New 19-story hotel proposed for Downtown San Jose

KT Urban, perhaps Downtown's most prolific developer, is proposing yet another high-rise tower. This time around it is a 19-story hotel with 220 rooms next to the Hotel DeAnza on Santa Clara Street. The tower would be an angular 209-foot-tall glass structure, somewhat similar to Silvery Towers a few blocks away.

My favorite part of the project is the giant indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar on the penthouse floor featuring amazing views of Downtown San Jose and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unlike the Capital Club, this would be open to the public. It's also a sign of the times, this latest generation of projects is bring more to the table than cookie-cutter buildings and is offering amenities new to Silicon Valley (I'm still waiting for a completed project with a rooftop pool).

The ground floor will also feature some retail, likely a restaurant. One thing that is missing from this project is onsite parking, and that is likely a good thing if you are an urbanist. They will partner with a nearby garage to offer at least 77 parking spaces for guests. This really shouldn't be a big deal, most hotel guests are already using Uber/Lyft to get around instead of renting cars--a trend that will only continue until autonomous cars take over.

Overall, this looks like another big win for Downtown!

Source: SVBJ

AT&T installing 200 "small cells" in San Jose

We live in the middle of Silicon Valley, yet it often feels like infrastructure is slow to keep up with the times and our population growth. My family on a tiny island in the Azores with a population of 4,200 people (not a typo) got fiber optic internet four years ago. I still don't have fiber in my home, and Cisco's headquarters is practically next door. I was finally able to get a gigabit connection through Comcast last year, albeit with the same copper wires we've been using for decades.

Some relief is coming soon for our choked networks thanks to a partnership between the city of San Jose and AT&T. "Small cells" are miniature towers that can provide high speed 4G LTE and eventually 5G internet to a small neighborhood. They are small enough to be hung on lightpoles or the sides of buildings. AT&T is planning to install 200 of these throughout San Jose, improving both coverage and internet speeds.

San Jose will collect $5 million over 15 years in exchange for letting AT&T use the poles. These funds are currently earmarked for digital inclusion projects that will extend broadband to San Joseans that cannot afford internet access.

San Jose will also get a $1 million grant to help accelerate internal permitting processes related to small cell deployments. 5G internet is coming within a couple years, and it relies heavily on small cell sites that provide gigabit speeds, but only to a small area. Speeding up permitting means we are less likely to be left out of the next major infrastructure improvement for the internet. It's great to see AT&T investing in the community and helping San Jose realize its vision for becoming a "smart city." It will be great if other telco's join in as well.

For more information on the project, click here.

Downtown Farmer's Market begins May 4th

Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market season begins May 4

Fresh produce, hot food, unique gifts available each Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

SAN JOSE – The  Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market, presented by Kaiser Permanente, opens for its 26th season on May 4 along San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets.

Open each Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the Farmers’ Market offers fresh-picked fruits and vegetables direct from California growers, gifts, goodies and garb from local artists, cut flowers and gourmet foods.  

The Farmers’ Market features from 25-40 vendors curated by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA).  The market also features live music, demonstrations, recipes and other special events throughout the season. On Opening Day, activities include live music by Amigos Music, games and prize wheel giveaways by Mix 106.5 FM, and a participatory art project by Local Color.

Admission is free.

The market continues each week into November.  On average, 2,500 residents, office workers and visitors head to the Farmers’ Market and San Pedro Square for lunch, activities, people-watching and shopping.  Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable and washed bags.

Market partner Kaiser Permanente has teamed with the Downtown Association and PCFMA for eight years to focus attendees on healthful and “green” living.

Follow the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Twitter (@SJ_Downtown) and Facebook (/sjdowntown and /DowntownFarmers’Market).  The market website is https://sjdowntown.com/farmers-market-presented-by-kaiser-permanente/

Parking validations for Farmers’ Market shoppers are available for the Market-San Pedro Garage at the SJDA information table.  Visit www.parksj.org.

About the San Jose Downtown Association:  The San Jose Downtown Association is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose.  Established in 1986, SJDA programs more than 100 days of events each year.

Camino Brewery and Tap Room Now Open

Yet another craft brewery is calling the greater Downtown Area home. Located in a brick building that used to be a mechanic's warehouse just south of 280, the Camino Brewery and Tap room is officially open for business at 718 South First Street. They are now the 12th brewing company in San Jose.

In addition to traditional beers, Camino has also partnered with other local businesses like Chromatic Coffee to make some of their more unique brews (ex: Cafe Con Leche Sweet Milk Stout with single origin coffee). Camino has been getting a lot of traction on their craft beers and you can now find them at 43 Whole Foods, Costco, and high-end Bay Area bars.

San Jose Beer enthusiasts have a lot to celebrate. In addition to Camino, we now have Clandestine Brewing, Hermitage, Strike, Santa Clara Valley Brewing, Hapa, and Uproar all within a few miles. It looks like the trend won't stop anytime soon--San Jose's becoming a craft beer destination.

Source: SJ Economy Blog

Benjamin Grosvenor and Charlie Albright highlight Steinway Society Season 24

San Jose, CA – A line-up of international piano stars awaits classical music lovers in the 24th season of Steinway Society - The Bay Area. The season launches on September 15 and includes a concert each month through May 11, 2019.

“This season’s artists are all top international performers who are widely praised for their depth of artistry as well as their audience appeal,” said Lorrin Koran, MD, President of the Board for Steinway Society — The Bay Area. “They are artists that add greatly to the luster of the classical music coming to Silicon Valley next season."

