Saturday, November 20, 2010

November 2010 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:
  • Groundwerx is now responsible for tree trimming services Downtown, adding to aesthetics and safety.
  • The City Council is leaning towards agreeing to an aerial HSR structure (instead of further pushing for an underground alignment) in exchange for the ability to make design and materials decisions on the final structure.
  • Lost Gatos Brewing Company is now open in the former home of A.P. Stumps (they also added tons of HDTVs and have a huge underground banquet facility).
  • The renovated Civic booked its first 2011 show and will schedule a grand opening celebration.
  • Hookah Nights is moving to a new home in SoFA and is changing names to Swinging Hookah
  • Subway is now open at the ground floor of 360 (meh) and is the 6th Subway Downtown (double meh)
  • Paesano Ristorante Italiano, the first restaurant in San Jose's Little Italy, is set to open very soon.
  • San Jose is about to take control of State Highway 82 to remove a bureaucratic step in developing or improving the historic route including Blossom Hill, Monterey Highway, and the Alameda.
  • A new 3 story primary and urgent care medical clinic will be built at 17th and Santa Clara Street. It should be up and running by 2014.
  • Express VTA light rail service has begun and is offered 6 times daily.
  • Downtown Ice opens November 19th and will continue until January 17th. Kristi Yamaguchi will celebrate the grand opening on November the 22nd.
  • Downtown San Jose Holiday Schedule
    • Downtown Ice opens Nov 19
    • Christmas in the Park opens Nov 26
    • San Jose Holiday parade is Dec 5
    • Winder Wonderland opens Nov 24
    • South First Friday is Dec 3
    • Harvest Festival is Nov 26-28
To read the full newsletter, click here!

2 comments:

  1. Well at least the 360 residences has a tenant! A fast food joint. That monstrosity and it's ridiculous marketing (or lack thereof) is just a metaphor for the goofy idea that we're a metropolitan city that makes SF "jealous". Their message that you see in the Metro ads and on sjhighrises.com is full of so much hot air. The best lie is that it is above "high-end shops", like... Subway. It's embarrassingly disingenuous to attract people with so much BS, because then they actually come here one evening and stumble around looking for a place that doesn't have kids barfing out in front.

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  2. "The Three Sixty Residences tower joins the small but striking skyline of luxury high-rises that are moving San Jose out from under San Francisco's shadow. Atop high-end shops, 23-stories above the lively SoFA district, this downtown San Jose apartment building fits into the contemporary surroundings with an attractive glass façade and enough amenities to make our neighbors to the north jealous."

    That's the quote from the web link. I don't think they're saying that we'll make SF jealous, just that San Jose is a metropolitan city that does not deserve to be in SF's shadow. I definitely agree with that. I also agree with the comment about SoFA, it's becoming a great entertainment district for a wide variety of people.

    Now for the part of "high-end shops." I don't know what else is planned for the ground floor retail--especially that key space facing the main SoFA corridor--but it better be something vastly more unique and interesting than Subway. I was pretty surprised with this leasing choice, but I suppose not as surprised as when they decided to add a Subway at Santana Row. At least 360 residents will have several options within a block like Bayonne, Eulipia, Original Joe's, Pho 69, Emile's, etc.

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