Santana Row Turns September into a Month of $25 Prix-Fixe Lunches for a Good Cause

September brings a practical reason to leave the office for a proper midday meal when Santana Row launches Let’s Do Lunch, a month-long Taste The Row event running Monday through Friday from September 1 to 30. Sixteen restaurants will each serve a $25 prix-fixe lunch that includes one appetizer and one entrée, giving diners an easy way to sample new spots while supporting World Central Kitchen.

The participating lineup covers a wide range of flavors, from Augustine and Dumpling Time to Fogo de Chão, Ozumo Sushi, Pizza Antica, Straits, Zazil, and more. The promotion builds on last year’s successful Taste The Row dinners and shifts the focus to weekday lunches so more people can take a real break during the workday.

Every lunch helps World Central Kitchen, the organization founded by Chef José Andrés that delivers fresh meals to communities facing disasters and crises. With an average cost of about five dollars per meal, the donations generated during the month will stretch far. Menus, hours, and availability differ by restaurant, and tax, tip, and drinks sit outside the fixed price.

Santana Row already draws people for shopping and evening dining. This September program simply makes the middle of the day more appealing and purposeful. Full details and the current list of restaurants appear at www.SantanaRow.com.

Holland Partner Group Buys the Stevens Creek Corner for 575 Apartments

Holland Partner Group closed on the 4.7-acre corner at 3896 Stevens Creek Boulevard this week, paying $22.3 million according to documents filed August 26 at the Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office. Local families that include Joseph Rubino Jr. sold the land. The purchase locks in a project the city already entitled: two eight-story buildings with 575 apartments at Saratoga Avenue and Stevens Creek, a few blocks from Northlake Drive and about two miles west of Valley Fair and Santana Row.

Building 1 will face Saratoga and hold 264 units. Building 2 will front Stevens Creek near Northlake with 311. Twenty-nine apartments are slated for very-low-income households, a band the state currently sets at $71,950 for one person and $102,750 for a family of four in Santa Clara County, against area medians of $143,850 and $205,500. Ground floors will carry about 13,600 square feet of retail, split 7,600 and 6,000 between the two buildings. Plans also call for roughly 25,000 square feet of amenity space, including fitness rooms, co-working, clubrooms, lobbies, and podium pool decks. TCA Architects drew the metal, screen, stone, and stucco faces. A public plaza is mapped to the busy corner.

That corner used to be headed in the opposite direction. Cypress Equities had an entitled 882,000-square-foot office and retail scheme that once included a large Life Time athletic club. Office demand collapsed, and Holland flipped the site to housing. San Jose made the project its first approval under the city’s streamlined ministerial ordinance in December 2025, cutting a process that often takes about 20 months down to eight. The count later grew from earlier 532- and 540-unit versions to 575. Existing low-rise shops, including Hokkaido Buffet, are slated for demolition. Across the boulevard, CRP Affordable Housing is already building 59 income-restricted units at 3941 Stevens Creek.

The Stevens Creek Urban Village Plan asked for exactly this kind of swap: parking lots and strip frontage turned into housing, shops, and sidewalks wide enough that people might linger. Holland’s filings promise a stronger pedestrian edge and a Class IV bike lane along the project frontage. Westsiders who drive that intersection every day will notice the height first. The more useful test comes later, when the retail actually opens and the 29 below-market units lease to the households the paperwork names.

Construction timing and cost have not been published. The deed is recorded. The drawings are approved. The next visible change on that corner will be the wrecking of the buffet and the start of two towers where an office campus never arrived.

Source: The Mercury News

Twenty-Five Startups Will Pitch at SCU’s Eighth Bronco Ventures Demo Day on October 9

Twenty-five founders will take two minutes each on Friday, October 9, inside Santa Clara University’s Locatelli Student Activity Center, and the room will fill with the kind of people who write checks. Ciocca Center’s Bronco Ventures Accelerator will close its eighth cohort with that showcase, then keep the lights on for a two-hour reception. Doors open at 4 p.m. Pitches run 4:30 to 6:30. Food, drinks, and introductions follow until 8:30. Admission is free and open to the public, which means a San Jose engineer, a first-time angel, or a curious neighbor can walk in without a badge from Sand Hill Road.

The companies span healthcare, enterprise software, fintech, construction tech, consumer products, government technology, space, and education. This year’s class pulled founders from every school on the SCU campus and, for the first time in a serious way, from partner Jesuit and Catholic universities abroad through the Jesuit Entrepreneurship Center Alliance. That mix is new. The format is not. Teams spent July through October in a full-time grind of workshops, mentor sessions, and mock pitches, then earned a slot in front of alumni, operators, and investors who already know the South Bay well enough to skip the tourist version of Silicon Valley.

Alumni of earlier cohorts have collectively raised more than $100 million from angels, venture firms, the Bronco Venture Fund, and the JECA Fund. Some later landed at Y Combinator or Alchemist. The accelerator itself takes no equity, which is rare enough in this zip code to mention twice. Program director Cristina Cismas Florea and Bronco Ventures founder Morgan Slain have built the night as both graduation and deal flow. Last year’s Demo Day packed hundreds of in-person guests plus a remote audience. This one sits during Grand Reunion weekend, so the campus will already be full of people who remember the Mission Church and now run product teams in North San Jose.

San Jose readers have a short drive and a real stake. SCU sits on El Camino Real, a few minutes from The Alameda and Downtown San Jose. Founders who raise here tend to hire here, rent offices here, and sell into the same hospitals, school districts, and construction sites that keep this city moving. Bring a card if a two-minute clock makes you lean forward. Stay for the reception if the pitch that mattered was the conversation after the slides.

