Thursday, March 5, 2015

Notre Dame Park Website

Last year a team of Axis and City Heights residents in Downtown San Jose did an awesome job cleaning up a disheveled dirt lot next to their building and turning it into something the community could actually use. The San Jose Downtown Association even jumped in and installed a new fence which you can see below.

The end result of this grassroots project is a park where neighbors can garden, kids can play, and pet owners can bring their dogs for a run. Now the "Notre Dame Park" even has a website, which you can visit right over here!

If you are wondering about this history of that 7up sign (which was also recently restored), check out the short video below.


Notre Dame Park Neighborhood from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Wednesday Wishlist: Google's New Office Concept in San Jose

Not content with just transforming advertising, mobile computing, and cars, Google has set its sights on completely changing the environment in which people work. The 10 minute video below is a bit lengthy for my attention span, but completely worth watching.

Google is proposing a massive renovation of its suburban and generic Mountain View offices that would turn them into one of the most innovative office campuses in the world. Instead of creating fixed structures, the spaces would be very easy to reconfigure (like Lincoln Logs)... making them able to accommodate future office innovations decades from now. The offices space is then draped in a transparent solar-power absorbing canopy that makes you feel like you are outside. Bike and pedestrian paths are completely inter-weaved with the buildings as you can see from the photos below, and unlike Apple will be accessible to the public.

Given the tens of millions of suburban-style office space we have in San Jose, I'm hoping that local companies will find some inspiration and really think about how to design future office buildings that are not just generic boxes. Samsung is doing a great job with their new building, but Google just took it to a whole new level.

Source: SVBJ









Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Sourisseau News: The City of Campbell

The latest edition of Sourisseau News educates us on the early history of one of our immediate neighbors--Campbell. Why is the Pruneyard Shopping Center called the Pruneyard? Find out in the two minute video below.


The City of Campbell from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

1st Annual Silicon Valley Bikes Festival (May 3rd @ History Park)

A new Bike Festival and Show is coming to History Park to kick off National Bike Month in May. In addition to tons of bikes and vendors, the event will also feature Moveable Feast Food Trucks, Santa Clara Valley Brewing Craft Beers, a Kid's area, and free valet bike parking (cool).

Admission is $5 and the event runs from 11am to 6pm on Sunday, May 3rd.

Source: San Jose Bike Party


Saturday, February 28, 2015

San Jose Ranks as 6th Most Racially and Linguistically Diverse City in America

WalletHub has crunched Census data and ranked the 350 most populous US cities on racial and linguistic diversity. San Jose fared extremely well and came out as the 6th most diverse city in the country. San Francisco was 13th and Oakland was 14th. Also worth noting is that San Jose came in 5th specifically for language diversity and Sunnyvale came in 3rd.

Source: KQED News



San Jose is America's #1 Most Innovative Tech Hub

This may not come as a shock to anyone in Silicon Valley, but the San Jose metro has been ranked as the most Innovate Tech Hub in the US by a mile. The key factors that led to this concusion were the number of patents per 1,000 residents, the financial support behind innovation (VC funding), and the economies of agglomeration (were companies like startups are clustering together). San Francisco came in a distant third based on the scores. Surprisingly, Boulder made it to second due to substantial startup clustering. Also worth noting is the fact that San Jose has 27 patents filed per 1,000 residents, which is dramatically higher than any other city in the US.

Source: NerdWallet


Friday, February 27, 2015

Boston Properties Planning New Tech Campus in North San Jose

Three aging buildings at Boston Properties' North First Business Park are being cleared to make way for a brand new tech campus that could have up to 1.5 million SQFT of office space across seven buildings between 5-11 stories. However, it looks like these will likely not be built speculatively. Boston Properties is waiting for an anchor tenant before beginning construction.

There would be some retail included as part of the project along North First and some of the parking will be underground. The new campus will either be built in two or three phases depending on how large that first anchor tenant is. More details in the source link below.

Source: SVBJ

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Tons of New Santana Row Stores

Several new Santana Row stores have either opened in the last few months or are about to open. These include Annieglass, BoConcept, Bonobos Guideshop, Lou & Grey, Letarte Swimwear as well as two new places to eat: Pressed Juicery and Roots & Rye. You can read all about the new stores and eateries in the press release below!


San Jose, CA (Feb. 18, 2015) – New-to-the-area stores and eateries are enlivening the always-evolving scene at Santana Row. Next month, iconic Bay Area glassware company Annieglass is opening a retail store conveniently located for out-of-town visitors and local collectors. Also gearing up for a spring opening, Roots and Rye, a restaurant/whiskey lounge by renowned Bay Area restaurateur Chris Yeo.

Recently-opened shops new to the San Jose area include Pressed Juicery, offering healthy hydration; BoConcept, providing furniture and professional interior decorating services in one stop; and Bonobos, a menswear store that combines the best of e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar retailing and could become the future of shopping.

Update on parking - An additional 750 parking spots are now available at Santana Row. The new spaces include:
More than 650 spots are available at Santana West, the parking lot on Winchester Boulevard next to the Winchester Mystery House.
More than 300 spaces can be found behind Misora and Levare, the luxury apartment communities on Hatton Street.
Subtracting 180 spots for the new construction going on at 500 Santana Row, it’s more than 750 new spaces. It brings the total to more than 3,800 parking spaces at The Row!

