July 2015 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:

• Downtown Doors has been expanded to 100 doors and utility boxes--22 new student art works were added last night from 15 San Jose High Schools.
• Downtown San Jose's first customized crosswalks were installed on June 23rd and connect Paseo de San Antonio with First and Second streets. The Chinese knot pattern honors the
  
  former Chinatown on Market Street that was burnt down and the circuitry elements symbolize San Jose's role as the heart and capital of Silicon Valley. The crosswalk material should last 5-8 years. This was part of the PBID's Street Life Project with the goal of enhancing the pedestrian experience in Downtown San Jose.
• The Sainte Claire Hotel will be come the Westin San Jose starting on July 9th and is already taking reservations. The hotel and historic landmark  has extensively been renovated over the last two years.
• The Children's Discovery museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary with three expansion projects: 1.) FoodShed, a new cafe 2.) The Builder Building, a 3,200 SQFT workshop for kids opening in August 3.) Bills Backyard, a 27,500 SQFT expansion of its outdoor space with multiple interactive exhibits.
• Gotta Eatta Pita is now open at 86 N. Market St. and offers organic, custom-made Mediterranean pitas and salad bowls.
• The Joint Eatery is open at 93 E. Santa Clara where Grub Shack used to be located. 
• Cushman & Wakefield are moving 50 real estate brokers and staff from Santa Clara to 14,000 SQFT at 10 Almaden in Downtown San Jose.
• To enhance safety for bicyclists, the city is planning to reduce the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on First and Second Streets, St. John Street, and San Salvador Street.
• There are tons of events going on in Downtown San Jose this summer, head to the SJDA website for a full list.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

San Jose Homelessness Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade

Finally some good news regarding homelessness. The headline says it all, the San Jose homeless population has declined to its lowest level in ten years. There was a 14% drop in homelessness across all of Santa Clara County over the past two years, and the city of San Jose fared even better with a 15% drop. In 2013 there were 4,770 homeless living in San Jose and now that number has dropped to 4,063. Those living in homeless encampments such as the infamous "Jungle" have dropped from 1,230 to 778, a 38% improvement. There was also a 12% decrease in those that are chronically homeless (versus temporary homeless).

The overall numbers are still not fantastic, but at least we are moving in the right direction.

Source: The Merc

4th of July Fireworks in Downtown San Jose!

Happy Fourth San Joseans! The Rotary Club will once again sponsor a world-class fireworks display at Discovery Meadow in Downtown San Jose. You should be able to see the fireworks from most of Downtown, but the best spot will be right outside the Discovery Museum.

4th of July Fireworks are also taking place at Almaden Lake Park and the San Jose Giants Municipal Stadium in San Jose.

New Stanford Cancer Center in San Jose

A cutting-edge 70,000 SQFT Stanford Health facility will be open soon for patient care. The facility features some of the most advanced cancer fighting technologies in the world., including a linear accelerator (pictured below), CyberKnife, and targeted treatments using monoclonal antibodies. There is also an infusion treatment area on the top floor of the four-story building with expansive views of the valley.

The facility is located in South San Jose near Good Samaritan Hospital and should be ready to treat patients by mid-July.

Source: SVBJ

Santana Row July-September 2015 News and Events

Check out what's going on this summer at Santana Row. The big item for me is the launch of three new dining options!

San Jose, CA  - Experience outdoor dining at three new spots, challenge yourself with free Saturday yoga classes and get your microbrew education during the annual beer walk at Santana Row.

Terrace at Hotel Valencia and Lark Creek Kitchen welcome guests to relax and enjoy drinks and eats in airy surroundings. Or, have an impromptu picnic by grabbing a gourmet banh mi, the iconic Vietnamese sandwich, from the Three Seasons cart near Park Valencia.

Free yoga classes in the sunshine are offered every Saturday—a perfect way to practice poses in preparation for Yoga on the Row, the big yoga event slated for September. The annual beer walk offers beer tastings with a side of shopping while strolling Santana Row.

New Dining on The Row!

Terrace at Hotel Valencia, Three Seasons banh mi cart and Lark Creek Kitchen

All Open

Three new dining venues are enticing hungry Santana Row visitors this summer:

Terrace at Hotel Valencia invites you to relax al fresco under a glass canopy while enjoying your favorite wine, whiskey or cocktail and small plates, created for sharing. Menu items include a spicy shellfish cocktail of Alaskan king crab, tiger shrimp and Maine lobster, Kobe beef sliders and local artisanal cheeses. Terrace is located in the outdoor courtyard area, across from the reception desk of the hotel.

Lark Creek Kitchen is bringing new flavors and keeping a few tried-and-true favorites from its former Lark Creek Blue menu. The restaurant/bar offers seasonal farm-to-fork dining, carefully selected wines and expertly crafted cocktails.