Questions can go to ccismasflorea@scu.edu. Locatelli Center is at 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara.

Event details and Bronco Ventures programs: https://www.scu.edu/cioccacenter/bronco-ventures/

DSW Prepares Second San Jose Store at Almaden Plaza

Footwear retailer DSW will open a second location in San Jose at Almaden Plaza. The new store will occupy roughly 14,400 square feet previously held by a furniture retailer at the 5353 Almaden Expressway shopping center.

Almaden Plaza already anchors a mix of large tenants including T.J. Maxx, Sports Basement, and Hobby Lobby. Recent additions include TleafGreen Burmese Kitchen, with a Benihana restaurant also on the way. The center sits near residential neighborhoods and other retail destinations such as Oakridge Mall and Almaden Ranch Marketplace.

DSW currently operates one San Jose store on Stevens Creek Boulevard, more than six miles from the planned Almaden Plaza site. The chain, owned by Designer Brands, runs more than 500 stores nationwide and has signaled additional openings this year.

Silicon Valley retail vacancy has tightened over the past year, falling from 5.3 percent to 4.9 percent. Limited new construction has helped strengthen leasing demand, particularly in the San Jose-Campbell-Los Gatos area.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

Sonries the Jaguar Has Moved Into Happy Hollow, San Jose Gets Its Big Cat Back

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo has a new jaguar. His name is Sonries, he arrived from the Los Angeles Zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Jaguar Species Survival Plan, and he is still settling in behind the scenes. Guests walking the bamboo path through Zoo in the Hollow will not find him on exhibit yet. Keepers have given him time to learn new sights, new sounds, and a new daily rhythm before he steps into the outdoor habitat that once belonged to San Jose’s last resident cats.

That gap lasted more than a year. Sophia, the jaguar many local kids grew up watching from the viewing rail, died in June 2025 at age 21 after kidney disease. She had lived at Happy Hollow for about two decades and became one of the oldest jaguars in an AZA-accredited zoo. Kianto, the park’s other senior male, was already gone. The empty habitat left a hole in a 16-acre park that has mixed rides and conservation since 1961. Sonries’ transfer is the Species Survival Plan doing what it was built to do: move animals between accredited zoos so the North American population stays genetically healthy.

The animal care team has refused a fixed debut date. Positive reinforcement training is underway, the same slow, treat-and-trust work that lets a big cat choose when a new step feels safe. Happy Hollow published Chapter 1 of a “Meet Sonries” series on August 16 and promised milestones, enrichment clips, and keeper notes in the weeks ahead. When he is ready for public viewing, the park said it will say so first.

A trip to Kelley Park still pays off while the wait continues. Twix the red panda, capybaras, lemurs, meerkats, and the petting barn remain on view. Danny the Dragon, the carousel, and the Pacific Fruit Express keep running. Every ticket still feeds Quarters for Conservation, the program that sends a slice of admission to field projects abroad. General admission currently runs $22 for ages 2 to 59, $19 for seniors and military, and free for children under 2. Parking is $10. Note the current detour: Story Road at the main entrance has been closed, so drivers should use the lot at 1300 Senter Road until the park says otherwise.

Follow the zoo’s updates, then take the kids anyway. The hollow already has a jaguar again. The rest of us just have to wait until Sonries decides the yard is his.

Tickets and hours: https://happyhollow.org/visit/
Meet Sonries, Chapter 1: https://happyhollow.org/happy-hollow-blog/meet-sonries/

A Parking Lot Beside Hammer Theatre Moves Toward 168 Affordable Homes

Planning Director Christopher Burton is scheduled to hear a seven-story affordable project on September 3 that would replace a 1.3-acre surface lot between South Second and South Third streets, just south of East San Fernando. The Sobrato Organization owns the asphalt. Pacific West Communities would build. AO drew the plans. The site sits next to San Jose State’s Hammer Theatre Center and across from the San Antonio light-rail stop, which is the whole point of putting housing here instead of another decade of empty spaces after the last show lets out.

Staff have recommended approval. Under the state’s Density Bonus Law the current count is 168 apartments: 33 reserved for very-low-income households, 133 for low-income households, and two market-rate manager units. Earlier filings this spring described 173 homes with a slightly different mix, including extremely-low-income apartments. Numbers often shift as drawings harden. What has not shifted is the claim that nearly every door would be deed-restricted. Sobrato held this lot since about 2010 and once floated a 24-story, 393-unit market tower that never left the page. The new version is shorter, cheaper to finance, and aimed at people who already work or study within walking distance of Paseo de San Antonio.

San Jose’s state housing assignment for 2023 through 2031 is 62,200 units. Council spent recent weeks arguing about whether denser housing should spread into more neighborhoods. This parcel does not need that debate. It already sits in the core, next to a campus, a theater, restaurants, and a train. Residents would not need a car to reach a job on Santa Clara Street or a class on campus. They would need the project to survive financing after the director’s stamp.

Pacific West has become a regular partner on below-market work around Northern California. Sobrato, long an office landlord, has been steering more of its land toward housing. Neither fact guarantees a groundbreaking. An approval on September 3 would still leave tax credits, construction costs, and a construction schedule. The useful test for Downtown San Jose is whether a parking lot that has sat idle beside a university theater finally turns into addresses instead of another rendering.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

Neighborhood Favorites Across San Jose Just Received a Welcome Boost

Family-run kitchens from The Alameda to Vietnam Town and South San Jose recently secured $5,000 resilience grants. The California Restaurant Foundation and The PG&E Corporation Foundation directed the money to more than 150 Bay Area restaurants, with a solid share landing in Santa Clara County.

