Historic South First Street Property Set for Multi-Phase Food and Drink Revival

Residents who remember the old Benjamin’s Saloon or later Camino Brewing Co. can watch the site at 702 and 718 S. First Street take on a new life. Jim Salata, president of San Jose-based Garden City Construction and Buccaneer Demolition, is converting the shuttered taproom and the neighboring historic building into a multi-phase food, drink, and events destination. He has already secured a Type 75 on-sale general brewpub license for the future Car Bar Brewery Restaurant space.

Salata envisions a brewpub-style operation centered on automotive memorabilia and artifacts tied to San Jose’s agricultural past. The space already holds a 10-barrel brewhouse. His company is handling kitchen refurbishments and upgrades to the front bar. “We're trying to get it to a point where we can bring in an operator and have a viable business,” Salata said. He hopes phase one, the brewery, will be close to done by the end of January. Camino Brewing closed in April 2024 after citing inflation and a slow recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The next phase completes Benjamin’s Gardens, a shared outdoor space behind a newly completed front wall. Regular operations there will need the kitchen finished. A later phase restores the two-story building at 702 S. First Street into Benjamin’s Saloon, with potential for a full kitchen in the garage. The second floor will feature a vintage brothel-style design with red velvet wallpaper and brass fixtures. The building dates to 1884 and originally housed Benjamin’s Saloon until Prohibition. Other businesses followed before Faber’s Cyclery opened in 1923. Salata and his wife, Suzanne, bought the structure in 2013 after a fire damaged the then-129-year-old property. “That's when we rebuilt it with reclaimed materials,” Salata said. “It's quite a story of the materials that we found and how it all transpired. It's a story in itself.”

Memorabilia collected from local families, farms, and businesses will appear throughout the property, including a loaned collection of Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycles for display inside the future saloon. A roughly 12,000-square-foot parking lot near Second and Margaret streets holds space for about 30 vehicles. Salata said the project could split into three components: the Car Bar Brewery Restaurant, Benjamin’s Saloon, and a shared garden/event space, with separate operators or investors potentially involved in different portions.

The site sits in the SoFA district along South First Street. Once operators come on board, the phased approach could return a longtime neighborhood address to active use for dining, drinks, and gatherings.

Source: SVBJ

Trick-or-Treat the Row Returns to Santana Row on October 27

Families with little ones can mark Tuesday, October 27, for the annual Halloween Family Festival at Santana Row. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to noon across Santana Row Park and Park Valencia, giving kids a chance to collect treats along the shopping district before the big night arrives later in the week.

Santana Row invites guests to bring costumes and trick-or-treat bags for the morning. Activities include live music, pumpkin decorating stations, stilt-walkers, balloons, and stops for treats at participating shops and restaurants along The Row. Specific treat locations can be found below.

The festival stays open to the public with no admission fee. Past years have drawn crowds of costumed children and parents who use the weekday morning timing for preschoolers and elementary kids who are out of school. The setting among the stores, restaurants, and open plazas at Santana Row adds a walkable backdrop that keeps the focus on the activities rather than long lines or ticket gates.

TETRA Hotel Rolls Out Holiday Programming Starting November 19

Families and friends looking for seasonal gatherings near San Jose can head to TETRA Hotel in Sunnyvale beginning November 19. The Autograph Collection property at 400 West Java Drive will fill with trees, twinkling lights, and festive decor while offering specialty drinks, sweets, snow globe dining, and a holiday version of its Oasis Makers Fair.

Snow Globe Dining returns from November 19 through December 25. Groups of up to four can reserve a lifesize snow globe set among the holiday lights and trees for a special a la carte menu of seasonal bites and beverages. The experience runs Thursday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. On November 26, Adrestia hosts a Thanksgiving Feast with traditional dishes and seasonal sides from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; reservations run through OpenTable.

The Oasis Makers Fair arrives Wednesday, December 9. More than 20 Bay Area small businesses and artisans will set up for shopping, with live music and carolers. Offerings include treats from Mexipino Creations, Franci Cakes, and Crumble 'n Pop, books from Wonder Pages, fragrance and decor from Dolly's Collective and Baltic Pacific, jewelry from BeautySutra by Shikha and Made by Sana, plus accessories and crafts from The Knotty Corgi, Jess Craft Co., and MJ's Creations. The event is free, with RSVPs encouraged.

