Showing posts with label sjsu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sjsu. Show all posts

Monday, May 16, 2016

SJSU breaks ground on $10.2 million golf complex

Last week San Jose State University broke ground on its first on-campus training facility for golf. The world-class complex is across the street from Spartan Stadium and will be used for both men and women's golf teams. It will certainly help SJSU's student athletes get a leg up on the competition, especially since it can accommodate a large number of people. It will have hitting positions for 80 golfers, two large "tour-quality" putting greens, three bunkers, and two chipping greens.

The whole project was funded by private giving, including a $5 million gift from Rich and Cindy Thawly (alumni entrepreneurs and finance industry executives). The golf complex is expected to be complete by this December.

Source: SJSU


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Student-housing tower could rise at Techshop site

Amcal has acquired a parcel of land at 300 S. Second St. where it will partner with Barry Swenson Builder to build a student housing project. This is the site with the original TechShop location near SoFA.

The new building could rise up to 20 stories and house 800+ SJSU students. Each of the 235 units would have four bedrooms (each with their own bathroom), a shared kitchen, and a common area (living room). Amenity-wise there would be a resident assistant (RA) on each floor, study rooms, a fitness center, business center, and a pool. There would also be some retail fronting San Carlos Street.

The project would welcome anyone, but it is obviously targeted at students. Rent is expected to be around $1,000/mo, a bargain for Silicon Valley.

A project of that scale would considerably add to the activity and vibrancy in Downtown San Jose--especially in the SoFA area which is already booming. The soonest it would be open for business would be the fall of 2019 or 2020.

Source: SVBJ


Monday, March 28, 2016

New SJSU student apartments are pending City Council approval

A 7-story, 86-unit apartment building has been proposed for the corner of E. Santa Clara St. and 11th St in Downtown San Jose. Given that it is two blocks away from the SJSU campus, it would be an ideal housing situation for college students. If it moves forward, there would a total of 171 beds in the building.

The project would also include 5,560 SQFT of retail on the ground floor and 5,700 SQFT of office space on the second floor. A restaurant was also mentioned as a possibility for the ground floor plaza. There would be a total of 67 parking spaces, far fewer than the number of students that would live in the building (some would say this is a positive--teach those young adults how to take transit, walk, or bike to get around).

The next step in moving the project forward is evaluation and approval by the City Council and the Planning Commission.

Source: TheRegistry, Robertee from The San Jose Development Forum




Thursday, February 18, 2016

San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce announces unprecedented partnership with SJSU Career Center

San Jose State University's Career Center has been able to offer more job opportunities to SJSU students thanks to a new partnership with The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is playing matchmaker and helping local companies access the newest talent coming into the Silicon Valley labor pool. The benefits work both ways as 300 new organizations have been attracted to the Chamber of Commerce over the past three months because of the new partnership. It's a win-win situation that will benefit both students and employers in the Valley. For all the details check out the press release below.


San Jose, Calif.—In a continued effort to grow the local and regional economy, the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce has partnered with San Jose State University’s Career Center to create an opportunity for employers to find qualified candidates for open positions.

The partnership, a first of its kind, offers Silicon Valley businesses direct access to industry/academic partnerships, recruitment opportunities, and affordable talent acquisition services to help develop their first internship program or to fill open employment opportunities. SJSV Chamber members also gain discounted access to staffing and recruiting services by the SJSU Career Center via the only known university staffing agency in the U.S.: SJSU Spartan Staffing.

The SJSV Chamber and SJSU deploy a cross referral process upon registering with each organization, connecting businesses, non-profits, and government entities directly to each institution.


“As the region’s largest business organization, it is vital that we provide our members and the greater business community with the connections, information, resources and tools they need to be successful.  The San Jose State Career Center is the perfect partnership for us creating a direct pipeline between the business community and the talent pool that keeps our economy thriving.”
- Matthew R. Mahood, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce President & CEO


After the first three months, this partnership has attracted and referred more than 300 organizations to the Chamber, allowing members the opportunity to sustain and grow their business by hiring an intern, part-time or full-time candidate through SJSU.

As a result of the partnership, SJSU has connected approximately 250 Silicon Valley organizations to services and resources to assist them in filling internships and jobs in technology, business, government, education, architecture and design, nonprofit, and various other sectors.


“As the leading supplier of talent to Silicon Valley, and a global access point for companies around the world, we understand the importance of industry collaboration. Our students and alumni provide the practical intelligence and entrepreneurial attitude that continues to make Silicon Valley a global hub of innovation. We are proud of our partnership with the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce; it’s a natural fit for us. Providing organization cross-referrals, recruitment and staffing solutions, while collaborating with local community initiatives are creative systems that will serve our student, employer, and community needs.” 
-        Dr. Reginald S. Blaylock, Vice President for Student Affairs, San José State University


SJSU refers jobs and internships to the SJSV Chamber for the Opportunity Youth Partnership and San Jose Works Initiatives; SJSU has referred 10,000+ jobs and internships in the past six months.