Independent owners with fewer than five locations and under $3 million in annual revenue qualified. The funds will cover kitchen equipment, technology upgrades, staff training, retention bonuses or unexpected costs. This year’s cycle set records: 239 restaurants across 30 counties received $1.4 million total. Since 2021 the partnership has delivered $5.7 million to more than 1,100 restaurants.

San Jose winners include Via Mia Pizza, T-T Deli at 1520 The Alameda, Pho This Way on Story Road, Angelo’s Italian Restaurant on Blossom Hill Road, Hop & Vine at 1435 The Alameda, Anh Hong, Birria Patro Jaramillo, Golden Harvest, Huynh Dining, Mimi’s Kitchen, MOC DELIGHTS and Bun Mam Ha Tien & Simply Boba. Several sit close to Downtown San Jose or along The Alameda corridor where regulars already know the owners by name.

These spots employ local crews and give each neighborhood its own flavor. Better equipment and extra training let owners keep the same recipes while running smoother operations. Readers who already count these places as weeknight standbys can expect the same welcome plus a few operational upgrades behind the scenes.

The next time a craving hits, drop by one of the grant recipients. A bowl of pho, a banh mi, a pizza or a plate of pasta from a family kitchen keeps money circulating close to home and helps San Jose’s restaurant map stay varied and independently owned. Additional information on the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund lives at restaurantscare.org.

GalaxyCon Holds Downtown Through Sunday. Saturday Doors Open at 10.

GalaxyCon’s third year at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center is already underway. Friday’s late start is over. Saturday runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the exhibit hall closing an hour earlier on Saturday. The address is 150 West San Carlos Street, which puts the whole circus inside walking distance of light rail, hotels, and whatever else Downtown San Jose is doing this weekend, including Silicon Valley Pride a few blocks away.

The guest list is the reason people bought badges months ago. Hayden Christensen is listed for Saturday only. George Takei, Brent Spiner, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Ian Somerhalder, Temuera Morrison, Wayne Knight, Joseph Mazzello, and Ariana Richards stretch across Saturday and Sunday or all three days. Cassandra Peterson, Tyler Hoechlin, Sean Gunn, and Scott Patterson were Friday-Saturday. Muppet veterans Steve Whitmire and Dave Goelz are on the board. Voice work includes Colleen O’Shaughnessey. Comics side has Marv Wolfman and a long artist alley. A handful of announced names already dropped out, including Don Bluth and Jaime Pressly, so check the official guest page before lining up for a signature that is no longer there.

Cosplay contests are offering more than $4,000 in cash plus medals and trophies. Photo ops and autographs are separate tickets on top of a badge. Official passes still sell through Eventeny; weekend VIP packages climb into four figures, while single-day general admission on the secondary market was running well over $100 by Friday night. Lockers, accessibility notes, and a prop policy live on the GalaxyCon San Jose pages. Parking details were still labeled coming soon on the site, which in this building usually means pay lots and garages around San Carlos and Almaden, plus a walk.

People-watching may be the cheapest programming. A convention that books Star Trek, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Elvira, and Cheech & Chong in the same hall will fill the sidewalks with armor, robes, and at least one person in a full foam suit who should have taken the light rail. If Saturday feels packed, Sunday is shorter and often easier. If the goal is one specific guest, confirm that name’s remaining days before buying a last-minute pass.

Official tickets and guest list: https://galaxycon.com/pages/galaxycon-san-jose

Ticket desk: https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=22673

Campbell’s Restaurant Shuffle Adds New Cocktails, Sushi, and Dumplings

Campbell’s downtown has spent the past year swapping nameplates faster than a Friday night reservation list. Lira, the contemporary dining room that opened in January 2025 at 368 East Campbell Avenue with San Jose native and “Next Level Chef” winner Tucker Ricchio in the kitchen, shut after New Year’s Eve. Ricchio had already left in June 2025. The owners later said the fine-dining math no longer worked. Into that 110-seat room, including the patio, Jason Seele of Los Gatos Soda Works is building Trial | Error, a modern cocktail bar with small plates, aiming for an October opening and evening hours around 4 to 11 p.m.

A few blocks over, A Bellagio closed after more than two decades of Italian dinners at 33 South Central Avenue. Honō Izakaya & Sushi has already taken the address, with a bar in the middle of the room and a Japanese fusion menu that started drawing first-time reviews in July. Opa! left 276 East Campbell Avenue after a chain-wide collapse and Chapter 7 filing. Elia, the Pleasanton-born Greek and Mediterranean group, moved in with mezethes, weekend brunch, and late hours that stretch toward midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Mexican spot Distrito Federal at 379 East Campbell Avenue has been reported as temporarily closed under a court-appointed receivership, another reminder that even busy storefronts can stall.

The Pruneyard told a cleaner story. Bellevue-based Dough Zone Dumpling House opened June 5 at 1875 South Bascom Avenue, Suite 405, in the old Patxi’s Pizza space between Trader Joe’s and Humphry Slocombe. The 3,167-square-foot shop is the chain’s sixth Bay Area location and sits alongside existing Dough Zone rooms on Lundy in North San Jose and on Cherry in South San Jose. Xiao long bao, Q-Bao, and dan dan noodles now have a Campbell address for anyone who already makes that Bascom drive.

Hamilton Avenue is lining up the next wave. Dutch Bros and Chipotle have floated drive-thru plans. Earlier reporting also pointed to an Apni Mandi Indian supermarket and a Da Vien Vietnamese coffee shop along the same corridor. Downtown still waits on Ainsley’s Spout House, the Scottish-Californian beer garden Alan Hicks has been building into the old Ainsley Corporation offices on Harrison Avenue. City staff have framed the turnover as concept replacement rather than a hollowed-out district, which is the generous reading. The honest one is simpler: some rooms could not carry white-tablecloth rent, and operators with cocktails, sushi, dumplings, and mezze moved faster than the vacancies.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

Plaza de San José Leads Community Survey for Downtown Park Name

A ranked-choice survey of more than 10,000 participants has put Plaza de San José well ahead of four other finalists for the downtown park at Market Street. Parks spokesman Ed Bautista called the margin about two to one over the next-highest choice.