Santa Brunch takes place Sunday, December 13 at Adrestia, with Santa available for photos from 10 a.m. to noon alongside an à la carte brunch menu. Christmas Day brings brunch featuring items such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and Surf & Turf Eggs Benedict, plus a festive dinner of seasonal and signature dishes. Nokori will serve holiday cocktails throughout December, including Tinsel with Suntory Toki Whisky, cranberry juice, and rosemary, and Tidings with apple cider, orange juice, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and Fireball Whiskey, plus non-alcoholic options. A Silver Oak Wine Experience continues at Adrestia through December 31 with selections from Alexander Valley and Napa Valley alongside the restaurant’s menu.

For reservations and further details on the full slate of events, visit the TETRA Hotel website or call 408.734.2300.

Levain Bakery to Open First Northern California Spot at Santana Row

Cookie fans in San Jose will gain a new option when Levain Bakery opens its first Northern California location at Santana Row in summer 2027. The New York City-based chain, known for its signature 6-ounce cookies along with breads, pastries, and other baked goods, operates 20 locations overall, including four in Southern California at Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, and Venice.

The bakery will take part of the former Chico’s storefront on Olin Avenue. Chico’s closed that store in September; it had been the retailer’s only San Jose location, though stores remain open in Los Gatos and Los Altos. Levain plans to partner with a local charity and donate its opening-day proceeds, following a company tradition. More details on the store should surface closer to the opening date.

Santana Row already hosts about 30 food and beverage tenants. The addition comes as the Federal Realty development has brought in other national retailers, including a recent Reformation opening and an expected Hoka store this fall. The mixed-use project includes more than 50 stores plus offices, housing, a hotel, and restaurants. Earlier this year, several dining tenants closed after operator Vine Hospitality shut down, including LB Steak, Left Bank, and Meso Modern Mediterranean.

The arrival adds a destination bakery to the lineup of shops and eateries along Santana Row. Residents who have ordered Levain cookies online or visited the Southern California locations can look forward to a local counter once doors open next summer.

Source: SVBJ

San Jose Tops Nation in Household Bills, Report Finds

Households across San Jose face the highest median costs for essential bills among the 50 largest U.S. cities, according to a new doxoINSIGHTS report. Residents pay a median of $44,947 a year across 13 common bills that cover rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, and car loans. That figure stands 78 percent above the national median of $25,266 and equals about 31 percent of local income.

New York City ranked second at $40,794, followed by San Francisco at $39,696, San Diego at $39,345, and Boston at $38,630. Even after removing housing costs, San Jose still led the list with a median of $16,329, or 47 percent above the national figure for non-housing bills. Auto insurance runs 208 percent above the national median, water and sewer costs sit 121 percent higher, and waste and recycling bills run 115 percent higher.

Lifelong resident Amber Long, a 45-year-old mother of three, estimated her household spends about $4,200 a month with housing included and under $3,000 without rent. “(Politicians are) missing the whole community that does not make six figures,” Long said. “I can’t imagine anybody having kids right now and what they’re going through, trying to afford childcare and everything.” Alison Cingolani, director of policy at SV@Home, noted that housing costs push up other necessities because workers commute farther or businesses face higher labor costs. “Housing costs kind of feed into even the things that it’s not obvious that housing costs feed into,” she said.

Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, pointed to the region’s housing shortage and resistance to new development as ongoing pressures. “While housing costs can put pressure on expenses beyond rent or a mortgage, even households earning six figures can struggle to afford childcare, transportation and other necessities,” Hancock said. “(Current residents are) glad that they’re here, but they don’t want anybody else to be here.” Michael O’Connell, who has lived in San Jose since the 1960s and carries a $1,100 monthly mortgage, added, “I don’t see how people do it nowadays. Because rent’s so outrageous.”