Three Seasons banh mi cart gives diners a quick and easy option to grab a gourmet sandwich on the run or enjoy it in the park nearby. They are made fresh daily at Three Seasons, a fine dining restaurant in Palo Alto, and served warmed with each order. Selections include a sandwich called “Street Food,” piled with grilled pork, chicken and pork pate, mayo, cucumber, cilantro, pickles, Maggi soy sauce and jalapeno.

Summer Yoga Series

Every Saturday, through September 12

Registration at 8:30, yoga at 9 a.m., Park Valencia

Join yoga enthusiasts for free yoga every Saturday, presented by lululemon athletica.

Practice your sun salutations under the sunshine at Park Valencia, near Maggiano’s restaurant through September 12. The complimentary classes are held outdoors, with registration opening at8:30 a.m. each week. For more information, contact lululemon, 408.557.8721.

100 OCT Rally: Santana Row to LA to Las Vegas

Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, 12

100 OCT (Hundred Octane) invites car enthusiasts to join them for 100 OCT Rally 2015, from Santana Row to Hollywood Boulevard to Las Vegas Boulevard.

The drive starts at Santana Row where participants gather to begin their journey, spending the night at Hotel Valencia before taking off on a route south over mountains and through deserts to Southern California and then Las Vegas. For more information, go to: http://www.100oct.com/100oct-rally/

Mommy & Me and Daddies, Too: “Celebrate Summer!”

Tuesday, July 14, 10 a.m. to noon

Summer is in full swing so let’s celebrate! The popular kids’ club features free entertainment, interactive games, hands-on activities and educational activities designed for parents and their pre-school aged children. Join us for live musical performances by Andy Z and take participate in programs by the San Jose Public Library. Also enjoy arts and crafts, face painting, music, balloon art, story time and more. Meet us in Park Valencia in front of Maggiano’s to pick up your activity sheet.

Details: 10 a.m. to noon at Park Valencia. Mommy & Me is a free kids’ club held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611 or visit www.SantanaRow.com

Cars & Croissants

July 25 and every fourth Saturday of the month

9 a.m. to noon

Santana Row partners with 100 OCT to present Cars & Croissants on The Row, a monthly gathering for exotic car owners and car enthusiasts. On the fourth Saturday of the month through December, exotic car owners are invited to park on Santana Row Boulevard from Alyssum Lane to Tatum Boulevard, display their cars and mingle with other enthusiasts. The morning meet-up for coffee, croissants and cars drew 400 people and 60 cars during the first event and continues to grow in popularity. This event is free and open to the public.

Santana Row Beer Walk

Wednesday, July 29, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Stroll The Row and sample 20-plus beers while enjoying the shopping and dining incentives offered during the third annual Beer Walk! Cool off with a walk around Santana Row while tasting brews from microbreweries. The beer stops are stationed in a restaurant or shop for easy sipping and strolling. Tickets are $30 and available athttp://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-beerwalk-santana-row-tickets-16921167668.

A look ahead to August and September…

Mommy & Me and Daddies, Too, “Movin’ & Groovin!”

Tuesday, August 11, 10 a.m. to noon, Park Valencia

The popular kids’ club features free entertainment, interactive games, hands-on activities and educational activities designed for parents and their pre-school aged children. Enjoy a dance-themed Mommy & Me with a special dance class from Silicon Valley Ballet School. Also enjoy arts and crafts, face painting, music, balloon art, story time and more. Meet us in Park Valencia in front of Maggiano’s to pick up your activity sheet.

Details: 10 a.m. to noon at Park Valencia. Mommy & Me is a free kids’ club held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611 or visitwww.SantanaRow.com.

Cars & Croissants

August 22 and every fourth Saturday of the month

9 a.m. to noon

Santana Row partners with 100 OCT to present Cars & Croissants on The Row, a monthly gathering for exotic car owners and car enthusiasts. On the fourth Saturday of the month through December, exotic car owners are invited to park on Santana Row Boulevard from Alyssum Lane to Tatum Boulevard, display their cars and mingle with other enthusiasts. The morning meet-up for coffee, croissants and cars drew 400 people and 60 cars during the first event and continues to grow in popularity. This event is free and open to the public.

End of the Summer Wine Stroll, a Benefit for Bill Wilson Center

Saturday, August 29, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Enjoy a summer evening with a wine stroll and silent auction to benefit Bill Wilson Center, a nonprofit organization that provides direct services to more than 3,500 children, youth, young adults and families in Santa Clara County through our various programs that focus on housing, education, counseling, and advocacy.