The list of names grew out of more than 600 public suggestions. After Plaza de San José came Farmworkers Plaza, Plaza del Pueblo, Plaza Park, and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl. Before 1993 the square was known simply as Plaza Park.

Staff will take the results to the Parks and Recreation Commission on September 2. The commission will then send a recommendation to the City Council, which makes the final decision later this fall. Council members may accept the survey winner or pick another name.

The 2.3-acre plaza is Northern California’s oldest public square and already hosts Christmas in the Park, Music in the Park, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, Fountain Blues and Brews, and Silicon Valley Pride. A name that points straight back to the city itself would match the role the space has played for generations.

Downtown San Jose residents and visitors who already treat the park as a shared living room now have a clear sense of where the public conversation landed.

Source: San Jose Inside

Chico De Mayos Brings Street Tacos to a Permanent Spot Inside Myth in Downtown San Jose

A familiar name in local catering has taken a permanent step into Downtown San Jose. Chico De Mayos Cantina, which began as a street taco and event catering operation in 2019, opened its brick-and-mortar location inside Myth nightclub at 152 Post Street on June 13.

The menu sticks to the classics that built the brand: chicken, carne asada, al pastor, shrimp, and soyrizo tacos. The new setup sits across from The Domes outdoor venue, placing it in a stretch of Post Street that already draws evening crowds. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Matt Mahan and city council members took place on August 14 to mark the official launch.

While one new kitchen opens, another nearby space sits empty. K&J Sweets and Bakery closed earlier this year after nearly three years at 115 East San Carlos Street near San Jose State. The storefront, previously home to a cinnamon roll shop, is now vacant inside The Colonnade apartments.

Downtown San Jose’s overall vacancy rate stood at 30.8% in the first quarter according to recent market data. New openings like Chico De Mayos show that operators continue testing the market and finding ways to serve the people already coming downtown for nightlife and events.

Anyone craving authentic street-style tacos now has a fixed address to find them after dark.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

Tonight at SJMA: Content Magazine Drops Issue 18.4 and Sends Off The Cultivator

Content Magazine will hand out its 76th issue this evening inside the San José Museum of Art, and the night doubles as a public goodbye to founder Daniel Garcia, the editor long known as The Cultivator. Issue 18.4, titled “Profiles,” lands Thursday, August 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at 110 South Market Street in Downtown San Jose. Poet Mighty Mike McGee will host the opening remarks, speakers will tell Garcia’s story, and Garcia himself will close that first stretch before the party opens up.

The printed issue, published by SVCREATES, gathers a South Bay roster that already lives in the city’s studios, stages, and record bins: vocalist Carina Valdes of acari, mixed-media artists Allegra J. Bick-Maurischat and Armando Delgado-Franco, AWỌ Center founder Folake Phillips, painters George Rivera, Pragati Sharma Mohanty, Roan Victor, and Yuting Wang, SJMA executive director Jeremiah Davis, poets Mayra Flores and McGee, Asian Man Records founder Mike Park, and DJ Yareli Rivera, better known as DJ Toonin. Victor also made the cover. If the magazine has spent more than a decade arguing that Silicon Valley’s real product is its people, this issue puts names and faces on that claim.

The program after the tribute should keep the galleries moving. DJ Toonin will spin, Abhinaya Dance Company of San José and Folclórico Colibrí will perform, and Content will install a pop-up exhibition of work tied to the new pages. Mezcal Restaurant will handle food and drink. Museum admission for the party is free, though Content asks guests to RSVP so check-in at the front desk stays short. Subscribers who have shown up at past pickup nights have often found a complimentary bite waiting; even without a membership, the door stays open.

RSVP for fast check-in: https://bit.ly/184_PUP
Order Issue 18.4 “Profiles”: https://bit.ly/Profiles184

City Council Rezones IBM Almaden Site to Balance Open Space and Future Use

San Jose City Council voted 9-2 on Tuesday to rezone the former IBM Almaden Research Center property at 650 Harry Road. The decision splits the site into two distinct categories: 35.1 acres containing the research buildings become an industrial park zoning district, while the remaining 565.1 acres of surrounding vacant land receive open space zoning.

IBM is closing the Almaden campus and consolidating operations at its Silicon Valley Lab on Bailey Road. The property is now on the market. City planning staff reported that several real estate groups have already inquired about possible future uses for the developed portion, ranging from research and development to advanced manufacturing or general office space.

The rezoning does not approve any specific project. Land-use consultant Erik Schoennauer, representing a potential buyer, told the council the change simply aligns the site with the city’s general plan. It keeps the large open-space area in its current natural state while allowing the existing industrial buildings to return to productive use more efficiently.

More than 30 residents spoke during the public hearing, many urging the council to slow the process and raise concerns about possible data centers or other intensive industrial activity. Councilmember George Casey, whose district includes the property, argued that delaying the vote would not change the underlying need to update the zoning. Mayor Matt Mahan emphasized the shared goal of protecting the open space that IBM had long maintained.

The dual zoning aims to keep the hillsides and undeveloped land intact while giving the built campus a clearer path toward new economic activity once a buyer steps forward.

Source: SiliconValley.com

CityDance Brings Country Line Dancing to Plaza Park This Thursday

Plaza Park in front of the San José Museum of Art will host the next CityDance San José evening on Thursday, August 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. The free monthly series offers open-air dancing, live music, instruction, and a cash bar under the lights of Downtown San Jose.