About the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit business association representing nearly 1,500 employers and 250,000 employees throughout the greater Silicon Valley. Its mission is to create a strong local economy, provide premier business connections and visibility, represent the interests of business to government, promote the community and initiate political and community action.

About San Jose State University
The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, San Jose State provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 134 areas of study with 110 concentrations – offered through its eight colleges.

With more than 33,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, San Jose State continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing more than 7,000 graduates to the workforce.

The university is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its more than 220,000 alumni, 60 percent of whom live and work in the Bay Area.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

SJSU Drone Footage

In yet another Downtown San Jose drone video, you can explore the San Jose State University campus while listening to catchy music.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

San Jose State University is Beating Out Elite Schools for Tech Jobs

A recent CBS report reveals that getting hired at a high-paying Silicon Valley tech company does not require a degree from an "elite" school. In fact, Silicon Valley companies are hiring more San Jose State University alums than any other college or university. As an example, SJSU topped both Stanford and Cal for the most alums working at Apple.

What is the secret of the university's success? SJSU students have a reputation for getting stuff done. You can sit around and talk about a problem all day, or you can get your hands dirty and fix it. I imagine the prestigious schools spending more time teaching their students about theory and planning versus execution. Plus, many SJSU students are already working while studying, and nothing beats real-world experience.

The word is starting to get around. SJSU enrollment is up to 33,000 students this year, and many of them are coming internationally from countries like India. The University is building a global brand and an outstanding reputation, something that will benefit San Jose and our local economy for generations!

Source: CBS, Big hat tip to Dan De La O for sending this in!



Monday, July 27, 2015

SJSU Campus Village Phase II

San Jose State University's newest student housing building is now well under construction. The $126 million building will be next to Campus Village Phase I and have 850 beds across 10 floors. This will allow SJSU to move further away from it's prior reputation as a commuter school and attract more students from out of state or the country.

Check out the latest construction photos below courtesy of Robertee from the San Jose Development Forum.







Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Wednesday Wishlist: UC San Jose

Madison Nguyen--former San Jose District 7 Councilwoman--wrote a great article suggesting that the next UC campus should be in San Jose... and I couldn't agree more.

San Jose has more STEM jobs per capita than any other major city in the US (by far). There are so many in fact, that we rely heavily on importing talent from all around the world to fill them. Even then there are over 50,000 job openings today in Santa Clara County. The demand has never been greater for another world-class University in Silicon Valley to help increase our talent pool for highly skilled workers.

Madison Nguyen mentions new legislation to scout for a future campus that would have a specific focus on "STEAM" education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. She states that it is envisioned as a public CalTech at a far more affordable price. Hello, could there be any better location than San Jose for this?

I'll even add one more interesting suggestion that would sweeten the ROI for a UC San Jose, and that would be sharing resources with SJSU. Universities are expensive to build and maintain, so what if certain resources such as the MLK Library and Spartan Stadium could be shared between two world-class educational institutions and have operating costs split between them. Perhaps even some classes could be cross-listed, giving students at both Universities a greater range of educational options and electives. If there is one thing Silicon Valley is great at besides innovation, it's collaboration.

Read Madison Nguyen's opinion piece on UC San Jose over here. 


Tuesday, April 28, 2015

SJSU Animation/Illustration Showcase

This Friday, SJSU's Animation/Illustration graduating class will be launching their senior gallery at The Citadel (199 Martha Street). The opening reception will run from 6:30pm to 11pm, but the artwork will be up through May 23rd. Hours for the gallery are on the banner below.




Sunday, April 26, 2015

Great Downtown Photo

There is a ton of construction right now at SJSU. Check out the shot below showing one of the cranes on campus as well as the Downtown skyline in the background.

Source: Jawz from the San Jose Development Forum, SJSU Twitter Account




Thursday, April 23, 2015

Escape from The Werewolf Village

A new "Escape" game is coming to San Jose! If you haven't done one of these yet, they're a blast. Its basically a live game where your team has an hour to figure out how to escape a room by solving a series of puzzles. It's a unique and challenging experience and I'm stoked to another escape game coming to San Jose.

This particular event is only taking place from May 21st-24th at the San Jose Woman's Club (75 S 11th Street, San Jose). I normally would not post this far in advance, but I have a feeling these tickets will sell out. You can find out more about this great event and get tickets over here.

There is also "Escape from the Mysterious Room" on North First Street, which is exceptionally well done. That event is ongoing and you can get tickets here.


Thursday, February 5, 2015

Rockage 4.0: February 6-8 at the SJSU Student Union

Do you love video games? How about indie music? Rockage 4.0 combines the two all weekend long! In addition, this event has industry panels, classic arcades, and video game vendors. It's well worth checking out and is a great example of some of the unique events San Jose should be focusing on. Below you can see the music/panel schedule. For more info head here and for tickets head here.





