Loring Ward Moving HQ From Santana Row to Downtown San Jose

Loring Ward is a rapidly growing investment management firm with $11.2 billion under management. They currently have 100 employees that are split between two offices in Santana Row that total 25,000 SQFT. They needed a lot of room to grow and wanted an environment that provided easy access to amenities, so they choose Downtown San Jose. The company leased 43,000 SQFT at 10 Almaden, making it the largest new Downtown lease of the year.

As part of the eight-year contract, they will get their name on the building with great visibility from Santa Clara Street. Loring Ward is hoping to complete construction this fall, which will include a mix of private workspaces, open offices, and private interior offices.

As an added bonus in the Silicon Valley Business Journal article, it looks like brokers for the Boston Properties office project near the convention center have started marketing the space again. If they find a tenant, the project could reach 800,000 SQFT (I remember old renderings consisting of three high-rise buildings). It's nice to see that more than just residential and retail are picking up steam Downtown.

Side note: Did anyone know that 10 Almaden had a lap pool? I didn't until I saw the photo below.

Source: SVBJ

PAC*SJ Summer Walking Tours!

The Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC*SJ) will be doing three walking tours this summer. They will be in the Vendome neighborhood, Palm Haven and North Willow Glen, and also a stroll down The Alameda. All tours will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays. More information and advance tickets for the set or individual tours are available on the website http://www.preservation.org/events/walkingtours/tickets2014.html

You can also purchase tickets on the day of the tour if slots are available by arriving about 10 minutes early. Individual tickets are $10 for members of PAC*SJ and $15 for the general public. It is $25/$35 for the complete set.

Vendome, June 14

This walk shows six decades of San Jose homes on only four streets. 

The tour will begin at Ryland Park near First Street. There are some parking spaces in the Ryland Park lot and along San Pedro, but parking east of First Street or taking Light Rail to Ayer is recommended. In the park, we’ll learn a little history about San Jose and how the neighborhood filled in over time. The biggest growth spurt was during the 1930’s when the property of the Vendome Hotel became available for development. After we visit the Rotary Ryland Pool, we’ll stroll through the southern half of the neighborhood to see the homes. The architecture includes Victorian, Craftsman, Prairie style, Tudor, art moderne, and a wide variety of Spanish styles.

Palm Haven and North Willow Glen, June 28

This tour begins at the corner of Fuller and Bird in North Willow Glen where is more street parking available. We’ll pass some interesting homes on Bird, before going through Palm Haven. Palm Haven was laid out in 1913 with a border of Mexican Fan Palms. The earliest homes were all substantial. Later homes on the outer streets are more varied in size. Many famous civic and business leaders lived in Palm Haven, as well as artists and architects, most notably in the Wolfe family. 

The Alameda, July 12

The tour begins at the corner of Emory and the Alameda, across from the Central Y. The resources for this tour are The Alameda: The Beautiful Way and the Alameda Right of Way Context Statement produced by the City. 

The Alameda is the piece of the El Camino Real that ran between Mission Santa Clara and Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe. The name comes from the shade trees that were planted along the route. On the first part of the tour, we’ll look at the prominent homes along the street and discuss some of the ones that are now gone. We’ll learn about some prominent people in city history. Later we’ll walk through a resurgent business area and talk about the past – and future – changes to the landscape.

The narrative will be finished as we approach Stockton Street after a 1 mile walk, so depending on the heat and how individuals are feeling, there is the option to take the #22 or #522 bus back to the starting point. They both run every 15 minutes.

Patxi's 10th Anniversary Party

This Wednesday is the 10 year anniversary of Patxi's Pizza, and they are doing a variety of promotions to celebrate. First off is free food and drinks (beer and wine) on June 4th from 3pm to 4pm at every location. Those wearing a Patxi's t-shirt to the party will get a $20 gift card.

Also on June 4th, anyone who orders a pizza for delivery will get a Willy Wonka-style golden ticket that give customers a chance to win $25-$50 gift cards or the grand prize of "Pizza for a Year."

Lastly, any children under 10 that have their birthday on June 4th will get a free pizza. Those lucky enough to turn exactly 10 years old on June 4th will win a pizza party valued at $200.

Patxi's San Jose location is on the edge of Crescent Village at 3350 Zanker Road.

PATXI’S CELEBRATES ITS 10^th ANNIVERSARY

Party at Every Location, Specials, & More

Patxi’s Pizza, the Bay Area brand famous for classic Chicago-style stuffed pizza and authentic Italian thin crust, celebrates its 10^th Anniversary on June 4 with celebrations around town, food and drink specials, contests and more.  