This installment focuses on country line dancing. The Country Cougars will play live while Adam the Dancing Cowboy leads the lessons. Community groups will staff tables nearby, including History San José, the Japanese American Museum of San José, New Ballet, Teatro Visión, and the museum’s own Let’s Look at Art program.

Museum galleries stay open and free during the same hours for anyone who wants a break from the dance floor. A Content magazine pick-up party celebrating founder Daniel Garcia also takes place inside. VTA remains a convenient way to arrive, and participating ParkSJ garages offer 90 minutes of free parking.

The series continues September 24 with an Afrobeats night. CityDance is organized by the Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the museum, El Cafecito by Mezcal Restaurant, VTA, and the Downtown Association.

Source: San Jose Museum of Art

Google Advances Plans for Major Chip Research Hub in North San Jose

Google continues expanding its footprint in North San Jose with a proposed 250-megawatt chip research and development facility at its Meadow Point campus on Disk Drive. The project would house computing labs dedicated to testing next-generation chip technology, supporting the company’s broader work in artificial intelligence and custom silicon.

The scale of the electricity demand stands out. Filings show the facility could draw more power than the average load of Marin County and roughly half that of San Mateo County. Connecting it to the grid requires a high-voltage switching station, underground transmission lines, and ties into the Newark-NRS transmission project, along with additional regional upgrades. Google has indicated it will fund the infrastructure needed for its connection.

The California Public Utilities Commission had been scheduled to vote on the interconnection proposal in mid-August but postponed the decision. PG&E had requested approval earlier to keep the project on track for construction starting in early 2027 and operations by the end of 2028. Google maintains the site will serve internal research labs rather than function as a traditional data center supporting external cloud services.

This effort reflects the growing pressure on Silicon Valley’s power infrastructure as companies race to design and test the chips that drive advanced AI systems. The Meadow Point location already anchors a significant Google presence in the Alviso area, and the new labs would further solidify North San Jose as a center for specialized technical work.

Local observers will watch the regulatory process closely as California works through rules for large electricity users while balancing growth and ratepayer protections.

Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal

MLV NorCal Chooses Tech CU Arena as Home Court for 2027

San Jose will serve as the official home city for MLV NorCal when the professional women’s volleyball team begins play in 2027. The announcement came Monday at a community event at San Pedro Square Market, where Mayor Matt Mahan joined founding owner Kerri Walsh Jennings and team president Heather Vaughan.

Tech CU Arena on South 10th Street will host the matches. The venue already serves as home ice for the San Jose Barracuda and offers an intimate setting well suited to volleyball. Walsh Jennings, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and San Jose native, described the city as home and expressed excitement about building a team the community can claim as its own.

The franchise belongs to a women-founded and women-led league that will expand to additional markets in 2027. Mayor Mahan noted that San Jose has recently added professional women’s soccer and hockey and now volleyball, calling the city a growing capital for women’s sports.

Fans can secure a Founding Season Ticket Holder deposit of $31, a figure that honors California’s place as the 31st state. The official team name, branding, and inaugural campaign will be revealed next month.

This addition gives Northern California its first professional indoor volleyball franchise and adds another live-sports option in the heart of the city.

Source: MLV

New Indian Restaurant Planned for Historic Hotel De Anza

A new dining concept from the team behind several acclaimed Bay Area Indian restaurants is taking shape inside the Hotel De Anza. Restaurant entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar and chef Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan have secured a state liquor license for a full-service restaurant and bar at 233 West Santa Clara Street.

The pair operate through the Cal-India Collective and already run Eylan in Menlo Park, Ettan in Palo Alto, Little Blue Door in Los Altos, and Copra in San Francisco. Gopinathan previously earned two Michelin stars at Campton Place. Their approach blends authentic Indian techniques with California seasonality and local ingredients.

Construction is underway in the space just left of the hotel’s West Santa Clara Street entrance. The name of the forthcoming restaurant has not yet been announced. The project arrives as the Art Deco landmark continues a broader renovation that includes refreshed interiors, the Palm Terrace, the Hedley Club, and exterior painting that returns the tower to its 1990s color scheme.

Hotel co-owners Dhaval Panchal and Sean Curtis purchased the 100-room property in 2024 and have steadily reinvested in the building. The addition of a high-caliber restaurant strengthens the hotel’s role as both a lodging and gathering place in Downtown San Jose.

Source: SiliconValley.com

CityView Retail Moves Forward While Housing Plans Shift to New Construction in Downtown San Jose

Construction has started on the retail phase of Jay Paul Company’s CityView project at the corner of Park Avenue and Almaden Boulevard in Downtown San Jose. The first phase will deliver roughly 35,000 to 40,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space beneath a new parking garage, with completion targeted for early 2028.

The retail mix is still taking shape. Planners are exploring shops, restaurants, health and wellness businesses, and child-care options, with ongoing conversations about whether a smaller-format grocery could fit. Jay Paul has also talked with San Jose State University about letting students use dining credits at future CityView eateries, aiming to serve office workers, nearby residents, convention visitors, and campus traffic.

On the residential side, the company has decided to pursue ground-up construction rather than converting existing office buildings. Seismic retrofit costs for conversion proved nearly as expensive as new builds, so the team is now designing purpose-built housing with architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz. The change allows better layouts tailored specifically for apartments.

These steps keep momentum going on a large mixed-use block that sits near 200 Park and the convention center. As the retail spaces fill and residential designs firm up, the project will add more daily activity to the streets of Downtown San Jose... we'll just need a little bit of patience.