Your $35 ticket includes;

• Wine and food tastings
• Exclusive discounts inside Santana Row shops and restaurants
• A Signature Santana Row wine glass
*Must be 21 years or older to attend.
Tickets are available at the Santana Row concierge office or online at www.santanarow.com. Click on the events link.
Mommy & Me and Daddies, Too, “Superhero Day!”
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m. to noon, Park Valencia
The popular kids’ club features free entertainment, interactive games, hands-on activities and educational activities designed for parents and their pre-school aged children. Dress as your favorite superhero and meet other superheroes at The Row. Live musical performances by Andy Z, Silicon Valley Ballet School and Action Day Primary Plus. Also enjoy arts and crafts, face painting, music, balloon art, story time and more. Meet us in Park Valencia in front of Maggiano’s to pick up your activity sheet.
Details: 10 a.m. to noon at Park Valencia. Mommy & Me is a free kids’ club held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611 or visit www.santanarow.com.
Cars & Croissants
Sept. 26 and every fourth Saturday of the month
9 a.m. to noon
Santana Row partners with 100 OCT to present Cars & Croissants on The Row, a monthly gathering for exotic car owners and car enthusiasts. On the fourth Saturday of the month through December, exotic car owners are invited to park on Santana Row Boulevard from Alyssum Lane to Tatum Boulevard, display their cars and mingle with other enthusiasts. The morning meet-up for coffee, croissants and cars drew 400 people and 60 cars during the first event and continues to grow in popularity. This event is free and open to the public.
Yoga on The Row for the Third Year in a Row!
Sunday, Sept. 27, 8:30 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. start
Bring your mat and your best yoga form for Yoga on The Row! Athletic lululemon athletica presents the popular event, a fundraiser for the Art of Yoga Project, an organization that works to rehabilitate teenage girls in the juvenile justice system by teaching them art, yoga, and journaling. lululemon athletica will donate $1 to the organization for each participant who attends this complimentary yoga event. The goal this year is to get 1,000 yogis and their mats to line the main street of Santana Row and the park.


Registration will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. and class begins at 9 a.m.
Please arrive with a mat, towel, and a smile! All levels welcome.
Twitter Promotion @SantanaRow invites Tweets and Instagram tags
For a Chance to Win Gift Cards to Restaurants at The Row
Santana Row’s Twitter campaign and photo contest continues through the @SantanaRow Twitter handle. The contest invites anyone at Santana Row to Tweet or Instagram photos of a new outfit, haircut, meal, event or artsy shots and then tag it with the hash tag #LifeonTheRow. Every month, Santana Row will post an album on Facebook with all of the photos with the #LifeonTheRow hash tag. The person who took the best or most original photo will win a gift card to a Santana Row restaurant.
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 90 properties include over 2,600 tenants, in approximately 21 million square feet, and 1500 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.

New Beer Warehouse in South San Jose

It is not everyday you year about development in South San Jose, especially in industries outside of tech. DBI Beverage Inc. is building a new warehouse to store beer off of Hellyer Avenue on a 10 acre site. The warehouse will likely be somewhere between 150,000 SQFT and 180,000 SQFT with soaring 32-foot-tall ceilings. The company stocks hundreds of beers, many of which are of the craft variety. Some of the more interesting labels they stock are 21st Amendment, Lagunitas, Ballast Point, Dogfish Head, Russian River Brewing, and Heretic. They also have more mainstream labels like MillerCoors, Heineken, and Sapporo. Increased beer distribution capacity is likely a good thing for Silicon Valley beer fans.

DBI Beverage will also have a neighbor--Panattoni is going to build a 111,000 SQFT industrial warehouse next door. That one will be a speculative project, meaning it will be built without a tenant in tow.

Source: SVBJ

2015 Downtown Doors

The popular Downtown Doors program has expanded to 100 locations in Downtown San Jose! 22 new works of art have been chosen among 133 submissions from students across 15 San Jose high schools. Each new work will be on display for several years before being replaced.

For information on the new artwork (including videos with the artists) as well as a handy map showing where all 100 doors are located, head over here!

Park View Towers Moving Forward!

The San Jose City Council unanimously gave the final approval to move forward with Barry Swenson's Park View Towers. The $150 million project includes two high-rise residential towers with 220 units. The former Church of Christ Scientist building will be restored an incorporated into the project, creating a nice juxtaposition of historic and contemporary architecture.

Barry Swenson will move the church (similar to how the Montgomery was moved to make way for the Fairmont annex), build underground parking spanning the entire site, and then move the church back to its final destination.

Park View Towers also includes a surprising amount of retail--18,000 SQFT! To put that in perspective, the entire San Pedro Square Market is about 25,000 SQFT. What they have planned for all that space is unclear, but I like the direction they are taking this project. Large amounts of residential and retail might just be the catalyst needed to revitalize St. James Square.

The goal is to break ground in 2016 and have the buildings ready for occupancy by 2018.

Source: SVBJ