Patxi’s (pronounced pah-cheese. ‘t’ before ‘x’) began as a labor of love for old friends and now business partners William Freeman and Francisco “Patxi” Azpiroz. From their first location in Palo Alto, which is still operational, the duo has built the business into a successful, growing brand with twelve restaurants spanning two, soon to be three, states. With nine locations in the Bay Area, a thriving three-store operation in Denver, and plans to open in Seattle later this summer, Patxi’s is set up for an even more exciting ten years to come. 

“Throughout the last 10 years and as we’ve expanded from our first location in Palo Alto, we’ve really tried to remain true to our initial mission; which is to service excellent pizza and top-notch hospitality,” says CEO Bill Freeman. “So, to celebrate, we want all of the communities in which we have a restaurant to feel the appreciation we have for each of them.”

COMPLIMENTARY CELEBRATION AT EVERY PATXI’S

Wednesday, June 4, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Patxi’s invites customers and friends to join them for complimentary food and drinks (beer and wine) at every location in the Bay Area. Plus, Patxi’s will celebrate with cake and a toast for everyone. Those wearing a Patxi’s t-shirt to the party will receive a complimentary $20 gift card. Space is limited, event is first-come, first-served. 

GOLDEN TICKET DELIVERY DAY

Wednesday, June 4, all day

Patxi’s isn’t leaving out their valued delivery customers during their anniversary celebrations. Everyone who orders pizza for delivery will get the chance to win big—Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-style. 

With each delivery on June 4 comes a “Golden Ticket,” guests can check their tickets value on Facebook to see what prizes they have won. Prizes include gift cards in $25 and $50 denominations along with a Grand “Pizza for a Year” Prize, valued at $500. 

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Wednesday, June 4, all day

Any child 10 and under also having a birthday on June 4 will receive a complimentary pizza (or gift certificate for a free pizza). Plus, any child also celebrating their 10^th Birthday will win a pizza party celebration, value of $200. Plus, balloons for the kiddos at the grand celebration. 

LOYAL CUSTOMERS GET “THANXED”!

Month of June

For those customers participating in Patxi’s Loyalty Program, through Thanx, there are some fun anniversary specials as well. Thankx customers who dine at Patxi’s ten times during the month of June will receive a special VIP $50 reward. For details visit http://thanx.com/patxispizza. 

PATXI’S PIZZA LOCATIONS

San Jose: 3350 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA, 95134, 408.526.1999

Fillmore: 3318 Fillmore Street San Francisco, CA 94123, 415.345.3995

Hayes Valley: 511 Hayes Street San Francisco, CA 94102 , 415.558.9991

Irving: 822 Irving Street San Francisco, CA 94122, 415.759.9000

Noe Valley: 4042 24th Street San Francisco, CA 94114, 415.285.2000

Campbell: 1875 South Bascom Ave, Suite 405, Campbell, CA 95008 The Pruneyard Shopping Center, 408.559.0700

Palo Alto: 441 Emerson Street Palo Alto, CA 94301, 650.473.9999

Lafayette: 3577 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, CA 94549, 925.299.0700

Livermore: 2470 1st St, Livermore, CA, 94550, 925.371.1000

ABOUT PATXI’S PIZZA

www.patxispizza.com

Founded in 2004 by two friends, entrepreneur Bill Freeman and pizza expert Francisco “Patxi” Azpiroz, Patxi’s Pizza offers authentic Chicago- and Italian-style pizza, featuring two distinct, handcrafted styles of dough, four types of mozzarella and over 30 different fresh meat and veggie toppings (ingredients sourced locally whenever possible).  Patxi’s Pizza (pronounced pah-cheese) is privately owned and operated with a total of 12 locations between the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver, CO. Patxi’s Pizza was ranked #6 in the Food & Beverage Industry by Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Hire Power Companies of 2013 and named among the Top 10 “Most Life-Changing Pizzas” of 2012 by Esquire Magazine. CEO Bill Freeman was recently named one of the “Most-Admired” CEOs in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times. 

Patxi’s menu features a standout family of pizzas and an array of salads and small plates. Says Executive Chef / Partner Patxi Azpiroz, “Here at Patxi’s we happily renounce stovetops, deep fryers and freezers. Instead we prepare all of our dishes using fresh ingredients, sourced locally when possible.”

In addition to pizza, Patxi’s features an array of small plates great for sharing, including Burrata Bruschetta and the Meatball, which is inspired by a long-time Boston-Italian family recipe and features sustainably raised beef and a Chicago-style Italian sausage braised in a house made tomato sauce and topped with basil and Grana Padano cheese. In lieu of dessert, Patxi’s offers honey for the “bones” or crust of the pizza—the perfect way to enjoy those last remnants of crust after the meal. Guests can also enjoy fresh salads and beverages including a full bar. Complete menu is here. Photos available upon request. 