Source: SVBJ

MLV NorCal Fan Fest Lands at San Pedro Square Market Today

San Pedro Square Market will host a free family-friendly celebration this afternoon as MLV NorCal introduces itself to the community. The Fan Fest runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, August 24, with interactive volleyball activities, giveaways, free soft serve, and a Create & Clip station.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings is scheduled to appear alongside San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and members of the MLV NorCal roster. Organizers plan to share a milestone update about the team’s future and its planned 2027 inaugural season.

The first 200 fans to arrive will receive a free MLV NorCal hat. Parking is available at the nearby garage on North Market Street. The event is organized in partnership with the San Jose Sports Authority, the City of San Jose, Visit San Jose, and the Chamber of Commerce.

This gathering marks an early chance for local residents to meet the new professional volleyball franchise and learn more about its plans for the region.

Source: MLV

Free Concerts Keep the Energy High at St. James Park This Summer

Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose continue filling St. James Park with free live music through September, giving Downtown San Jose another strong summer of outdoor performances while plans for a permanent pavilion move forward. The series already draws families, friends, and neighbors for afternoons that mix quality artists, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and activities for kids.

This Sunday, August 30 at 4:30 p.m., the park shifts into salsa mode with Los Calderones as headliners and DJ Leydis opening the evening with salsa dance instruction. The Bay Area Cuban Afro-Latin funk band, led by trombonist and arranger Obrayan Calderon, blends reparto energy with urban and traditional Latin sounds for an explosive set that invites the whole crowd onto the lawn. MACLA co-presents the night, adding another layer of cultural connection to the program.

The schedule still holds a few more strong dates after that. Tomorrow, August 16, The Purple Ones deliver a Prince tribute with a Michael Jackson versus Prince DJ set to open the afternoon. On September 6 the series closes at St. James Park with Peach Tree Rascals, co-presented by CUKUI. Two additional “Levitt on Location” shows land at Cypress Pavilion at Lake Cunningham later this month and next.

All of these concerts stay free and open to every age. Bring a blanket or chair, grab something from the food trucks, and settle in for an easy evening. The music keeps rolling, and St. James Park remains one of the simplest ways to spend a late-summer Sunday in the city.

More details, volunteer opportunities, and the full remaining schedule live at www.levittsanjose.org.

Mayor Mahan Tests Joby Air Taxi Simulator at San Jose Mineta International Airport

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan took the controls of a Joby Aviation flight simulator at Mineta International Airport on August 18, the day before National Aviation Day. Inside a blue trailer parked near the XO sculpture at Terminal B, he completed a vertical takeoff, a series of turns around the airport area, and a smooth landing in roughly ten minutes.

The mobile simulator gives visitors a 120-degree view of what it feels like to pilot Joby’s all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. San Jose Mineta became the first airport in the United States to host the unit, which remained available for public sessions through August 21. Reservations were handled through a simple online calendar.

Joby, based in Santa Cruz, aims to begin commercial passenger flights in 2027 once it receives final FAA certification. Company leaders described the airport visit as a way to let local residents experience the technology before service arrives. The mayor noted that electric air taxis could help ease congestion by offering an alternative to ground travel in a region where new roads are costly and difficult to build.

The short demonstration highlighted both the accessibility of the technology and San Jose’s growing role as a testing ground for next-generation mobility.

Source: The Mercury News

Arena Green East will host another full-day outdoor music event on Sunday, August 23, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Noise Complaints party features performances by OhGeesy and Karri along with additional artists in an open-air setting.

The gathering is designed as an open-format dance event across the park space near the Guadalupe River and Little Italy. General admission is open to ages 18 and older, while VIP access is limited to 21 and older and includes expedited entry, private bars, and improved stage views.

This show follows the Chris Lake daytime party at the same venue the previous afternoon, giving the park two consecutive days of electronic and hip-hop energy. Production elements include large screens and strong sound systems suited to the outdoor environment.

Tickets are available in tiered general admission and VIP options, with all sales final. The event runs rain or shine and continues the recent use of Arena Green East for larger music gatherings in the heart of the city.

Tickets and full details can be found on the Eventbrite page for Noise Complaints San Jose.

New Routes and Premium Carrier Talks Expand Options at San Jose Mineta International Airport

San Jose Mineta International Airport continues adding connections that match the region’s travel patterns. Southwest Airlines will introduce nonstop flights to Orlando beginning November 21, giving local travelers a direct holiday-season link to one of the country’s top leisure destinations. Delta Air Lines will follow with daily nonstop service to Austin starting October 6, creating the only premium-cabin option between the two tech hubs.

At the same time, SJC is holding exploratory discussions with Magnifica Air, an Orlando-area startup planning an ultra-premium “private service” model. The carrier intends to operate Airbus aircraft configured for as few as 44 to 54 passengers, featuring larger cabins, private suites on some aircraft, expedited processes, and amenities designed to sit between traditional first class and full private-jet travel. Magnifica Air has listed San Jose among potential early markets for its phased 2027-2028 launch.

These developments arrive as the airport also seeks proposals for a 15-acre site that could support additional aviation services such as a fixed-base operator. The combination of new leisure and business routes plus interest from a specialized premium carrier points to growing demand from Silicon Valley travelers who want both convenience and elevated experiences.

The added Orlando and Austin flights will open more straightforward options for families, business travelers, and weekend trips. Anyone planning ahead can already book the upcoming Delta and Southwest services through the airlines’ websites.

Source: SVBJ

Chris Lake Takes Over Arena Green East in Downtown San Jose for Daytime House Party

Arena Green East will host a full-day outdoor house music event on Saturday, August 22, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Chris Lake headlines the lineup alongside Murda Beatz and Jackie Hollander at the open-air venue near the Guadalupe River and Little Italy.

