Westgate Expansion Has Broken Ground

Federal Realty (which also owns Santana Row) recently wrapped up a $15 million renovation at Westgate Center. Those upgrades were focused around improving existing space. However, they have just broken ground on another renovation project that will result in a new 14,400 SQFT retail building at the corner of Saratoga and West Campbell Avenue. This is where the RetroDome used to sit.

The new structure will have a Corner Bakery Cafe, Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe, and Verizon Wireless. There is also room for a fifth tenant in the building. The Corner Bakery Cafe will be the first in San Jose. The only other Santa Clara County location is in Palo Alto. As for Veggie Grill, this is one of the hottest vegetarian restaurants on the West Coast. This will be their second Northern California location and the only other one is at Santana Row. I'm a complete carnivore and even I love this restaurant.

The project should be completed by fall. You can find the full release below.

Westgate Center Has Broken Ground Again

Offering New Retailers in Coveted Corner Spot

Four tenants signed: Corner Bakery Café, The Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe and Verizon Wireless

San Jose, CA (Feb. 25, 2014) – Federal Realty Investment Trust, owners of Westgate Center, recently completed a $15 million major renovation transforming the 52-year-old mall into a one-stop destination offering family-friendly amenities and high quality retailers.

In an effort to continually improve and enhance the experience at Westgate Center, Federal Realty has announced that construction has begun on the center’s retail pad site located on the heavily traveled corner of Saratoga Avenue and West Campbell Avenue.  The ideal corner site will include the addition of four new tenants, including San Jose’s first Corner Bakery Café.

The new 14,400 sq.-foot retail building, in a highly visible spot near a popular shopping area, will also include The Veggie Grill, Vitamin Shoppe and Verizon Wireless, with space for a fifth yet-to-be-named tenant. Construction should to be completed in the fall.

Corner Bakery Café, known for its delectable Cinnamon Crème Coffee Cake and tasty meals, is opening this fall at Westgate Center.

The fast-casual restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers baked goods in a bright, family-friendly atmosphere. Prices range from 99 cents to $9.99 and choices include sandwiches, soups, pastas and breakfast specials. The menu also features kids’ selections, seasonal items, healthy fare and treats such as cookies, cakes and pies. The Westgate Center location will seat about 100 diners inside and 40 diners in an outdoor area. It is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Established in 1991, Corner Bakery Cafe was founded on a philosophy of creating a place for people to relax and gather with family and friends. For more information, go towww.cornerbakerycafe.com.

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The Veggie Grill, home of the popular “All Hail Kale” salad, serves healthy, light, vegetarian fare as well as gluten-free and soy-free items. Classic American favorites like soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches as well as creative dishes such as burritos, bowls and “Buffalo wings” are made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients.

Named one of L.A.’s “can’t miss” cheap-eats by Los Angeles magazine and best vegetarian/vegan restaurant by the Orange County Register, The Veggie Grill is scheduled to open in the fall.

For more information, go to www.veggiegrill.com.

The Vitamin Shoppe, dedicated to helping people fulfill their health and wellness needs, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of nutritional products ranging from vitamins and minerals to nutritional supplements, herbs, sports nutrition formulas, homeopathic remedies, and health and beauty aids. The store offers more than 18,000 items from 400-plus brands. The Vitamin Shoppe at Westgate is scheduled to open this fall. For more information, go to www.vitaminshoppe.com.

Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile network operator in the U.S., is opening a retail store at Westgate where customers can shop for wireless services as well as mobile phones and accessories. Verizon will open this fall. For more information, go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Westgate Center
Westgate Center, located in San Jose, California is a 645,000 square-foot community center offering a one-stop family destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. Westgate Center features over 50 shops and restaurants and is anchored by Target, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Old Navy, Burlington Coat Factory, Nordstrom Rack, Michaels, Any Mountain and Ross. Westgate Center is a property of Federal Realty Investment Trust www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit shopwestgatecenter.com.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 20 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.8% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of December 31, 2013, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.5% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 46 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

Another Costco Coming to South San Jose

An empty 76-acre Edenvale site near Highway 85 and Great Oaks could become the site of another Costco. This is land that used to be part of the IBM/Hitachi campus. In addition to the massive wholesaler, there would be 260,000 SQFT of new office space, ~50,000 additional SQFT of retail, and 720 housing units. The city of San Jose plans for this to eventually become and urban village connected with mass transit.