Annieglass
Opening March 2015

Annieglass sustainably produces luxury, handcrafted glass tableware completely in the United States. Studio-headquartered in Watsonville and founded in 1983 by award-winning artist Annie Morhauser, Annieglass captures the beauty of imperfect, handmade glass through a special “slumping” process that ensures dishwasher safety and durability. One of the very few American-made glass studios still in production, Annieglass can be found in the finest stores, on many bridal registries and is collected by celebrities and used by professional and home cooks worldwide. In 2006, Annieglass became part of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art’s permanent collection and most recently won the ARTS Green Award for Eco-Sustainability.

Santana Row marks the company’s newest venture. The 1,179 square-foot store, located next to Left Bank Brasserie, will feature Annieglass’ handmade glass tableware, gifts for the home and a beautiful selection of jewelry from around the globe.

Roots and Rye restaurant and bar
Opening spring 2015

A warm and inviting gastro-lounge, Roots and Rye plans to specialize in whiskey-based cocktails and a progressive American menu featuring rustic and familiar flavors that showcase local products and ingredients. The 6,384-square-foot space will feature stylish, comfortable seating, communal table options and an inviting patio, in addition to an open kitchen and an expansive whiskey collection behind the bar. It is the newest dining venture of the Straits Restaurant Group, which owns Straits and Sino on The Row.

The restaurant will be located near Park Valencia, next door to Maggiano’s Little Italy in Park Valencia. In the coming weeks, please check SantanaRow.com for updates.

BoConcept
Opened February 7, 2015

BoConcept is the brand name of Denmark’s most global retail furniture chain offering contemporary furniture and professional, customized consultations in one stop. Visit the 3,603-square-foot store to update your home with modern-design furniture and get advice from skilled interior consultants who can help you make inspired choices for your rooms.

It’s an affordable luxury concept that takes the anxiety out of shopping for furniture.
Located next door to The Container Store, the Santana Row location is the second to open in the Bay Area. BoConcept began in Denmark in 1952 and is now in 60 countries.

Bonobos Guideshop
Opened late January 2015

The e-commerce-based menswear company opened its second Bay Area “guideshop,” where shoppers can touch and feel the clothing and find the perfect fit with the help of experienced staffers. Customers will then be sent their purchases a few days later. The 1,489-square-foot Santana Row space next to lululemon athletica features Bonobos’ signature chinos, khakis, shirts, blazers and seasonal clothing. Appointments are advised, but walk-ins are welcome. Bonobos founder is Andy Dunn, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Stanford University graduate.

Lou & Grey
Opened holiday 2014

From the company that owns Ann Taylor and Loft, the Lou & Grey store feature women’s clothing described as “easy, texture-rich essentials for every day.” Pieces include comfortable, yet stylish pants, casual dresses, sweaters, jackets, T-shirts that can be worn for work, play our lounging. The 2,514 square-foot-store is located next to Madewell. The store hosts a  spring trends shopping event with www.shopsweetthings.com blogger Jeanne Chan from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.

Pressed Juicery
Opened holiday 2014

Offering juice cleanses and cold-pressed juices, Pressed Juicery opened its first San Jose location on Olin Avenue, near Urban Outfitters. The 893-square-foot store features drinks that are blended daily and personalized to your taste and lifestyle. The juices are made with a hydraulic press, a machine that squeezes an entire fruit or vegetable into a pulp, extracting three to four times more than the average juicer. Founded in Southern California, its top menu items include Greens 2 (a blend of kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple and lemon), Detox 2 (pineapple, green apple and mint) and Almond Milk (almonds, dates, vanilla bean, sea salt and filtered water).

Sunglass Hut
Opened holiday 2014

There’s always a need for shades in California and Sunglass Hut carries a big selection of brand name and designer eyewear for men, women and children. The store is located next to Pizza Antica restaurant.

Letarte Swimwear
Opened late fall 2014

Offering stylish bathing suits and cover-ups perfect for tropical travel, the Maui-based brand, created by sisters Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross, opened a 1,080-square-foot store on Santana Row, next to Gucci. The label, started in 2000, includes swimwear, coordinating cover-ups and sportswear.

The Hawaiian authenticity and exclusivity of the Letarte label blends a bohemian island essence with chic global aesthetics that the duo have made recognizable around the globe. Lisa is the sister who designs and lives in Maui. She infuses her jet-setting island lifestyle and the spirit of Aloha into Letarte's signature trademarked prints, intricate adornments and lavish detail.



About Santana Row

Santana Row, a 647,000 square foot mixed-use development in San Jose, CA, is Silicon Valley’s premier destination for shopping, dining, living and working. Santana Row features over 70 shops, 20 restaurants, a boutique hotel and movie theatre. In addition to the dynamic retail & restaurant collection, Santana Row offers 615 luxury rental homes, 219 privately owned condos and 65,000 square feet of Class A office space. Santana Row is a property of www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit www.santanarow.com.

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 89 properties include over 2,600 tenants, in approximately 20.2 million square feet of retail space, and 1,500 residential units. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased  its dividend rate for 47 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.