A 2026 Silicon Valley Poll found that 48 percent of Bay Area residents cannot cover monthly expenses while also saving or investing, 59 percent have cut back on groceries or other necessities in the past five years, and 47 percent have taken on debt or used credit cards. The doxo data, drawn from actual bill payments across the largest cities, underscores how housing and related costs shape daily budgets in San Jose even as the city continues to attract high-wage tech and innovation jobs.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

Taimseed Clinic to Open in Long-Vacant Downtown San Jose Storefront

Residents and workers near San Pedro Square will gain a new option for routine medical care when Taimseed opens its first South Bay location on December 20. The clinic is taking the 2,117-square-foot ground-floor space at 28 N. Almaden Avenue inside the Modera San Pedro Square apartments. The site had remained empty for years after Carbon Health closed its urgent care clinic there, well before the company shuttered other San Jose locations in February.

Taimseed plans to offer primary and preventive care along with sleep, menopause, and fertility services. The layout already includes a lobby, patient rooms, a conference room, a break room, and a lab, according to Bobby Facchino, the broker who represented the landlord. Facchino noted that the location sits one street over from the busier San Pedro Square corridor of restaurants and bars, which limited foot traffic and made leasing more difficult. Financial incentives ultimately helped draw the clinic operator to the space.

“It's a good balance,” Facchino said. “There's already a lot of places to eat and do stuff, so I think to have this as well adds to it.” An adjacent storefront in the same building has stayed vacant since construction finished. The new clinic sits a short walk from San Pedro Square Market and the broader dining scene that has grown along that stretch of Downtown San Jose.

The arrival adds a health service to a mixed-use building that already houses apartments above street-level retail. Opening just before the holidays gives nearby residents a local option for check-ups and specialized visits without traveling farther into the city or suburbs. Details on exact services and hours should appear on the operator’s site as the December date approaches.

Source: SVBJ

Gateway Tower Financing Closes, Construction Ready to Begin in SoFA

Residents following housing plans in Downtown San Jose can expect early site work to begin within days on the Gateway Tower. The 15-story project sits on a site bordered by Market Street, William Street, and First Street in the SoFA district. Once finished, it will contain 220 apartments, 218 of them restricted as affordable and two reserved as market-rate units for on-site managers.

San Jose-based The Core Cos. partnered with nonprofit Affordable Housing CDC on the joint venture. “After nearly two decades of vision and persistence, Gateway Tower is poised to help shape the future of downtown San Jose,” said Chris Neale, president of Core Cos. Real estate documents filed on October 14 confirmed that JPMorgan Chase, the city of San Jose, Santa Clara County, and the state of California have all closed on development loans. The state Housing Finance Authority estimates total development cost at $197.8 million, or just over $899,100 per unit.

“Closing financing on the project is a major and long-awaited milestone that reflects the strength of our partnerships,” Neale said. Units will be limited to households earning between 30 percent and 70 percent of Santa Clara County median income. Mid-2026 figures set that median at $143,850 for one person and $205,500 for a four-person household, producing income caps that run from roughly $43,155 to $100,695 for singles and $61,650 to $143,850 for a family of four. The mix includes studios plus one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

Ground-floor commercial space totals about 3,300 square feet, with San Jose Jazz Co. expected among the tenants. The most recent residential high-rise to open in Downtown San Jose was The Fay, which welcomed tenants in 2024. Gateway Tower could reach completion in 2029. Neale described the project as delivering “high-quality, affordable homes for San Jose’s downtown workforce, especially artists, musicians, and those who make the SoFA District thrive.”

Source: SiliconValley.com

Sutter Health Advances Plans for Major Santa Clara Hospital

Residents across the South Bay who have tracked healthcare expansion in Silicon Valley now have a clearer timeline for Sutter Health’s new medical center in Santa Clara. The organization finished the design phase and anticipates breaking ground in the fourth quarter of 2027, with completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2031. The hospital will anchor the West Campus at 2831 and 2841 Mission College Boulevard, part of a larger expansion that also includes an East Campus roughly a mile away.

Kevin Cook, president of the Sutter Health Greater Silicon Valley Division, described the completed design work as a collaborative process with medical teams and staff. “We’ve just finished the design phase, where we spent a lot of time working with our medical teams [and] medical staff designing what we feel is the hospital of the future that really matches the need in the community and is specifically designed for the community it serves,” Cook said. The facility is planned to include 302 patient beds, 12 operating rooms, and seven procedure rooms.