One surprising side benefit of this development project is that $10 million would go towards the new San Jose Earthquakes Stadium. The money would be used for upgrading the stadium, including an upgraded seating system and riser, and a terra-cotta finish.

Source: SVBJ

GreenCitizen Opens New Location on 5155 Stevens Creek

GreenCitizen has opened a new eco-station at the border of San Jose and Santa Clara on Stevens Creek. They offer free recycling for your e-junk (old cables, computers, TVs, palm pilots, batteries, etc.) as well as services for destroying hard drive information and other sensitive data. Throwing away these electronics in the trash can contaminate landfills and cause serious environmental problems. E-recycling is a much better solution, and they may even give you cash for items that still have some value like old iPhones. More info below.

GreenCitizen Extends Year-Round Electronics Recycling Drop-Off to Santa Clara and San Jose

GreenCitizen is opening its new Eco-Station in Santa Clara on Monday, December 2, 2013. Located inside the SuperGreen Solutions Store at 5155 Stevens Creeks Blvd, Suite 100, Santa Clara, GreenCitizen's new Eco-Station will be open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., Mondays through Saturdays, all year round.

GreenCitizen is opening its new Eco-Station in Santa Clara on Monday, December 2, 2013. Located inside the SuperGreen Solutions Store at 5155 Stevens Creeks Blvd, Suite 100, Santa Clara, GreenCitizen's new Eco-Station will be open from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., Mondays through Saturdays, all year round.

Santa Clara and San Jose residents and businesses can now drop-off, for responsible recycling, any working or non-working electronic items, including computers, monitors, TVs, printers, appliances, or portable devices that use electricity. Please refer tohttp://www.greencitizen.com for a full list of acceptable items.

The new GreenCitizen Santa Clara Eco-Station is only 10 minutes away from downtown San Jose and San Jose State University, and just a couple of blocks from the Stevens Creek Boulevard intersections with the Lawrence Express way and I-280. Simply use 87 N and/or 280 N and take the Lawrence Expressway exit. Located next to Bed Bath & Beyond, across from McDonald's, Starbucks Coffee, Safeway, and Sports Authority, the Eco-Station is also less than a mile from Santana Row, and the popular Westfield Shopping Mall at Winchester Boulevard and Stevens Creek.

Since opening its first center on Earth Day 2005, GreenCitizen has successfully helped over 15,000 businesses and 150,000 residents responsibly recycle their electronics. In this time, GreenCitizen has diverted over 10 million pounds of electronics from landfills and from global dumping on developing countries. The amount of e-waste that GreenCitizen has diverted is equivalent to reducing 12 metric tons of CO2, planting over 300,000 trees, or taking 2,500 cars off the road for a year.

"The amount of obsolete electronics piling up in our offices and homes is staggering. When these electronics are not recycled properly, this e-waste often ends up in landfills here or in developing countries, where it can cause serious social and environmental harm.” says James Kao, GreenCitizen's Founder and CEO. "In order for responsible e-waste recycling to take off, it must be more convenient for consumers and businesses and there must be full accountability to ensure that everything gets recycled safely. We are very excited to partner with SuperGreen Solutions to bring convenient and accountable electronic recycling services to Santa Clara, San Jose, and surrounding cities of Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, and Campbell."

Belinda Vega, president of SuperGreenSolutions states that: "SuperGreen Solutions of Stevens Creek is excited about working with GreenCitizen to truly provide a complete environmental solution. We feel the missions of our companies are similar and complimentary. Together we are helping our customers make the world a better place and making every day Earth Day."

SuperGreen Solutions is a one-stop retail store for energy efficient and green products, providing a holistic approach to energy efficiency by offering a variety of products, reducing clients' energy usage and thereby maximizing their cost reduction. They provide solar panels, wind turbines, LED lighting, electric car chargers, efficient water heaters and insulation. They can arrange for installation, assist with rebates and tax incentives, and provide financing. They also provide other green products such as air purifiers, atmospheric water generators and non-toxic pest control products. SuperGreen Solutions of Stevens Creek is a minority woman-owned business.

GreenCitizen is a socially and environmentally responsible company dedicated to helping consumers and businesses reduce their environmental footprint through proper disposal of their electronics. GreenCitizen achieves this through closed loop reuse, convenient drop-off, and business pickups. All recycled items are accounted for fully all the way through dismantling and de-manufacturing within the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to the new Santa Clara Eco-Station, GreenCitizen has four Eco-Centers in Berkeley, San Francisco, Burlingame, and Mountain View.

