Bank of Italy renovation will look amazing

One of San Jose's first hi-rises is about to get a stunning makeover. The iconic Bank of Italy building was the tallest hi-rise between San Francisco and Los Angeles from 1926 until 1970.

The biggest change will be exterior stairs and balconies running the whole height of the building. While this may not sound like a big deal, the options for these stairs look pretty impressive and will forever change how this building looks in the skyline (see first image below).

There will also be two podium terraces, a garden, and a new roof terrace. The ground floor will eventually house a new restaurant, café, and event venue. Again, the renders here look impressive. The entrance of the restaurant and music venue would face Fountain Alley and contribute to making the area more vibrant and lively. Fountain Alley itself is also getting a renovation (and an actual fountain) in the former Lido nightclub space.

Source: SVBJ, Bank of Italy Design Overview

Lucid Motors opens Valley Fair "Studio"

Valley Fair has a new flagship electric car store, and it's not Tesla. Lucid Motors is an ultra-luxury car brand that just has a single model, the Lucid Air. It's a $100k+ sedan that competes with the likes of the Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-Series and comes with a staggering 1,000 horsepower powertrain.

If the car and store seem eerily similar to Tesla, that's because most of the team behind Lucid are ex-Tesla engineers that helped design the Tesla Model S. Coincidentally, the very first Tesla "Store" was across the street at Santana Row. Lucid event built a high-speed charging station in the Valley Fair garage, very similar to what Tesla did across the street at the row.

While you won't be able to test drive a Lucid Air yet, you can see all of the options and trims (which are named after Californian destinations like Santa Barbara). The showroom also looks stunning, it's worth checking out if you're at Valley Fair already.

This location is one of only four with the others being Lucid's Headquarters in Newark, Beverly Hills, and Century City (LA). Eventually they will have 20 studios. Long term, they plan to offer SUVs and more affordable models as well.

Source: SVBJ

November 2020 Downtown Dimension Highlights

The latest addition of Downtown Dimension is now live. Below is a summary of the content this month.

The NOVEMBER 2020 Downtown Dimension is now available for download.   On the Front Page:   More than 1,000 new residents have moved into the downtown core in 2020, filling the five newest apartment buildings to open.  Another wave of buildings are preparing to open in another year or two.  Take a look at the stats, and read about who's moving in. Google's plans for its 80 acres in Downtown West are out, and your comments are welcome. Have they met their objectives? With extraordinary quick response, downtown's Al Fresco dining program was extended to a nightly closure of midnight.  Winterization of outdoor dining has begun, giving our restaurants a fighting chance to survive through the pandemic.   Also this month: Through Facebook and Instagram, participating restaurants tell the story of Dine Downtown, which continues through Nov. 15. The Property-Based Improvement District arm of SJDA is putting together a light display for the holidays in Plaza de Cesar Chavez, which will be ready at Thanksgiving.  Be sure to take a stroll or drive around the park safely this holiday season. The Downtown Farmers' Market will extend through Dec. 18.  Though the farmers will be there with fresh produce, the focus will be on a larger number of artisan vendors, as the weekly event held on Fridays transforms into a Holiday Market full of gifts worth giving to friends and family. Jose Moreno, owner of Cubamex Sandwiches on South First Street, tells his story of fortitude and persistence as he fights for the survival of his business. Please take a look at this month's edition. Stay safe, healthy and positive.

Save the date -- Friday, Dec. 11, 8:15 a.m. SJDA's year-in review meeting will take place virtually.  You can watch the annual pictorial look at downtown from the comfort of your home.  The meeting also includes a Golden Nail winner announced for outstanding architecture and design, and a farewell to board members who have put a great deal of thought and time into making downtown a better place. Another way to stay connected to downtown: The Downtowner Online is sent each Wednesday.  This weekly email features downtown businesses including virtual events and ways to support downtown. Subscribe

South FIRST FRIDAYS

While South FIRST FRIDAYS are technically on hiatus due to COVID-19, there are a mix of in-person and online exhibitions happening this this weekend. Anno Domini, Art Ark Gallery, KALEID, and Works will have all have exhibits open this Friday, roughly around 5-9pm. For more info on what will be showcased, click here.

For a proper night out you can pair that art with an outdoor movie at 3Below Cinemas, a great meal in one of SoFA's trendy eateries, or perhaps a few cocktails at Haberdasher. It's been a rough election week for everyone, I think we deserve a day to remember what normalcy looked like (plus masks of course).

Go Vote!

San Jose and Santa Clara County voting locations can be found over here.

October 2020 Downtown Dimension Highlights

The latest addition of Downtown Dimension is now live. Below is a summary of the content this month.

The OCTOBER 2020 Downtown Dimension is now available for download.   On the Front Page:   Historic Post Street continues to make history -- gaining a "Qmunity" designation for the LGBTQ+ community.  Dimension covered the Sept. 10 ceremony and recent public space-making upgrades to the block of Post between South First and market streets. Mac's Club, a downtown fixture since 1945, is one of the main reasons Post Street received the Qmunity distinction.  What a story of endurance and persistence the owners and long-time manager have to tell. Simultaneously, Post Street was mostly closed off to vehicle traffic and became the downtown's third Al Fresco dining location.  55 South built a patio boat christened the "El Dorado" now on the street awaiting customers.   Also this month: The 12th annual Dine Downtown begins Oct. 1 with several changes.  This year while restaurants struggle, Dine Downtown expand to 46 days -- through Nov. 15. SJDA is working with the City and 3Below Theaters to present Up on the Roof, showing 40 movies on the roof of the Second and San Carlos Garage starting Oct. 8.  Dinner is included in the deal.  Coronavirus protocols also make these events an experience not forgotten. The MOMENT shops on San Pedro Square are planning for the holidays. "Hella Gardens" public art project filled downtown storefronts with temporary flora. Future downtown office developers will need to pay a Commercial Linkage Fee.

Another way to stay connected to downtown: The Downtowner Online is sent each Wednesday.  This weekly email features downtown businesses including virtual events and ways to support downtown. Subscribe

Spooktacular Saturday at the San Pedro Square Market

Halloween event options are super limited this year, but there is at least one event going on at the San Pedro Square Market. Costumes, music, food specials, and some "Halloween Fun" are in order. Spooktacular Saturday runs from 11am - 6pm and all the proper COVID protocols will be in place.

Art Boutiki is streaming live concerts

Art Boutiki is a comic book publisher, store, cafe, and music venue for up-and-coming artists. They are the type of local treasure that would be impacted the most by COVID. However, they are making the most of a bad situation are are livestreaming concerts almost every Wednesday and Saturday. It's a great way to support the local arts scene and many of the concerts are free.

While going through there events I also came across Dine and Draw and Drink and Draw in-person events. For these you listen to music on the outdoor patio, grab some wine or brews, and draw. It is a comic book publisher after all.

I used to love visiting Art Boutiki as part of South First Fridays and was sad when they had to shut down and move to Midtown (44 Race Street). While I haven't visited the new venue yet, it looks like they have kept all of the soul and character of their previous location and may have even taken things up a notch!

For their full list of events, head over here.

Hat tip to Ryan Mann for sending this in.