Valley Fair Expansion and Remodel

Last week the Silicon Valley Business Journal got a sneak peek at Westfield Valley Fair's epic $1.1 billion renovation. For perspective, that is nearly the same cost as Levi's Stadium and is more than the original budget for all of Santana Row.

The 650,000 SQFT expansion will add 160 new stores, 10 outdoor restaurants, a luxury ShowPlace ICON movie theater, outdoor event space, and a flagship Bloomingdale's. It also includes a design refresh for the entire interior of the mall as well as double the amount of current parking. The end goal is to build something that is iconic and draw shoppers from the whole Bay Area.

The renovation of the existing mall, the movie theater, and Bloomingdale's should be completed by Summer 2018. The rest of the expansion will open around April 2019.

Below are a few photos of the new sections. The outdoor area is a bit reminiscent of their neighbor--not a bad idea given Santana Row's success.

Source: SVBJ (subscription required for this article)

San Jose Beer & Wine Tours

It is amazing how many great wineries and breweries we have within a 30 mile radius of San Jose. One of the best ways to experience these places right in our backyard is with a tour led by a knowledgeable designated driver. I just came across Tommy John's which specializes in both wine and beer tours.

The beer tours caught my eye since most of them are located in San Jose proper. Potential tour stops include Hermitage Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch Brewery, Strike Brewing Co. and Warehouse Tap Room, Santa Clara Valley Brewing, Rabbits Foot Meadery, Golden State Brewery, Taplands, and JP Das Brew Tasting Room. Each tour features four different stops with multiple tastings at each one, behind-the-scenes tours, a picnic boxed lunch, snacks, refreshments on the bus, and discounts for "souvenirs" to take home and drink later. The epic 5.5 hour tour runs Wednesday through Sunday and costs $139 per person. It isn't cheap, but sounds like a worthy excursion for beer lovers.

Their wine tours are similar four-stop excursions that last 5 to 6.5 hours and feature as many as 23 (!) varietals to try. The wineries are mostly centered around Los Gatos and Santa Cruz, providing scenic drives to compliment the tastings. The wine tours range from $149-189 per person and include the tastings, lunch, and snacks.

For more information and to see all of their tours, head over to the Tommy John's website.

A^3 is developing flying cars in San Jose

It is starting to feel a lot like the future. Not only is every major auto manufacturer testing self-driving cars in the San Jose metro, but some companies are even starting to think beyond what we traditionally call a car. A^3, a division of Airbus, is working on an electric flying car called Vahana using very similar technology to the self-driving cars being tested today. It's equipped with 360 degree cameras, radar, lidar, and encrypted communications systems. The flying car also comes with redundant motors and a parachute should anything go wrong.

Vahana has 62 miles of range and transportation should cost somewhere around $2/mile, which is similar to today's taxi's (keep in mind self-driving cars will bring this cost down dramatically in just a few years).

It may seem like we are not going to see this type of technology anytime soon, but Dubai will already have an autonomous taxi system in place this year. Using flying cars to zip across the Bay Area and leave gridlock traffic behind might be realistic within a decade. The icing on the cake is that the technology is being developed right here in San Jose.

Source: SVBJ

Vahana - Future of Urban Air Mobility from Vahana on Vimeo.

Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant Week is July 7-16

A total of 19 restaurants are participating in this year's Dine Downtown San Jose Restaurant Week. Each restaurant will feature prix fixe multi-course meals, discounts, or chef's specials. This is one of the best times to try out new restaurants Downtown, and it is a very strong list of eateries this year. Participating restaurants include:

• 71 Saint Peter Modern European Kitchen
• Café Stritch
• The Farmers’ Union
• The Grill on the Alley
• Habana Cuba Restaurant
• Il Fornaio
• La Pastaia
• Loft Bar and Bistro
• M Asian Fusion Restaurant
• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks
• Mezcal
• Mosaic Restaurant and Lounge
• Nemea Greek Taverna
• Nomikai Social Food + Drinkery
• Olla Cocina
• Our House
• Poor House Bistro
• Scott’s Seafood San Jose
• SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant

As an example, 71 Saint Peter is offering a $45 four-course meal with prosciutto wrapped melon, charred octopus salad, pan-roasted quail or braised short ribs, and a Bergamot orange creme brulee. To see all of the menus and specials, head over to the Dine Downtown website.

Dine Downtown is produced by the San Jose Downtown Association and sponsored by Sysco. Dinners begin at 5:30pm nightly and the event runs from July 7th to 16th.

Happy Fourth!

The Rotary Fireworks show begins tonight around 9:30PM. One of the best viewing areas is Discovery Meadow (access is free). Big thanks to the Rotary Club of San Jose and all of their sponsors for the show.

We hope you all have a fun and safe Fouth of July!

Fourth of July Festivities!

Today there are two great 4th of July events happening in San Jose tomorrow. The first is the 10th anniversary of the Rose, White & Blue Parade. The Parade starts at the Lincoln High School parking lot at 10am and continues 1.6 miles all the way to The Alameda. At the end of parade is a festival with arts and craft booths, entertainment, food, craft beer, and antique cars. This year, there is even a family-friendly group bike ride immediately after the parade. For more info head over to the Rose, White & Blue Parade website.

The next event is the Rotary Fireworks show which is free and can be seen from most of Downtown San Jose. They also have a VIP Party behind the Center for Performing Arts that includes a dinenr buffet in front of the Guadalupe River, indoor restrooms, entertainment, and a premium viewing area. Tickets are $75 for adults and $35 for children. More info and ticket purchasing is available over here.

Santana Row Summer Concerts

A free concert series kicks off this Wednesday at Santana Row. All of the concerts will conveniently be located in Park Valencia, which is now packed with eateries--Maggiano's, Roots and Rye, Pluto's VeggieGrill, The Counter, Kara's Cupcakes, and two brand new options: Smitten and Poke Bar. The odds are always good in July that the weather will be amazing, so grab a bite and hang out!

The concerts take place from 6pm to 8pm and you can see the lineup in the flyer below.

Saturday Stats: San Jose has momentum

JLL released a report earlier this year stating that the San Jose metro has the strongest "momentum" in the country when it comes to the economy and commercial real estate. Momentum is comprised of 42 factors grouped into three categories--socioeconomic momentum, commercial real estate, and the region's ability to maintain momentum over the long term. Here is a deeper breakdown:

• Socioeconomic momentum
• Gross Domestic Product
• Population
• Corporate HQs
• Foreign direct investment
• Commercial real estate
• Commercial space absorption
• Construction
• Rents
• Investment in office, retail, and hotels
• Region's ability to maintain momentum over the long term

After everything was computed, the San Jose metro was by far the leader in the report. Austin came in second and San Francisco did not even place in the top 10 (it was #21).

Source: SVBJ