THE CONCERT LINE-UP:

• September 15 (Saturday) - Zlata Chochieva –Gramophone includes her in their Top Ten Chopin CDs; her Rachmaninoff is so masterful that at age 12 she gave a recital shown on Russian TV.
• October 13 (Saturday) - Vladimir Ovhinnikov – The only pianist to win the top prize at both the Tchaikovsky and the Leeds Competitions. He is now a professor at the Moscow Conservatory.
• November 11 (Sunday) - Henry Kramer - Laureate of the 2017 American Pianist Association Awards and lauded as “triumphant” and “thrilling” by The New York Times.  
• December 8 (Saturday) – Sandra Wright Shen - A Bay Area treasure, international star, and Steinway Artist who is among Silicon Valley’s most treasured classical musicians.  
• January 12, 2019 (Saturday) - Kate Liu -  First Prize winner at both at the New York and the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Competitions, she has appeared on PBS’s “From the Top at Carnegie Hall.”
• February 10 (Sunday) – Vyacheslav Gryaznov – He thrilled our audience receiving three encores in 2016, has played Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall, and composes piano transcriptions that are popular world-wide. 
• March 12 (Tuesday) – Benjamin Grosvenor – One of the world’s most sought-after pianists, he has been featured in two BBC documentaries and is the youngest British musician ever signed by Decca Classics.
• April 6 (Saturday) –  Nikolay Khozyainov - The New York Times praised his “stunning virtuosity and prodigious technique.” His sold-out concerts bear witness to that.
• May 11 (Saturday) – Charlie Albright – Praised by The New York Times for his “jaw-dropping technique and virtuosity meshed with a distinctive musicality” the super-star American pianist has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Joshua Bell, and Yo-Yo Ma.

PERFORMANCE LOCATIONS: All performances in the 2018-19 season will be held at the Trianon Theatre, 72 North 5th Street in downtown San Jose, with the exception of the October 13 and March 12 concerts which will be held at McAfee Performing Arts Center at 20300 Herriman Avenue (just off Saratoga Sunnyvale Road) in Saratoga.    

TICKETS/INFO: www.steinwaysociety.com or (408) 990-0872

Season Subscriptions (8 concerts) range from $225 to $360

Mini-Series Subscription (4 concerts) range from $125 to $200

Single Tickets: $40-$60. Senior/Student Discounts Available      

PHOTOS: International piano star Benjamin Grosvenor, in solo recital March 12, 2019, is among the celebrated pianists coming to Silicon Valley in the 24th season of Steinway Society - The Bay Area. The season kicks off on September 15, 2018 and includes notables such as Sandra Wright Shen who is bringing a holiday concert in December, and noted American pianist Charlie Albright, who has performed with Joshua Bell and Yo-Yo Ma.  Benjamin Grosvenor photos courtesy of Steinway Society – The Bay Area.

ABOUT US: Steinway Society - The Bay Area is a non-profit organization, based in Silicon Valley. Now entering its 24th year in San Jose, this dedicated group of musicians, pianists, teachers and arts lovers promotes excellence in piano performance and music education. Each season, Steinway Society presents a series of classical piano concerts featuring international award-winning pianists, and works with students and school leaders to bring musical performances to the schools.

For more information on Season Subscriptions, the artists and Steinway Society, visit www.SteinwaySociety.com 

The SoFA Street Fair this Sunday

One of the best free music events in the South Bay rocks out this Sunday, April 22nd. This year the SoFA Street Fair is bigger and better than ever. Four outdoor stages, 12 indoor venues, craft beer, gourmet food trucks, street vendors, and of course--sofas. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

The event runs from 2pm to 9pm and takes place on First Street from San Carlose to Parque de los Pobladores. Back Bar, Caffe Frscati, Forager, Haberdasher, Continental, ICA, the SoFA Market, and Uproar are just some of the venues hosting live music. For a list of bands and venues, click here.

For more info, head over to The SoFA Street Fair's Facebook page.

April 2018 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The SJDA has agreed on five strategic goals for the next two years:
• Downtown Vision and Plan
• BART / Business Interruption Fund
• Safety
• Homelessness
• Downtown Branding and Identity
• More parking Smart Meters that support credit card payments will be added this summer to the SoFA area, Downtown perimeter, and Japantown.
• The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) received $200,000 from the Knight Foundation.
• Bishops Cuts / Color is now open at 1 S. Market.
• Tea Alley is open at 40 S. First St. [Josh: solid addition Downtown!]
• Skewers and Brew is now open at 66 S. First.
• Holy Cannoli is open inside Fuze nightclub at 58 S. First.
• Diridon Hospitality submitted plans to build a nine-story hotel with 254 rooms at 292 Stockton Ave.
• PATH is breaking ground on an 83 unit housing project near St. James Park.
• Sobrato is planning to construct a 204,000 SQFT office building at 353 W. Julian St.

To read the newsletter, click here!

San Jose is the 4th-best city for startups

Business.org crunched several factors such as the percentage of the population with advanced degrees, unemployment rates, startup growth rates, and rents to come up with the best cities in the US for startups. Despite having insanely high rents, San Jose still came in 4th place. SF took the top spot, followed by Austin and Minneapolis.

The percentage of young adults may have also been a factor that worked in other cities' favor. This was a criteria since this demographic tends to be early adopters. For the full list click the source link below.

Source: SVBJ