Evergreen College Putting 27 Acres Up For Development

Anyone who has driven by Evergreen College or the intersection of Yerba Buena and San Felipe has likely noticed a huge empty dirt parcel. Evergreen College has decided that it will not need the land for future expansion of the college or the administrative building in the western section of the 27 acre parcel (the administrators have all moved to a building in Downtown San Jose). They are now seeking redevelopment bids for this piece of land which could include a mix of residential, retail, and office.

Evergreen College has already received one promising LOI (Letter of Intent) from Republic Urban Properties. Their proposal includes an urban/suburban project including 125-250 market rate apartments, 80-150 senior apartments, 40,000 SQFT of retail, 18,000-40,000 SQFT of office, a 45,000 SQFT gym, and an aquatics center that would be open to the public and would be used by the university. Republic Urban Properties would pay the College $1.5 million each year to lease the land.

There are some complications to the plan since the land is zoned as "quasi public" (is that an official designation?). The winning developer would need to request rezoning and would have to go through a new environmental review.

If successful, it looks like a promising development that would add value to the Evergreen community--both residents and the College.

Source: SVBJ

The Fountainhead is Officially Opening Today Just in Time For Saint Patrick's Day!

The big re-launch of the SoFA Market (387 S. 1st St.) seems to be coming along really well. The highly anticipated Fountainhead Bar and its architecture-inspired drinks is officially opening today. This looks like a great place to swing by as part of your St. Patrick's Day plans. Since it is so new it probably won't be insanely crowded like all of the other bars tonight, another plus.

In addition to Fountainhead, the new burger joint will also be open. In about a months time it will be joined by a few other eateries. I can't wait to see the final product when the SoFA Market is complete!

Source: loldawg from the San Jose Development Forum

KT Urban Planning Yet Another Tower Downtown!

Another day, another tower. KT Urban (formerly KT Properties) is the developer behind many of the best looking towers Downtown: Axis, One South, and soon Silvery Towers. In a huge vote of confidence for the Downtown residential market, they are now planning a 24-story 264 condo tower at the corner of Park Avenue and Almaden Boulevard. The ground floor would have 7,700 SQFT of retail and there would be five levels of parking (three would be underground).

The proposed tower would be situated across the street from Adobe and in the corner of Park Center Plaza, where an ugly dilapidated court building currently sits. While there is not a ton going on for residents in that block (besides Specialties), when you move out two and three blocks you have access to all of the amenities in central Downtown. San Pedro Square is a 5 minute walk in one direction and and SoFA is a 5 minute walk in the other.

While there has been a lot of debate on saving this location for an office building, I really think in order to get maximum vibrancy throughout the day and night we should try to blend residential, office, and retail as much as possible Downtown. We still have tons of parcels where we can build office projects--heck, most of Park City Plaza could be torn down and replaced with high-rise office buildings. The more projects we can push through during this boom cycle, the stronger Downtown will be years from now.

Source: SVBJ

Municipal Stadium Hosts Bacon and Beer Classic

San Jose Giants baseball returns next month to Municipal Stadium, leaving the stadium open this month to host the Bacon and Beer Classic on Saturday, March 21. San Jose is the first stop for this traveling festival that seeks to bring together local breweries and restaurants for an event full of beer and bacon samples, accompanied by music, games, beer school and cooking demos.

Over 30 breweries will participate, including San Jose's own Strike Brewing Company and Santa Clara Valley Brewing. There are many local restaurants participating as well, such as San Jose's 71 Saint Peter, Firehouse No. 1 Gastropub, Habana Cuba, Konjoe Burger Bar, and Loteria Taco Bar.

There's the Brunch Session from 12-3pm and the Evening Session from 7-10pm. General Admission tickets are $59. There is also the VIP Experience ticket for $99 – VIP guests will have one-hour early admission (11am and 6pm, respectively), access to VIP areas and other exclusive perks.

Designated driver tickets are $29, and tickets for those between 5 and 20 years are $19. Children under 5 are free. For more ticket details, click here.

The event should prove to be a popular draw for the many fans of bacon and local craft beer. I've previously written more about this event on Examiner.com.

Awesome City Hall Photo

I have to post this photo Cardinal2007 found from the San Jose Development Forum:

San Jose City Hall HDR by Darshan Karia, on Flickr

Boudin SF Brings the Flavor of Fresh-Baked Sourdough to Almaden Plaza Shopping Center in San Jose on March 19

First 100 Guests on Opening Day to Receive Free Bread for a Year

Gloriously irresistible fresh-baked sourdough bread will soon be available at Almaden Plaza Shopping Center in San Jose. Boudin Bakery CEO Sharon Duvall today announced that the company will open its 11th Northern California Boudin SF location in Almaden Valley on March 19.

Boudin SF is a convenient, casual-dining restaurant where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Residents of San Jose who have long enjoyed The Original San Francisco Sourdough™ can soon savor the unforgettable experience of breaking open an aromatic loaf in a new location close to home. Almaden Plaza Shopping Center marks the company’s second San Jose restaurant and follows the opening of Boudin SF in West Valley Center last April.

“We are thrilled to open another location in the South Bay,” said Duvall. “We are extremely thankful for our loyal Boudin sourdough fans and excited to welcome our new neighbors in the Almaden Valley community to the restaurant.”