The gathering is billed as a daytime party with big house energy and open-air vibes across the park space. Entry is limited to ages 18 and older, with a valid government-issued ID required. The event runs rain or shine and marks a notable activation of Arena Green East for this style of electronic music gathering.

Fans can expect a multi-hour set list in a setting that combines park space with nearby neighborhood energy. Tickets remain available through the event page for those planning to attend the afternoon-into-evening session.

This stop forms part of Chris Lake’s ongoing tour schedule and brings a high-profile electronic act to a central San Jose location for the first time in this format.

Tickets and additional details are available at the Eventbrite listing for the show.

Hijau Coffee Opens Permanent Spot with Indonesian Flavors on West San Carlos

After two years as a farmers market pop-up, Hijau has opened its first brick-and-mortar café at 1432 West San Carlos Street, Suite 70. Owners Lisa Maria and Ryan Prawiradjaja held a soft opening on August 13 and now serve customers Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends until 4 p.m.

Maria, whose parents roasted coffee in West Java, wanted to bring more Indonesian flavors to the Bay Area. The menu features three signature lattes: pandan with notes of coconut and vanilla, nastar inspired by pineapple tarts, and klepon drawing from the green coconut-rice dessert. Coffee is sourced from Indonesia, and the space includes batik textiles and teak furniture that reflect the couple’s heritage.

The path from pop-up tables at the Rose Garden and De Anza farmers markets to a permanent counter involved significant permitting and inspection costs that totaled around $27,000. The pair paused market appearances in late spring to focus on the build-out.

Hijau adds a distinctive coffee option to the midtown corridor and expands the city’s range of Southeast Asian culinary voices. Regular hours are now in effect for anyone ready to try the tropical-inspired drinks.

Source: The Mercury News

UserMoment Prepares Northern California Launch from San Jose

A San Jose startup is set to introduce a new way for people and businesses to book local creative talent. UserMoment Technologies plans to open its location-based marketplace across Northern California on September 15, with an initial focus on San Jose, the broader Bay Area, and Sacramento.

The platform connects clients who need photographers, videographers, drone operators, or content creators with available professionals nearby. Users can choose real-time dispatch for more immediate requests, browse profiles and schedules for advanced bookings, or post their own project details and let creators respond. After a shoot, private galleries arrive through a U-Code system that lets clients preview and access their media securely.

Founder and CEO Andrews Dela Vega Puriran, a Filipino American U.S. Air Force veteran, developed the idea while completing a nursing program in Fremont. He balanced clinicals and classes with the work of building the platform, drawing on earlier inspiration from high school senior portrait systems that used unique codes for photo delivery. The company has already run early field tests of photo delivery and purchase flows.

UserMoment aims to give independent creators more direct paid opportunities while simplifying the search for local creative help at family events, small business campaigns, real estate shoots, and community gatherings. The San Jose-based team is currently finishing product polish, security work, and creator onboarding ahead of the September launch.

For more information, visit usermoment.com.

 

Hoka Brings Its First Bay Area Store to Santana Row

Hoka plans to open its first Bay Area storefront at Santana Row this fall, filling the roughly 850-square-foot space previously occupied by Arc’teryx. The outdoor apparel brand relocated to a larger location at Westfield Valley Fair, creating the opening for the popular performance footwear company. Marketing materials already posted at the site confirm a fall debut.

The arrival aligns with broader shifts toward active lifestyles at the mixed-use center. A 60,000-square-foot Life Time fitness club is also preparing to open in the former Best Buy space. Reformation, the Los Angeles-based women’s clothing brand, is preparing a more than 2,000-square-foot store next to Sezane for a fall opening as well. Johnny Doughnuts celebrated the launch of its fifth location at the Row in late June, while the upscale cocktail bar Flora is expected later this year in the former Rosie McCann’s space.

Santana Row has experienced some turnover on the dining side. Vine Hospitality’s portfolio-wide closures eliminated LB Steak, Left Bank and Meso Modern Mediterranean, removing more than 175 jobs from the center. Those vacancies form part of the ongoing evolution that has also brought in new retail and fitness options.

Source: SVBJ

Glen Fest Returns to Willow Glen on September 26

Glen Fest takes over a stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Downtown Willow Glen on Saturday, September 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free community festival centers on the Bank of America lot at 1245 Lincoln Avenue and spills into the surrounding independent shops and restaurants.

Live bands play throughout the day while more than a dozen food trucks and vendors offer everything from BBQ and lobster rolls to Mexican street food, Asian-inspired dishes, and local honey. Beer and wine are available for adults. A dedicated kids court features bouncy houses, face painting, a photo booth, and visits from local sports teams, all without any extra ticket.

The event remains fully walkable and dog-friendly for those who keep pets on leashes. Shops along the avenue stay open during their regular hours, giving visitors a chance to browse boutiques, the children’s bookstore, and other neighborhood spots between sets and meals.

Now in its third year, Glen Fest has grown into the largest single-day gathering on the Downtown Willow Glen calendar. Families and neighbors who arrive earlier in the day often find lighter crowds and easier access to the kids activities.

Check the Downtown Willow Glen Business Association channels closer to the date for the final band and vendor lineup.

Source: Downtown Willow Glen

Boutique Grocery Heads to Ground Floor of San Pedro Square Housing Towers

An independent boutique grocery store is preparing to lease 12,000 square feet of ground-floor space at the two residential towers located at 188 West St. James Street in the San Pedro Square neighborhood of Downtown San Jose. The space faces San Pedro Square Market and sits within a complex that includes a 22-story eastern tower with 337 units and a 20-story western tower with 303 units.