Classic Loot Launches the First Mobile Fashion Accessory Boutique in the South Bay

First food trucks took the South Bay by storm, now it looks like retail is going mobile with both pop-up shops and boutiques on wheels. Classic Loot is a San Jose-based business that premiered about a year ago at a San Jose Made Event. Now they have their own truck and it looks pretty slick. To hunt down the mobile store, either follow them on twitter or check out their website over here.

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SAN JOSE, CA, – Classic Loot has gone mobile, announcing their 15 foot storefront on wheels. It's the first vintage fashion boutique truck to ever hit the streets of the South Bay area.

Classic Loot started back in December 2012 at their first San Jose Made event, vending on table set-ups and has been selling all around the bay area, Treasure Island Flea, Oakland First Friday and more.

"Do you have a store?" One of the frequent questions owner, Tam Tran is asked every time she is out vending. With influences from Los Angeles, New York, and close to home San Francisco, Classic Loot has joined the growing army of mobile retail nationwide.

ABOUT CLASSIC LOOT

Classic Loot is a San Jose based vintage, handmade jewelry and accessories online and mobile boutique business.  We go from all around the bay area and hunt, repurpose and curate the best collection of one-of-a-kind pieces. 

Santana Row November/December Updates

Santana Row November 2013 Happenings

And A Look Ahead to December and the New Year

Events, Promotions, New Openings at Silicon Valley’s Premier Destination


San Jose, CA (Oct. 30, 2013) – Happy holidays are on the way to The Row with the annual tree lighting ceremony, a Silicon Valley family tradition. In the spirit of giving, Santana Row hosts the “One Warm Coat” drive again this season as well as benefit events for Humane Society Silicon Valley and Second Harvest Food Bank. An eagerly anticipated retailer, C. Wonder, opens in time for a season of splendid shopping.

C. Wonder

Grand opening weekend, Nov. 1 and 2

C. Wonder offers a wide assortment of beautiful, versatile and spirited products for all areas of its customer’s life. The store includes women’s clothing, footwear, jewelry and accessories; housewares and home décor; personal electronics, great gifts and delightful surprises, such as the city bike. The collection is edited to offer solely must-haves - key items to enhance a room, refresh a wardrobe or inspire a memorable experience.

The 3,824 square-foot store at 377 Santana Row is a jubilant celebration of design and discovery for home and wardrobe and an inviting destination for shoppers. With breathtaking, always-changing window and floor displays, gorgeous decorative schemes, and intriguing surprises to uncover the world of C. Wonder is a sensory experience not to be missed.

Club One at Santana Row presents Sip n’ Shop for the Holidays

Nov. 8, 6 to 9 p.m.

Sip champagne and enjoy complimentary chair massages, salt and sugar rubs, acupuncture demos, complimentary hair and makeup touchups at this shop-and-pamper-yourself event. Also on hand are yoga and pilates experts and personal trainers who want to inspire you to stay fit and healthy through the holidays. A

boutique-style trunk show will feature consignment designer clothing, handbags and accessories. To RSVP and for more information, contact Marty Behler, 408.985.5555 or marty.behler@clubone.com.

Santana Row’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Santana Row begins the 2013 holiday season with the annual Light Up the Row Tree Lighting Ceremony, a joyous day of celebration for the entire family.

The day of holiday festivities begins at 3 p.m. with photos with The Nutcracker and Marie from Ballet San Jose. The fun continues throughout the afternoon and evening with live music, costumed characters, special guests and performances by local theater and dance groups.

The highlight of the day takes place at 7 p.m. in Santana Row Park with the lighting of the 40-foot Christmas tree, one of the most exciting holiday events in Silicon Valley.

A lively mix of entertainment on the main stage includes a performance by the San Jose Repertory Company’s Snow Queen and the ballerinas of Ballet San Jose.

Many of the restaurants will offer dining specials, kid-friendly menus and holiday-themed cocktails during the event. In-store parties, hot chocolate sampling, cookies and appetizers will also add to the festivities of the day.

Details: The celebration is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., with tree lighting slated for 7 p.m. in Santana Row Park. Photos with The Nutcracker and Marie are $10 and live entertainment includes a special performance by Andy Z. Other activities include live entertainment, ornament making and more.

Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too:  “Give Thanks”

Tuesday, Nov. 12 and every second Tuesday through December

The holidays remind us to pull together and help those less fortunate and November’s program encourages kids to bring a canned food item that will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. Holiday fun includes face painting, balloon animals, Arts & Crafts with Action Day. Moms and kids will be entertained by music and performances by Ballet San Jose School and Andy Z. Snacks are provided by Happy Family Brands and there’s a drawing to win a $50 gift card from The Container Store.

When: 10 a.m. to noon at Park Valencia. Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too is a free kids’ club held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611or visit www.SantanaRow.com.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Let’s Shop! Black Friday events at Santana Row Friday, Nov. 29

The day-after-Thanksgiving shopping tradition at Santana Row includes discounts, door buster morning specials and treats throughout the day. Many stores are offering customers 25 percent to 70 percent off merchandise all weekend with giveaways such as free totes, gift cards with purchase and holiday refreshments throughout the day.

Santana Row hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Black Friday, with many stories extending hours during the Black Friday weekend. For a comprehensive listing of retail and restaurant events and offerings, visit www.SantanaRow.com.

“One Warm Coat” Drop-off with KTVU’s Rosy Chu

Friday, Nov. 29 is Kickoff ; drive continues through Dec. 31

The annual coat drive begins at 6 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving with KTVU’s Rosy Chu broadcasting live from Santana Row Park. Donate a new or gently used coat and it will be given to a needy family this winter. The first 100 people to donate a coat will receive a $10 Santana Row Gift Card. Drop-off locations include CineArts Theatre, Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table and the Santana Row Concierge. The charity coat drive continues through Dec. 31.

For more information: call 408.551.4611 or visitwww.santanarow.com.

Santana Row holiday hours:

Christmas Eve: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Christmas: Closed

New Year’s Eve: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New Year’s Day: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Twitter Promotion @SantanaRow Invites Tweets #LifeOnTheRow

For a Chance to Win Gift Cards to Restaurants at The Row

Join Santana Row’s Twitter campaign and photo contest through the @SantanaRow Twitter handle. The contest invites anyone at Santana Row to Tweet photos of a new outfit, haircut, meal, event or artsy shots and then Tweet it to Santana Row with the hash tag #LifeonTheRow. Every month, Santana Row will post an album on Facebook with all of the photos with the #LifeonTheRow hash tag. The person who took the best or most original photo will win a gift card to a Santana Row restaurant.

A look ahead to December and the New Year…

“Shop, Enjoy and Give” Holiday Wine & Dine Around: A Benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank

Dec. 3, 10 and 17, Tuesdays

Help those in need while you complete your holiday shopping during Santana Row’s “Shop, Enjoy & Give” event that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Purchase a $10 ticket on SantanaRow.com or at the Concierge center and receive complimentary food and wine tastings in Santana Row shops and restaurants between 6 and 8 p.m.on designated Tuesdays. Also included: a signature Santana Row wine glass and exclusive holiday shopping discounts. Bring a donation of canned food when you purchase your ticket and receive $2 off the ticket. (Customers must be 21 years or older.)

Menorah Lighting at Santana Row Park

Sunday, Dec. 4

Santana Row celebrates the first night of the Jewish Festival of Lights with kosher treats, entertainment and activities that include decorating dreidels, Jewish story time, arts & crafts and the lighting of the Menorah. The evening is co-hosted with the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley and The PJ Library. The celebration will take place from4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Park Valencia.

Santa Paws, a Benefit for Humane Society Silicon Valley

Sunday, Dec. 8, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring your canine and feline friends to Santana Row's Park Valencia for a keepsake photo with Santa Claus. Photos are $20 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Humane Society Silicon Valley. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. at Park Valencia.

Meet Carolyn Jung, author of “San Francisco Chef’s Table” and

Chef Vittal Shetty of Amber India

Sunday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m.

Join us for an afternoon celebrating the publication of "San Francisco Chef's Table,''  by award-winning Bay Area food writer Carolyn Jung. Among the featured restaurants and chefs in her debut cookbook: Amber India and its chef, Vittal Shetty, whose recipes for Tandoori Chicken and Stuffed Portobello Asparagus Paneer are included in the book. Chef Shetty will hold a cooking demonstration of the featured South Asian taste treats and a book-signing and samples of the dishes will follow the demo.

