September 2015 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• New homeless programs are being launched to ease the homeless problem Downtown. The programs start September 30th and include:
• A new service center staffed by PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) will open on Second and Santa Clara to provide law enforcement, business owners, and others help with homeless issues.
• PATH will deploy uniformed outreach teams to work with the homeless, including clinicians to work with mentally ill homeless people.
• A new helpline for residents and stakeholders of the Downtown area: (408) 510-7600
• Potentially doubling county-operated shelters.
• Converting the Plaza Hotel to 49 rooms for transitionally homeless.
• The 2015 San Jose homeless population dropped by 15% from 2013 and 2015, so some of the current initiatives seem to be working.
• Insight Global has moved its office to 50 W. San Fernando, Suite 900
• First to Market has morphed into The Craftsman on 399 S. First St. [Josh: they also have one of the best cocktail bars Downtown]
• Singlebarrel is now Haberdasher in the basement of 43 W. San Salvador St. The outdoor sign is a pair of scissors, a bowler hat, and a tie.
• Insight Realty is proposing an epic mixed-use project at 180 Park Ave. called Museum Place. The plan would include a hotel, residential units, offices, and an expansion of the Tech Museum.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Sourisseau News: The Home Front

The latest edition of Sourisseau News takes us to San Jose during World War II. There are some great photos in this latest video, including Moffett Field. Enjoy the two minute trip back in time right by clicking play on the video below.


Sourisseau News August 2015 The Home Front from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Splunk Is Leasing a 234,000 SQFT Santana Row Office Building!

The newest office building at Santana Row is getting a tenant well before construction is even completed, and it's a significant one. Splunk is a leading data mining company that went public in 2012. The company is currently headquartered in a 213,000 SQFT building in San Francisco. While they are not planning to move their headquarters, Splunk has decided to dramatically increase their investment in the South Bay and move their modest Cupertino operations to one of the most impressive office buildings in Silicon Valley.

The new building at 500 Santana Row has nearly a quarter million square feet and is situated at the tail end of the row with easy access to a couple dozen restaurants, premier shopping, and many other amenities. The office itself has every luxury feature a tenant could possibly want including 13-foot ceilings, outdoor terraces, and an onsite cafe. You can check out some of the renderings below.

This represents a huge win for San Jose and Santana Row. Splunk will bring as many as 1,300 high-paying tech jobs to San Jose with immediate access to San Jose retail. The city will get increased tax revenue from both the office component and sales taxes from Splunk's employees that are shopping and dining out. This double-dipping is one of the many benefits of mixed-use projects. The fact that this is a San Francisco company investing in building a quality outpost in the South Bay and not the other way around is also notable.

Sources: SVBJ, Hillrise from the San Jose Development Forum

Blast From the Past - Downtown San Jose is Getting Illuminated!

Below is an old post from December 26th, 2012 describing a killer project that would illuminate two highway underpasses that are gateways to the Downtown core. Guess what... almost three years later the project is going to happen! Work begins today according to the San Jose Trails Twitter feed!

Downtown San Jose is Getting Illuminated!

Here is a nice little Christmas present for all those that live, work, or play in Downtown San Jose. Two highway underpasses are about to get painted in LED artwork, which you can see below. The first is the main gateway to the Downtown San Jose core--where 87 passes over Santa Clara Street. This important area connects the HP Pavilion and Diridon Station with the rest of Downtown. Right now, it's pretty gloomy and can feel less than inviting if you are walking by yourself. However, that is about to change. Tons of LED lights donated by San Jose-based Philips Lumileds are going under the overpass along with colorful paint that will pop when hit by the lights.

The second underpass is the where 87 passes over San Fernando Street. This project is a bit more modest but the effect is the same. Artists are taking a gloomy overpass and turning it into an attraction. The photo shows blue and green lights, but with LEDs there is always a possibility of making the lighting dynamic.

All of this is made possible by a program called Illuminating Downtown, which received a $600k grant from ArtPlace America and other contributions from the SJDA. These first two lighting projects should be complete by fall 2013. I believe there will be two other areas that are getting lit as well, but am not 100% certain about that. In addition, they are also talking to high-rise residential apartment owners that are looking to illuminate their buildings (The 88 did a GREAT job with this and Axis isn't too shabby either).

I think this is a big step towards making San Jose look like the capital of Silicon Valley. Personally, I can't wait to see these two projects completed. This is showing that Downtown San Jose is moving in the right direction when it comes to public art and creating a more inviting atmosphere. Growdwerx is also doing a great job when it comes to lighting up parts of Downtown.

2013 is going to be a great year!

Source: SVBJ

Highway 87 & Santa Clara Street


Highway 87 & San Fernando Street

Deluxe Eatery & Drinkery

A new restaurant and bar called Deluxe is going to open very soon at 71 East San Fernando Street, the address last used by Azucar. They have been posting some delicious-looking dishes on their Facebook Page as a teaser. Chad Ferry is Deluxe's chef and has worked in a long line of notable restaurants such as The Plumed Horse, Paolo's, Spagos, and Lark Creek Blue. I have never had short rib tater tots before, but the concept sounds amazing to me. It also looks like they are going to have some slick artwork in there by local San Jose artist Francisco Franco (see the last image below).

That is pretty much all the info I have right now, but will update this post as soon as I know the exact opening date.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the 3rd Best City to Raise a Family!

A recent study done by Healthline looked at a variety of factors such as job prospects, public schools, health care, and lifestyle amenities to come up with a list of the 10 best cities to raise a family in. San Jose came in at a very respectable 3rd place. Dallas took the top spot while Boston was second. San Francisco barely made the list at 9th place.

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

SoFA Street Fair

The SoFA Street Fair is a celebration of music, art and culture Downtown. The event debuted in 1992, became a raging success, then took a hiatus, and was restarted last year. When it was in its prime, it would draw crowds of 20,000 people. Now the organizers are trying to repeat that success with three outdoor stages, 12 indoor stages, and 100 performances throughout the day. To compliment the music there will be food trucks, beer gardens, and a variety of vendors. It all goes down this Sunday from 2pm to 10pm.

For more info on the event, check out their Facebook page over here.

Help us make more LīVE Music this September at the SoFA Street Fair, a celebration of LīVE music, art, and culture in downtown San Jose’s SoFA District.

Beginning with its debut in 1992, The SoFA Street Fair drew music-lovers of all ages to experience world-class music by legendary local acts, while taking in the unique (counter)culture of the neighborhood. In no time, the festival became one of the most highly anticipated events in downtown San Jose, drawing crowds of 20,000 in its prime. Some would say it helped define what the community is today—a thriving arts and live music destination.

Now, the event is back and better than ever with three outdoor stages, 12 indoor stages, and up to 100 performances throughout the day. Food trucks, beer gardens, all-ages activities and artisan vendors will fill the streets, with LīVE events all day and night in adjacent arts and music venues. It’s all happening Sunday, September 13, for all ages, and always FREE to all, just as it was in 1992.

How to Spend 50 Perfect Hours in San Jose

San Jose is going to be a primary beneficiary of Super Bowl 50 in early 2016. Several auxiliary events will taking place in Downtown San Jose and the Super Bowl committee even created a whole two day itinerary for those visiting our city. You can see their recommendations right over here.

What do you think of their recommendations? Did they get it right?