The market will offer fresh food, sandwiches, a salad bar, a hot bar, burritos, and additional prepared items once the street-level shell is ready. Opening is projected for sometime in 2027. Leasing efforts are being handled by Nick Goddard of Colliers.

Downtown San Jose has long operated with limited grocery options. Whole Foods on The Alameda has served the western edge since 2014, and Sakura Market opened more recently on South Market Street. A new neighborhood-focused market at this central location will give residents of the towers and surrounding blocks easier access to everyday essentials and ready-to-eat meals.

The western tower continues to market condominiums for sale while the eastern tower remains under consideration for potential workforce housing by the San Jose Unified School District. Adding a practical retail anchor at street level should help activate the base of these buildings and support the daily needs of people living and working nearby.

Source: SiliconValley.com

Icon Echo Advances with 645 Homes Near City Hall in Downtown San Jose

Urban Catalyst’s Icon Echo project is moving forward with plans for two eight-story residential buildings that will deliver 645 new apartments in Downtown San Jose. The development covers a 2.1-acre site along North Fourth Street between East Santa Clara Street and East Saint John Street, across from San Jose City Hall and a short walk from Saint James Park.

The unit mix includes 233 studios, 272 one-bedrooms, and 140 two-bedrooms, with 33 of the homes deed-restricted as affordable. Each building rises to 89 feet and features podium-top courtyards, ground-level parking with stackers totaling 527 spaces, and a small retail space on the Icon building. Architect BDE Architecture has designed the exteriors with brick veneer, stucco, and cast stone panels.

A Planning Director’s hearing on the site development permit and vesting tentative map took place on August 12, with city staff recommending approval. The project represents a shift from earlier mixed-use concepts that included office space, reflecting the current emphasis on adding housing in the urban core.

Once built, the complex will place hundreds of new residents within easy reach of transit, civic buildings, and the daily activity of Downtown San Jose. The mid-rise scale fits the surrounding blocks while contributing meaningful density to an area that continues to evolve.

Source: SF YIMBY

New Housing Community Planned for Former Oracle Campus

Valley Oak Partners continues advancing its proposal to transform 38 acres of the former Oracle campus in Santa Clara into a mixed residential community of 584 homes. The San Jose-based developer shared updated details on timeline and design during a recent community meeting, outlining plans for 48 single-family homes, 416 townhomes and 120 apartments.

The project site currently contains nearly 500,000 square feet of vacant office buildings that would be removed. Seven acres of open space would feature parks, a recreation and yoga deck, bocce court, playground and lawns. The two-story single-family homes are expected to measure between 2,400 and 2,700 square feet, while the affordable apartment building would reach six stories. Architect KTGY and landscape planner RHAA are guiding the design work. The development borders a historic park and buildings that will remain untouched.

Environmental review is underway and typically requires about a year. Valley Oak anticipates securing project approvals by mid-2027, after which it intends to purchase the land from Oracle as a joint venture with a homebuilder. Past partnerships have included firms such as Lennar, Pulte and KB Home. Demolition and infrastructure work could follow later in 2027, with home construction potentially starting in the first half of 2028.

The proposal operates under the builder’s remedy, which limits a city’s ability to reject qualifying housing projects that include a required share of lower-income units. A formal application was filed in 2024 after a preliminary filing the previous year. If the schedule holds, the redevelopment would convert underused office land into a range of housing options with substantial outdoor amenities in a location close to major employment centers and transportation routes serving San Jose and the broader South Bay.

Source: SVBJ

Affordable Townhomes Arrive in East San Jose to Expand Homeownership Options

A new collection of 18 townhomes is taking shape at 125 Kirk Avenue in East San Jose, directly across from Linda Vista Elementary School. Developer AlphaX RE Capital, led by Stephanie Yi, is delivering the project known as The Kirk with a focus on creating ownership opportunities for working families.

Two three-bedroom units will be offered at roughly $300,000 below market rates, while the remaining homes—mostly four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath floor plans ranging from 1,481 to 1,909 square feet—are priced between $1.18 million and $1.3 million. Select buyers can also access a $50,000 credit and interest rates starting as low as 3.99 percent.

The project opened to the public on August 14, with some units expected to become available as early as October and full construction completion targeted for February 2027. Local leaders have welcomed the development as a practical step toward keeping more families rooted in the neighborhood and building long-term equity.

East San Jose has long needed additional pathways to ownership that match the incomes of teachers, nurses, small-business owners, and other working residents. This modest-scale effort shows how targeted new construction can open doors without waiting for larger citywide solutions.

For details on availability and qualification, contact the developer directly through their sales channels.

Source: San Jose Spotlight

Hotel De Anza Undergoes Major Remodel in Downtown San Jose

The historic Hotel De Anza at 233 West Santa Clara Street has entered a wide-ranging remodel that will refresh both its exterior and interior spaces. Owners Dhaval Panchal and Sean Curtis, who acquired the 100-room property in 2024, are restoring the 10-story Art Deco tower with a full exterior repaint that returns the building to its 1990s color scheme.

Scaffolding already stands along the facade as crews prepare the structure for top-to-bottom updates. Inside, work focuses on the lobby, Palm Terrace, and the historic Hedley Club. Just left of the main entrance, a new restaurant is taking shape and is expected to become a notable dining destination once complete.

Many of the upgrades are scheduled for completion before the end of 2026. The neon sign atop the hotel was already relit last year, marking an early visible step in the restoration. Built in 1931 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the tower ranks among San Jose’s few remaining Zig Zag Moderne buildings and has previously been rescued from demolition and renovated.

The ownership team aims to position the refreshed Hotel De Anza as a welcoming community gathering place that strengthens the daily rhythm of Downtown San Jose.

Source: The Mercury News