Through their 52 Weeks of Giving program, Patxi’s donates a portion of its profits to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to education and children’s health and welfare – totaling over $315,000 in donations to date.

52 Weeks of Giving Facts:

• In 2013, Patxi’s Pizza donated more than $166,620 to partner organizations through a total of 395 fundraising events 
• To date, the program has raised more than $315,277 for partner organizations with their shared mission. 
• Since the program’s inception, Patxi’s has hosted just over 740 individual fundraisers for community organizations, nonprofits and schools.
• Over 397 community organizations participated in the program this year including a total of 128 local schools and in-school programs; and non-profit organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation (Bay Area and Denver Chapters), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, United Autism Foundation, Children’s Hospital Oakland, Muscular Distrophy Association, and dozens more.
• Money raised through the program funded programs like a trip to Washington, D.C. for Lincoln High School, a 5th Grade Science Camp for Livermore’s Rancho Las Positas Elementary, and travel for the Team World Finals for Stanley Odyssey of the Mind among many others.
• The program currently operates through Patxi’s nine Bay Area locations and three Denver locations, and will expand to the Seattle and Santa Barbara markets, totaling 15 locations in 2015
• Patxi’s goal is to raise $200,000 to benefit charity organizations in 2014

Santana Row's Annual Summer Fashion Shows Featuring Vernon Davis of the 49ers

San Jose, CA – The popular summertime event returns for the sixth year with two poolside runway shows at Santana Heights and a catwalk appearance by popular football player Vernon Davis.

A portion of the sales will benefit the Vernon Davis Foundation for the Arts, created by the athlete/artist/philanthropist to promote art education and art appreciation among youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

As always, the shows will feature the season’s best fashions for women and men from Santana row retailers as well as style surprises and special guests.

Runway shows are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Included in the price of the $50 ticket is poolside seating to view the fashion show, access to the Beauty Lounge, pre-event champagne, wine and light hors d’oeuvres, a Passion for Fashion shopping card that entitles guests to discounts around Santana Row, prize drawings and in-store events.

To purchase tickets, please visit the Santana Row website.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the 2nd Safest U.S. Driving City

Here is a Saturday stat I was not expecting. Despite being the 7th most congested city in the US, San Jose is the 2nd safest city in the country when it comes to driving. Only New York had a lower vehicle fatality rate among the ten largest cities in the country. I also was not aware that San Jose has actually held this 2nd place distinction since 2003. I would expect when self-driving cars hit the market, the fatality rates will go even lower.

Fatality Rate Per 100,000 People

1. New York City  - 3.21
2. San Jose - 4.27
3. San Diego - 5.23
4. Chicago - 5.34
5. Los Angeles - 6.27
6. Philadelphia - 6.91
7. Houston - 9.01
8. San Antonio - 9.54
9. Phoenix - 10.14
10. Dallas - 10.96

Source: NBC Bay Area, hat tip to Jordan Toy

Naglee Park Open Studios on June 1st

Here is an event that is completely new to me. This Sunday is the 6th Annual Naglee Park Open Studios, which lets you walk right into artists homes around a historic neighborhood. 30 artists are participating at 20 different locations with works including ceramics, photography, sculptures, watercolors, and more.

The event programs with locations of participating artists will be available on May 11th at Happy Dog, House of Bagels, and the famous Naglee Park Garage (505 E. San Carlos St.). The Event is free and runs from 11am to 5pm.

You can find more information at the Naglee Park Community Association or their Facebook Page.

Source: Phantom Galleries

New DMV Coming to East San Jose

Tired of long lines at South Bay DMVs? Hopefully this will help. A new 30,000 SQFT DMV is coming to East San Jose. This will be located at 2222 Senter Road, right across the street from Costco.

Barry Swenson is building out the project and expects it to be completed in late 2014.

Source: SVBJ

Tee Nee Thai Restaurant Re-openeing in June

A beloved Thai restaurant on The Alameda that way destroyed by a fire over a year ago is about to reopen. Immediately after the fire, the Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood came together and held a fundraiser at its sister restaurant, House of Siam Downtown, and helped raise money for the re-build.

The new restaurant will have the same address at 1423 The Alameda, but will be substantially redesigned. The original restaurant had a seating capacity of around 40. The new restaurant will be able to seat up to 86 across a main dining room, a brand new sidewalk cafe, and a Thai-themed outdoor patio. The kitchen is being extended out by nine feet, it is getting two new ADA compliant restrooms, and the front windows will be enlarged to allow for more window seating.

I don't have an opening date yet, but it should be sometime in June with the back-patio being completed in July.

Source: The Merc, hat tip to Alex Shoor for sending this in!