Proposed Ballpark Site Walking Tour
Tour of Proposed Ballpark Site Sparks High Hopes
I also noticed several friends at the walking tour:
BASEBALL SAN JOSE
At the Proposed Ballpark Site Walking Tour
About 50-60 people, including several Baseball San Jose supporters, joined the San Jose Redevelopment Agencey for their Proposed Ballpark Site Walking Tour on Monday.
The agency's Dennis Korabiak led the tour, which consisted of updates on not only the ballpark, but the Diridon Station general plan, inlcuding BART and HSR. In short, the city plans to transform the area into a major retail-entertainment center, anchored to the north by HP Pavilion and to the south by Cisco Field.
Tour guests also got to hear from High-Speed Rail Authority board member, Rod Diridon. He made an impromptu pitch for the ambitious vision the city has for the area surrounding the station.
Korabiak led the group to the corner of San Fernando and Autum, which will be the main gate to Cisco Field. It's not much to look at now, but soon it may be the site of a grand plaza welcoming A's fans to the game.
Throughout the tour, Korabiak outlined the general ballpark concept. The agency's focus is on creating a comprehensive ballpark experience for fans, including a realigned Autumn Street, riverside parks, and plenty of new retail.
The tour concluded with a few words from Baseball San Jose co-chair, Michael Mulcahy. In anticipation of a spring ballpark campaign, he urged baseball supporters to get the word out to as many people as possible.
It was interesting to get a peak at the city's grand vision for Diridon. If they come, the A's will have an dynamic new home in a bustling area of downtown. Of course, many things have to happen before that can become reality, but as Michael Mulcahy points out, MLB in San Jose begins with you.
You're up to bat, San Jose!
The agency's Dennis Korabiak led the tour, which consisted of updates on not only the ballpark, but the Diridon Station general plan, inlcuding BART and HSR. In short, the city plans to transform the area into a major retail-entertainment center, anchored to the north by HP Pavilion and to the south by Cisco Field.
Tour guests also got to hear from High-Speed Rail Authority board member, Rod Diridon. He made an impromptu pitch for the ambitious vision the city has for the area surrounding the station.
Korabiak led the group to the corner of San Fernando and Autum, which will be the main gate to Cisco Field. It's not much to look at now, but soon it may be the site of a grand plaza welcoming A's fans to the game.
Throughout the tour, Korabiak outlined the general ballpark concept. The agency's focus is on creating a comprehensive ballpark experience for fans, including a realigned Autumn Street, riverside parks, and plenty of new retail.
The tour concluded with a few words from Baseball San Jose co-chair, Michael Mulcahy. In anticipation of a spring ballpark campaign, he urged baseball supporters to get the word out to as many people as possible.
It was interesting to get a peak at the city's grand vision for Diridon. If they come, the A's will have an dynamic new home in a bustling area of downtown. Of course, many things have to happen before that can become reality, but as Michael Mulcahy points out, MLB in San Jose begins with you.
You're up to bat, San Jose!
Tour of Proposed Ballpark Site Sparks High Hopes
Okay, I can only speak for myself but as I stood on the corner of San Fernando and Autumn and looked at the proposed site of the San Jose Athletics ballpark I couldn’t help picturing myself walking through the main entrance of the ballpark on game day and I got pretty excited.
Corner of San Fernando and Autumn
Last night Dennis Korabiak of the San Jose Redevelopment committee took a small group of fans(?) on a tour of the area between Diridon Train Station (Rod Diridon just happened to show up)
and the corner (and hallowed ground if hallowed ground can be secular?) that I hope will one day be the home of a major league ball club. The planners envision extended mass transit such as high speed rail, public art, trails, retail shops, restaurants and clubs. The beautiful artist’s renderings of the proposed ballpark made it easy to imagine this vision coming true. You can go to Pro Baseball San Jose for more details and links to the ballpark plans.
Corner of San Fernando and AutumnLast night Dennis Korabiak of the San Jose Redevelopment committee took a small group of fans(?) on a tour of the area between Diridon Train Station (Rod Diridon just happened to show up)
and the corner (and hallowed ground if hallowed ground can be secular?) that I hope will one day be the home of a major league ball club. The planners envision extended mass transit such as high speed rail, public art, trails, retail shops, restaurants and clubs. The beautiful artist’s renderings of the proposed ballpark made it easy to imagine this vision coming true. You can go to Pro Baseball San Jose for more details and links to the ballpark plans.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Los Gatos Brewing Company is Coming Downtown!
The former home of A.P. Stumps has been empty for far too long. By Oct. 15th, The Los Gatos Brewing Company will take the helm of this flagship 2-story, 15,000sqft space and hope for a better outcome than their predecessor. The majority of the restaurant will be on the second floor while the first floor will be used for private dining and al fresco dining. For more information, click here.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
SJ21: A Sneak Peek Inside San Jose Little Italy
San Jose / Twenty-One has a great post about the new Little Italy project in San Jose, along with a few photos. I'll also post my several of my own photos on Monday. It's still not too late to catch the Italian American Family Festa that is going on today at Guadalupe River Park next to what will soon become Little Italy!