Bread Winners

When Boudin SF at Almaden Plaza opens its doors to the public on March 19, the first 100 guests in line will win a year’s supply of The Original San Francisco Sourdough™. Boudin enthusiasts, affectionately known as “Bread Winners,” often camp overnight to ensure a spot in line and may begin queuing up at 5:00 p.m. on March 18. Boudin SF has reserved the first place in the Bread Winners line for Second Harvest Food Bank, a local non-profit that provides food to nearly one quarter of a million people each month and is one of the largest food banks in the nation. Boudin SF has long been a supporter of food banks and regularly donates fresh bread to local charities.

Boudin SF Menu

Ideal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Boudin SF features a comprehensive menu of both healthy and hearty fare to delight a variety of palettes. Boudin SF’s attention to detail shines through in every dish. Seasonal, organic, and locally-sourced ingredients are used whenever possible.

Boudin SF’s wide variety of sandwiches are a delicious and convenient option for lunch or a picnic. Guests may also choose from perennial favorites such as Chicken Pesto with chicken breast, tomatoes, arugula, pesto mayo, and balsamic vinaigrette on a sourdough baguette or the California Veggie with Havarti cheese, avocado, red peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, sun-dried tomato spread, and balsamic vinaigrette on multigrain bread. After a day of shopping or hiking, Boudin's classic New England-style Clam Chowder or Butternut Squash Soup in a signature sourdough bread bowl is warm and filling. Boudin SF is perfect for busy families and professionals. Stop by for a quick dinner or linger over a glass of beer or California wines. For a quick breakfast after dropping off the kids at school or an early morning workout, Boudin SF has everything from Vegetable Scrambles to Sourdough French Toast. 

Boudin SF also offers Web-to-Go service, allowing customers to place an order in advance and then pick it up quickly on the way to the park, office or home – no waiting in line. Available online at: www.boudinwebtogo.com.

Boudin SF at Almaden Plaza Shopping Center is located at 5353 Almaden Expressway in San Jose, CA  95118. Telephone: 408-513-1050. Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.



About Boudin Bakery

Headquartered in San Francisco, Boudin Bakery is world-famous for The Original San Francisco Sourdough™, which is baked with the same Mother Dough, or sourdough starter, used since 1849. Born in the Gold Rush, Boudin is the oldest continuously operating business in San Francisco. Because each loaf is made from a portion of the original sourdough starter, Boudin Sourdough is one of a kind.  With its delicious tangy flavor, golden crunchy crust, and soft chewy center – along with its famous aroma – it has been described as “a sensory experience in a simple loaf of bread.” Boudin SF is a convenient, casual-dining restaurant with locations throughout California where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Boudin at the Wharf, located in the heart of San Francisco’s renowned waterfront, is Boudin’s flagship facility and home to Bistro Boudin, Boudin Museum & Bakery Tour, a demonstration bakery, Bakers Hall Marketplace and a Boudin Café. Boudin bread can be purchased at the Wharf and all Boudin restaurants located throughout California. Boudin also offers catering and operates a gift catalog business, which can be found online www.boudinbakery.com.

Visual San Jose, Citywide Photo Contest

The Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC*SJ) and San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission in conjunction with Content Magazine and our sponsors is hosting Visual San Jose, a citywide historic photo contest. The contest is free and open to professionals, non-professionals and students (under 19). The deadline for photo entries is April 17, 2015.

May is Historic Preservation Month and this photo contest will celebrate historic preservation through the eyes of Bay Area photographers. Our mission is to promote historic preservation by raising awareness of San Jose’s historic resources, to celebrate the efforts to preserve our city’s history and to recognize the irreplaceable historic resources that are threatened.

Finalists’ photographs will be included in the June/July 2015 issue of Content Magazine and on display locally in San Jose in early June. The contest awards reception, in conjunction with the Content Magazine release, will be held on June 16, where winners in each category will be presented with prizes from our sponsors.

Submission Requirements:

• What: Photographs of historic structures, sites or historic artifacts within San Jose
• When: Photographs taken between July 1, 2014 to April 17, 2015
• Where to submit entries: Submit photographs (limit 2) in jpeg format to Submit2015@VisualSJ.com by April 17
• Entries must include: name, date taken, category and a description of the photograph 
• Categories: professional (earns over 50% from photography), non-professional or student (under 19)

Entries will be judged based on photographic technique, photographic creativity, historical significance and the short written description. For more details and rules of the contest please visit www.VisualSJ.com. 2014 photo contest finalists can be viewed at www.SJhistoricalphoto.com.

Donations (tax deductible) will be gratefully accepted to go toward the cash prizes of the chosen winners. Donations may be made by mailing a check payable to the PAC*SJ with a notation that it is for the Visual San Jose photo contest. Mail your donation to: Preservation Action Council of San Jose, History Park, 1650 Senter Road, San Jose CA 95112-2599. For questions or to donate, contact us by email at info@VisualSJ.com.

PAC*SJ is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving San Jose’s architectural heritage and quality of life, through education, advocacy and events.

The San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission supports and advises the San Jose Planning Department and the City Council on historic preservation issues.

Content Magazine is a bimonthly San Jose based magazine promoting the people, events, and businesses of San Jose. San Jose deserves a magazine that is able to articulate the unique life & style of our city.

Vander-Bend Moving to Renovation Row

Vander-Bend is a contract manufacturer with 500 employees that were scattered across several buildings in Silicon Valley, the largest of which was in Sunnyvale. The company has recently consolidated all of there employees under one roof at 2701 Orchard Parkway in a North San Jose area becoming known as "Renovation Row" (I think Nathan Donato-Weinstein from the SVBJ gets credit for coining that term).

Vander-Bend is leasing a total of 200,000 square feet, which makes it the largest lease in Renovation Row. They are also investing $7 million in renovations and improvements to the building.

Source: SJ Economy News