Enter a drawing to win a copy of the book and a gift certificate to Amber India at the free event, which will be held outdoors in Santana Row Park.

Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too: “Celebrate the Season”

Dec. 10 and every second Tuesday of the month, through December

The last Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too for the year includes live entertainment from Andy Z, story time with Mrs. Claus, sampling from Happy Baby Brands, mini manicures from Lavande nail salon, a raffle from The Container Store, arts and crafts with Action Day Primary Plus, Balloon Animals and Face Painting and more!

When: 10 a.m. to noon, weather permitting, at Park Valencia. The rainy day/cold weather location is the lobby of CineArts theater. Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too is a free kids’ club held on the secondTuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611 or visit www.SantanaRow.com.

Rainy Day Rewards, Nov. 1 through March 31, 2014

When there’s a 70 percent or greater chance for rain, shoppers and diners braving bad weather will be rewarded with discounts that include 15 percent off purchases at participating shops and restaurants, a free signature Santana Row golf umbrella for customers who spend $150 anywhere on The Row and a $20 gift certificate to a participating shop or restaurant for customers who spend $300 on a designated Rainy Day.

No need to get wet: On all rainy days, customers can pick up a complimentary umbrella to use while shopping and dining and then return it before leaving. The yellow umbrellas are conveniently located throughout The Row - outside Concierge, Via between Village California Bistro and Lark Creek Blue and the valet parking lot in the Winchester Parking Garage.

Chinese New Year Celebration, Saturday, Feb. 22

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Santana Row celebrates the Year of the Horse with an afternoon of Chinese New Year festivities, including the exciting drumbeats and crashing cymbals of the Dragon and Lion dances and other traditional live performances celebrating the start of a new year.

Third Annual 408K Race to the Row, Sunday, March 2 

The eight-kilometer road race that benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation and its Team Tillman initiative is winding through the streets of San Jose for the third year in a row. It starts at HP Pavilion and ends at Santana Row. The 8K event last year drew more than 4,000 runners.

For information and registration, go to: www.run408k.com.

About Santana Row

Santana Row a 1.5 million square foot mixed used development in the heart of San Jose, California, is Silicon Valley's premier destination for shopping,

dining, living and nightlife. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, parks and plazas, Santana Row features over 70 retail shops, more than 20 acclaimed restaurants, a 212-room boutique hotel and six-screen movie theatre. In addition to the dynamic retail collection, Santana Row offers 622 residential units featuring a fitness center, rooftop pool and resort-living accommodations, and 65,000 square feet of office space at 300 Santana Row, its newest office address. Santana Row is a property of www.federalrealty.com (NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visitwww.santanarow.com.

About Federal Realty

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, and redevelopment of high quality retail real estate in the country’s best markets.  As of September 30, 2012, Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contained approximately 19.1 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.1% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of September 30, 2012, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.1% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 45 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For more information, please visit www.federalrealty.com.

Walmart is Replacing Circuit City on Stevens Creek

The former Circuit City at 4080 Stevens Creek in San Jose is about to get a radical makeover. Walmart is planning to turn it into a 45,000 SQFT Neighborhood Market (not a full-blown Walmart). The store will offer groceries, some home items, prepared food, a deli, and a pharmacy. However, this store is not without controversy. Below is a letter sent in from one of our readers:

"Hello Josh,
I wanted to alert you and others to what's been going on with plans for a Walmart Neighborhood Market to take over an old Circuit City at 4080 Stevens Creek Boulevard and an upcoming Planning Commission hearing on the matter Wednesday, August 14th. Here is a link to a recent story in the Silicon Valley Business Journal about the proposed Market. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/08/06/walmart-grocery-store-confirmed-for.html
My family and several of my neighbors are very concerned about Walmart moving into the neighborhood and are just as troubled by the way the City of San Jose has essentially steamrolled this project over the public.
We have submitted a petition with over 100 signatures to the City asking them to deny Walmart their request for a permit for off-site alcohol sales at the proposed site on Stevens Creek Boulevard as we have been told that the City has little discretion over anything else. Right now, there are approximately 50 liquor licenses within a 2 mile radius of the proposed site; Walmart's would be number 51! We also have a fair amount of crime in the area and are concerned about attracting more crime to the area and jeopardizing public safety with off-site sales of alcohol until 12am.
Planning staff for the City has been anything but helpful with requests for information. Most recently, the City “accidentally”sent out the public notice for the upcoming Planning Commission and City Council hearings regarding Walmart’s permit requests with the wrong day of the week next to the City Council hearing date on the notice. When we asked planning staff to correct the mistake and resend out the notice so that residents aren’t confused and try to attend the City Council meeting on Wednesday instead of the correct day, Tuesday, August 20th, staff said that because the date was right, they did not have to resend it. When pressed further on it, they agreed only to resend it to people who attended and commented at the initial community meeting that they had quickly noticed about a month ago. Finally, when being told that what they were doing was not legal, staff recanted and said that they would resend a revised Notice out to everyone in a 1,000 foot radius after all.
Staff also recently stated that the public request for a traffic study analysis was determined unnecessary because the City determined that the former use of a Circuit City was similar to the proposed traffic that a major grocery store like the proposed Walmart Neighborhood Market would generate. Comparing traffic generated from a failed store selling electronics and desktop computers is a far cry from traffic that will be generated by a major grocery store at the same site, yet the City will not conduct a proper traffic analysis.
Overall, we just want to get the word out about this project and the upcoming public hearings as the City seems to have already made up their mind about giving Walmart the off-site alcohol sales permit regardless of what the residents who will have to live with the impacts have to think. We appreciate anything you can do to bring light to this project and on what the City is doing. Thank you for your time and consideration."

Source: SVBJ, Anonymous

Discover San Jose Retail Store Opens Today!

If this isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is. Yet another retail store is opening up Downtown, and this one is all about San Jose pride! The Discover San Jose store will be located at 150 South 1st Street across from the Fairmont Plaza and will carry souvenirs, historic artifacts, San Jose art, and more. They picked a really good central location and I'm sure store will do wonders in getting the San Jose brand out there more.

The ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening are both happening this afternoon and will feature free food, drinks, and gifts. For more information click here!

Retro Fitness Opening its first West Coast Gyms in San Jose

Retro Fitness is a unique gym chain with locations primarily in the Northeast and Southern US, but they are planning to branch out to the West Coast. They have chosen San Jose for not one, but two locations to launch their expansion. One will be at Santa Teresa Main Street Shopping Center and the other will be at the corner of Foxworthy and Meridian Avenue.

Their gyms are between 12,000 and 15,000 SQFT--pretty standard--but what makes them different is an '80s motif, specifically '80s music and movie themes. Membership only costs $19.99 a month, including various classes, a cardio movie theater (with again, '80s movies), and access to things like tanning, child sitting, and personal training. Those last three I'm assuming cost extra.

Source: SVBJ

Centerra is Breaking Ground Soon!

We are getting so close to seeing some shovels in the ground Downtown for two high-rise projects. I'm not sure which one to be more excited about. One South Market have a more central location Downtown, but Centerra is going to be located right across the street from the San Pedro Square Market and will very likely make a substantial contribution to the restaurant, retail, and culture scene that is emerging there. Not only will it be supplying more customers, but the project will be adding retail of its own facing the Market. This is unlikely, but I think it would be pretty amazing if they are able to keep the same small-vendor configuration as the SPSM for their retail to create more synergy in the area.

Anyway, here are some quick facts about Centerra:

• 347 units
• 21 stories
• 80% of the units will be one or two bedroom
• Average unit size is 935 SQFT
• Most units will have private balconies
• 7,000 SQFT of retail facing the San Pedro Square Market
• The parking structure is in the center of the building and is completely wrapped in apartment units, hiding it entirely (sweet!)
• There will be a special area for dogs (also, Andy's Pet Shop is across the street)
• A bike shop/storage area is going to be located on the ground floor
• Other amenities include a pool, hot tub, kitchen area, and gym

They are targeting the ground breaking for summer and it will take about two years to build out. Can't wait!

Source: SVBJ

New San Jose Maserati Dealership + Mercedes Expansion

A sign of the times perhaps? The economy is heating up in Silicon Valley and that money has to go somewhere. San Jose is about to get a new car dealership on Stevens Creek... none other than Maserati. The 4,000 SQFT building will host cars that have a starting price of $120,000. Currently the closest Maserati dealership is in Redwood City (photo below) and there is another one north of SF in Mill Valley. The San Jose showroom should be ready by the end of the year.

That isn't the only car news in the area. Smythe is going to expand it's 10,000 SQFT Mercedes showroom with a new steel-and-glass building clocking in at 20,200 SQFT. This project should be done by the end of March 2014.