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"It's not about developing, it's about restoring." That's what developer Joshua DeVincenzi Melander says is the true intent of city's new Italian-American community, Little Italy San Jose.
Anchored in the River Street neighborhood, once a bustling Italian immigrant enclave, this new Little Italy will, in a sense, be an amalgamation of several of San Jose's oldest Italian communities (e.g. Goosetown, Luna Park) which the city either destroyed or neglected over the years. At one time, Italians were the city's largest ethnic group, so this new effort is more about bringing back what the city had (and lost) than creating something from scratch.
Like nearby San Pedro Square Market, Little Italy is ambitious in its scope. And yet, when completed, San Jose's Little Italy will feel very personable. Unlike the expansive Little Italys of New York City or Chicago, San Jose's occupies a relatively small space, primarily between River Street and The Guadalupe River Park. When completed, Little Italy will feel like an intimate Italian community. The intent here is here to create an authentic neighborhood experience with a string Italian-themed businesses, such as restaurants, gelaterias, and wine bars, as well as piazzas, archways, and bocce courts.
One important milestone for both Little Italy San Jose and The Italian American Heritage Foundation of San Jose comes this weekend with theItalian American Family Festa (Saturday, August 28, 11 AM - 8 PM and Sunday, August 29, 11 AM - 6 PM; admission is free). This year the festival moves to its new home, adjacent to Little Italy, in the Guadalupe River Park. It is also its 30th anniversary, and will include the unveiling of the Piazza Piccola Italia. For the piazza, Little Italy solicited donations from the city's Italian-American community, who, in return, had personalized bricks placed into the design of the courtyard.
Little Italy is definitely a project to keep an eye on. It certainly has its work cut out for it, but the project certainly seems to be in loving hands. Speaking to Joshua DeVincenzi Melander, you quickly get a sense of the cultural pride that runs deeply through the project. They clearly intend to do this thing right. And they're off to a great start.
Buona fortuna.
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A Sneak Peek Inside San Jose Little Italy
"It's not about developing, it's about restoring." That's what developer Joshua DeVincenzi Melander says is the true intent of city's new Italian-American community, Little Italy San Jose.
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| An Italian wine bar will soon be in place at the main piazza. |
Anchored in the River Street neighborhood, once a bustling Italian immigrant enclave, this new Little Italy will, in a sense, be an amalgamation of several of San Jose's oldest Italian communities (e.g. Goosetown, Luna Park) which the city either destroyed or neglected over the years. At one time, Italians were the city's largest ethnic group, so this new effort is more about bringing back what the city had (and lost) than creating something from scratch.
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| An archway on Julian will soon welcome visitors. |
Like nearby San Pedro Square Market, Little Italy is ambitious in its scope. And yet, when completed, San Jose's Little Italy will feel very personable. Unlike the expansive Little Italys of New York City or Chicago, San Jose's occupies a relatively small space, primarily between River Street and The Guadalupe River Park. When completed, Little Italy will feel like an intimate Italian community. The intent here is here to create an authentic neighborhood experience with a string Italian-themed businesses, such as restaurants, gelaterias, and wine bars, as well as piazzas, archways, and bocce courts.
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| Future Italian-themes businesses. |
One important milestone for both Little Italy San Jose and The Italian American Heritage Foundation of San Jose comes this weekend with theItalian American Family Festa (Saturday, August 28, 11 AM - 8 PM and Sunday, August 29, 11 AM - 6 PM; admission is free). This year the festival moves to its new home, adjacent to Little Italy, in the Guadalupe River Park. It is also its 30th anniversary, and will include the unveiling of the Piazza Piccola Italia. For the piazza, Little Italy solicited donations from the city's Italian-American community, who, in return, had personalized bricks placed into the design of the courtyard.
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| The Piazza Piccola Italia will be dedicated this weekend. |
Little Italy is definitely a project to keep an eye on. It certainly has its work cut out for it, but the project certainly seems to be in loving hands. Speaking to Joshua DeVincenzi Melander, you quickly get a sense of the cultural pride that runs deeply through the project. They clearly intend to do this thing right. And they're off to a great start.
Buona fortuna.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Italian American Family Festa
Want to get a sneak preview of Little Italy? Why not head on down to the Italian American Family Festa, going on now in Guadalupe River Park! I was down there for a little bit this morning and there is tons of authentic Italian food, arts & crafts shops, bocce ball, and entertainment. Downtown San Jose wins big by netting great annual event, right next to the future Little Italy San Jose. I couldn't think of a better place in Silicon Valley to host this event ;)
| WHEN: | Saturday, August 28, 11 am - 8 pm Sunday, August 29, 11 am - 6 pmPlease join us for the first event: Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (12:30pm, Saturday, August 28th) |
| WHERE: | The Festa's new home in Guadelupe River Park, downtown San Jose |
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
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 26thTime: 5:00  7:30pmLocation: 21st Floor Skyline Observation TerraceREGISTER: http://the88penthouse. | ||
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