Mathew Hernandez, M.D., chief medical officer, noted the emphasis on advanced surgical and procedural capacity, with interventional cardiology as a major focus. The hospital will also house a family birthing center with labor and delivery rooms and an emergency department with 54 beds. Cook described the project as state of the art and forward-leaning in both technology and patient experience. Sutter is currently preparing detailed construction documents ahead of the groundbreaking.

On the East Campus at 2431, 2441, and 2451 Mission College Boulevard, a primary care facility has already opened. A specialty care center is expected to open later this year, and the campus will include an ambulatory surgery center. Together, the two campuses represent a substantial addition of outpatient and inpatient capacity near the Levi’s Stadium area. Public announcements have described the overall investment as the largest in Sutter Health’s history.

For more information on Sutter Health facilities, visit sutterhealth.org.

Source: SVBJ

Fox Tale Fermentation Project Hosts Third Annual Downtown Pumpkin Patch

Neighbors and visitors looking for a low-key fall outing in Downtown San Jose can stop by Fox Tale Fermentation Project today for the third annual Downtown Pumpkin Patch. The small brewery and restaurant at 30 East Santa Clara Street, Suite 120, will set up pumpkins from The Pumpkin Patch SLO outside the shop for purchase and tasting. The lineup includes pumpkin specials, pumpkin drinks, pumpkin ferments, and coloring pages for kids.

Fox Tale opened in 2022 in the heart of Downtown San Jose and focuses on small-batch beers, house-made kombucha, fermented mocktails, and plant-based dishes built around local and fermented ingredients. Owners Wendy Neff and Felipe Bravo run the place as a neighborhood gathering spot that has hosted open mics, poetry nights, and other community events. The space sits near Fountain Alley, where several independent businesses have opened in recent years.

The pumpkin event continues a pattern of seasonal activations the owners have used to draw people onto Santa Clara Street. Past versions of the patch paired the gourds with fall menu items and special releases. This year’s version keeps the same outdoor setup on the sidewalk between First and Second Streets while adding the coloring pages for younger visitors.

The restaurant normally opens at noon Wednesday through Sunday and closes Mondays and Tuesdays. The pumpkin patch itself is scheduled for today, with the usual food and drink service running alongside the outdoor display. Anyone interested in the current menu or hours can check the shop’s site or Instagram for the latest details.

For more information, visit foxtalefermentationproject.com or follow @foxtalefermentationproject.

New Law Streamlines Approvals for Diridon Station Modernization

Residents and business leaders following Silicon Valley’s transit plans gained a practical tool last month when Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1375. Authored by State Senator Dave Cortese, the measure creates a targeted California Environmental Quality Act exemption for qualifying urban intermodal rail station projects. The law aims to shorten permitting timelines for stations where multiple high-capacity rail services converge, while requiring clean operations, environmental compliance, community engagement, and plans that address potential displacement of residents and small businesses.

Diridon Station stands as the clearest beneficiary. Regional officials have long described the western edge of Downtown San Jose as the future meeting point for California High-Speed Rail, Caltrain, BART, VTA light rail and buses, Amtrak, Altamont Corridor Express, and Capitol Corridor service. Partner agencies selected an at-grade design earlier this year after extensive analysis and public input; that option keeps tracks near their current elevation and adds a below-street concourse. Environmental review for the broader program had been expected to take three to four years. Officials have indicated the exemption could reduce that phase by roughly a year.

The station area is projected to support housing, office, retail, and hospitality development around one of Northern California’s busiest transit hubs. Mayor Matt Mahan has noted that the measure advances a major Bay Area transportation investment while retaining environmental safeguards. Once rebuilt, Diridon is expected to rank among the largest rail and transit facilities west of the Mississippi River. High-Speed Rail passenger service to San Jose still lacks a firm schedule, so many of the largest ridership and economic effects remain years away even if station work advances more quickly.

“This is a major win for Silicon Valley and a major step toward finally delivering the world-class Diridon Station to our region,” Cortese said. Eligibility under the law is limited to projects that meet the listed standards and file a notice of exemption before the end of 2031. The change does not remove federal environmental review requirements that still apply because of anticipated federal funding.

For updates on the Diridon Station program, visit diridonsj.org.

Source: SVBJ