I know I have mentioned it before, but I might as well remind you guys about the new Tesla showroom at Santana Row. If you haven't seen it yet, you have to go check it out. It's about three times larger than the old one and is the the space previously occupied by Burberry. This is easily the coolest car dealership I have ever been to, and we can take some pride in the fact that their cars are the only mass-produced vehicles being built right here in Silicon Valley.

Source: SVBJ

MUJI Update!

This is really happening, MUJI is coming to Downtown San Jose! The sign is up and there is an official grand opening date, April 16th. Inside its 4,590 square feet you will find over 2,000 products, including household items and clothing. The first 1,000 customers on the 16th will get a reusable bag with a map of San Jose. I can't wait and already have setting some money set aside to help contribute to this store's success. If you want to see retail thrive Downtown, please mark your calendar, grab your wallet, and let's give MUJI a warm welcome!

Source: MUJI, Thanks to Rob Swierk for the tip!

03.07.2013

New York, NY, March 7th, 2013, MUJI U.S.A. LIMITED announces its opening date of San Jose store, which has been set to April 16, 2013, the second MUJI store to open on the West coast. Located at the base of the Fairmont Hotel Annex, on South 1st street, along the Paseo de San Antonio street, 170 South Market Street, CA 95113. MUJI San Jose will open from 11:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. during its first day of operation.

With approximately 4,590 square feet of retail floor space, MUJI’s second store on the West coast will offer over 2,000 items of MUJI products, including about 1,700 items of Household and 300 items of Apparels. After the first day of opening, the store will open regularly from 10:30a.m. to 8:00p.m. from Monday to Saturday, 11:00a.m. to 6:30p.m. on Sundays.

MUJI San Jose Original My Bags for the opening
As Capital of Silicon Valley, the city of San Jose is innovative in terms of economy and ecology. To celebrate the San Jose store opening as well as to promote sustainability, MUJI will offer an exclusive My Bag with a map of San Jose to the first 1,000 customers who make a purchase on the opening day to encourage reducing waste that results from the use of paper or plastic bags. MUJI plain My Bag will be offered at $3.5 after the opening.

Start Up San Jose Event Kicks off Tomorrow!

A slew of key Downtown establishments are getting together to push Start Up San Jose. The goal of this event is to fill up vacant retail space in Downtown San Jose, which will create a more vibrant and safe Downtown. The event is being championed by Councilmember Sam Liccardo, along with NextSpace and SJMADE. A vacant floor space at 75 E. Santa Clara Street is going to be brimming with San Jose entrepreneurs tomorrow and Friday. You will be able to swing by and check out some Moveable Feast food trucks, local products from SJMADE vendors, grab Barefoot coffee, or even work for a bit in a coworking space hosted by NextSpace. At night you will even have an assortment of beers to sample thanks to Beerwalk.

Next door is a really slick assortment of local vendors at Sperry Station, a new project that is well worth checking out. For more information click here.

New Marshalls Coming to Village Oaks

Village Oaks is a large retail destination planned for South San Jose, off of Cottle Road and Great Oaks Parkway. They have just announced that Marshalls will be a 23,000 sqft anchor tenant in the complex, which will have over 300,000 sqft of retail. There will also be a massive 140,000 sqft Target, a Safeway, Ulta Beauty, Chase Bank, Total Woman Gym & Spa, Five Guys, and Panera Bread, and several other tenants.

The smaller tenants will be arranged along a narrow street, making the project more walkable and Downtownish (think Rivermark in Santa Clara). I can't say that I'm terribly excited about the tenant list so far, but at least the configuration should be good and the new neighborhood--which also includes 2,900 housing units--will be accessible by transit.

Source: SVBJ

The Meridian Mixed-Use Project Has Broken Ground!

Barry Swenson and Republic Urban Properties have broken ground on the Meridian project in Midtown San Jose. This is going to be a massive project for the area with 218 apartments, a park, and 15,800 sqft of pedestrian-oriented retail divided into 8 different units. The corner retail unit seems to be reserved for a restaurant. Total price tag is going to clock in at $68M.

While it only rises to 5-stories, it will add quite a bit of density to Midtown and help better connect the Downtown San Jose area with Santana Row. Another bonus is that this project is close to transit.

Build out is going to take 2 years and one of our readers that lives across the street has reported that most of the site has already been leveled, including the Meyer Appliance building.

Sources: SJBJ, Heather

Madewell Coming to Santana Row

First off, I have to say the people decorating Santana Row really outdid themselves this holiday season, including the residents that have decorated their balconies. It looks incredible... even better than previous years. Every inch is lit up.

Now for the updates, Madewell is moving into a 3,500 sqft section of what was the old H&M. The company is a fashion forward American brand for women and will be the first store in the South Bay.

Next to Madewell will be a 2,000 sqft boutique for Splendid, another clothing store except this one is for the whole family. This will also be the very first one in the South Bay.

A couple existing stores are planning to renovate for 2013. Gucci is completely redoing the interior and and the facade outside. Tommy Bahama is doing a full renovation as well.

Lastly, Veggie Grill and Lavazza are now open. I have not tried Veggie Grill yet, but I did get to sample tons of food and coffee at Lavazza and have to say the quality is very high. I especially liked their espresso "desserts" including one with gratuitous amounts of nutella. I know we all like our indie coffee shops, but this one is worth checking out as it has many items you can't find anywhere else.

Santana Row Announces New Retailers, Renovations and the Grand Opening of Two Restaurants

Celebrating a Decade in Silicon Valley, the Premier Shopping and Dining Destination Continues to Draw Visitors with its Fresh Mix of Shops and Eateries

San Jose, CA (Nov. 15, 2012) – Ten years after opening Silicon Valley’s most exciting lifestyle destination, Santana Row continues to evolve with a lineup of unique retailers and restaurants that entice visitors to shop and dine. The stores and eateries represent new concepts in the Bay Area, some choosing to make their first foray into Northern California at Santana Row.

Madewell, an iconic American retailer as well as a brand coveted by fashion conscious women and men, is scheduled to open in Spring, 2013. The 3,500 square-foot shop will occupy a portion of the space that was the former H&M store before its recent move to a larger building. Madewell, established in 1937 as a dry goods emporium, will offer a wide range of effortlessly cool pieces. Chic yet comfy apparel includes soft chambray shirts, broken-in tees, leather boots, accessories and bags. Madewell’s denim bar serves a menu of current styles, from skinny to bootcut, boyfriend to capri.

Splendid, another label noted for its informal stylishness, is slated to open a 2,000 square-foot boutique next to Madewell in late spring. Known for its luxuriously soft tops and T-shirts, the offerings for men, women and children are a perfect fit for Silicon Valley: richly casual.

On the restaurant scene, the recently opened Lavazza Espression serves specialty Italian coffee drinks, freshly baked goods and savory Panini sandwiches, pastas, pizzas and salads. The cafe opened on Oct. 30 on the first floor of 300 Santana Row. It is the first location on the West Coast.

Veggie Grill, the popular fast-casual restaurant with a menu of delicious vegetarian choices opened on Nov. 8 at 3055 Olin Ave. Signature items include the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwich, All Hail Kale Salad and Sweetheart Fries. This is Veggie Grill’s first Northern California location.

“Splendid and Madewell represent the new generation at Santana Row,” said Jeff Kreshek, vice president of West Coast leasing for Federal Realty. “As an A-level property we are able to provide a destination that is an escape into the extraordinary. Santana Row is known for its diverse offerings both in shopping and dining. We are able to maintain our relevance by evolving with cutting edge tenants who provide the experience of a surprise around every corner.”

Madewell, Splendid, Lavazza Espression and Veggie Grill join Icebreaker Touchlab, Drybar, kate spade new york and H&M’s 26,000 square foot expansion and relocation as recent additions to the exciting lineup at Santana Row. The destination center strives to give customers a tempting mix of unique stores and restaurants.

Renovations on the horizon

Gucci, the luxury brand which recently marked a decade at Santana Row, will undergo a complete interior remodel along with façade enhancement beginning in the summer 2013. The work will be completed in time for the 2013 holiday season.

Also undergoing a renovation next year is Tommy Bahama, purveyor of island lifestyles and maker of clothing and accessories that reflect island ambiance.

“We are thrilled to see the long term commitment to and reinvestment in Santana Row by Gucci, Tommy Bahama and H&M,” said Jan Sweetnam, Vice President and West Coast Chief Operating Officer, Federal Realty Investment Trust. “This customer focus, along with the addition of new exciting merchants, keeps Santana Row fresh and is an important part of how we serve the community.”