Thursday, December 18, 2014

Downtown San Pedro Square Market #3?

The San Pedro Square Market set off a chain reaction in the Downtown San Jose food scene unlike any other I can remember. Not only is the original SPSM looking to capitalize on its success and substantially expand over the next few years, but it seems like everyone is now jumping on the market concept to try to be the next SPSM. A few months ago, the second Downtown market officially opened its doors with two great vendors. By the end of next year, the SoFA Market should be completely leased out and act as a key anchor in the neighborhood.

Now, get this... there are plans for a THIRD market near San Jose State University called Metro Public Eatery and Bar. This will be next to the Grocery Outlet on the corner of Sixth and Santa Clara. The size of the space is 10,000 SQFT and it can support up to 10 eateries! There will also be a full-service speakeasy-style cocktail bar and a special events area for private parties.

Like the other Downtown markets, there will be no chains. Some of the planned eateries are a kabob-style restaurant with exotic meats like bison and alligator, a fish taco stand, a Japanese burger bar, tapas, and a pastry shop. You can also expect live music and entertainment on the weekends.

The new market will also try to differentiate itself with a modern industrial design targeted to students and office workers Downtown. Currently the Metro Public Eatery is in permitting and scheduled to open by the end of 2015. I can't wait!

Source: Spartan Daily


Sunday, December 7, 2014

Mark Your Calendars: Rockage 4.0 February 6-8th!

One of my favorite events Downtown combines both retro video games and live music with local bands. Spread across three days, there will be over 30 indie rock bands, chiptune artists and DJs, and 50 rare classic cabinets and pinball machines, and tons of classic game vendors. New this year will be a third stage and a partership with MAGFest, whe east coast video game music and geek culture festival.

I'll have more info closer to the event, but if you are interested I would recommend following them here: http://rockagesj.tumblr.com/


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Symphony Ready to Break Ground on Student Housing Project

Symphony Development has finished acquiring the site needed to build Downtown's first apartment community specifically designed for SJSU students off-campus. The project is located right behind the Vintage Tower (across the street from City Hall).

The building will be a total of seven floors, two for parking and the rest for the apartments. There is no retail component, but tons of restaurants are available within three blocks (including Ike's). The total unit count will be 119 split across in 2-4 bedroom configurations, all of which will come fully furnished. While they will rent to anyone, this building is really designed for students. Symphony is planning to rent by the room at a rate of $750 to $1,250 a month, and that will include internet, cable, etc.

Also on tap are study rooms, barbecue pits, a recreation center, and swimming pool. While it may not be as tall as we would like, I think it will be a great infill project that will be an asset to the SJSU community.

Source: SVBJ




Monday, July 14, 2014

SJSU Starting Construction on $126M Student Housing Project!

We're going to have another crane in the air before long and this one will be on the SJSU campus. The University has broken ground on a student housing project with 850 beds. The building will be 10 floors, a bit shy of the 15 floor high-rise a stones-throw away.

This project is Phase 2 of the Campus Village project and will cost a cool $126M. Phase 1 was completed in 2005 and added a total of 2,275 beds.

As Nathan Donato-Weinstein mentions in the source link below, this will be a major step in moving SJSU from a commuter school to a more urban university. The building should be done by Summer 2016.

Source: SVBJ


Monday, March 3, 2014

San Jose State Has FIVE Major Projects Underway!

SJSU has five--yes five--major projects happening right now. They add up to a total of more than a quarter billion dollars of new development, and one of them includes a 10-story tower that will house 850 students. I walked through the campus a few weeks ago and was surprised to see so many areas fenced off.

Below are a couple recent photos of the new Student Union building (top) and the new Student Health and Counseling Center taken by Joseph Meduri (who also sent in the tip on these projects). If you keep scrolling down, you will get a quick synopsis of the projects underway.




Student Union Expansion Renovation

The project will add approximately 100,000 SF of expansions and renovate existing Student Union. The building will have new ballroom, food court,theater, meeting rooms, and student program spaces.
  • Status Construction Phase
  • Construction Duration: 9/2010-6/2014
  • Total Construction Estimate: $65,000,000
Student Union Expansion Sketch Drawing


Spartan Complex Renovation

The primary project objectives are to upgrade the existing structural system of the complex to be concurrent with the current building codes,correct ADA deficiencies,correct fire life safety deficiencies,construct new infrastructure, make program modifications, and hazmat abatement.
  • Status Construction Phase
  • Phase I Construction consists of the YUH and
  • YUH Annex, from 7/2013 -7/2014
  • Phase II construction consists of SPXC and
  • SPXE, from 8/2014-8/2015
Spartan Complex Sketch Drawing


Student Health & Counseling Center

The project is a new 3 story 52,000 SF building located on 7th Street and Paseo de San Carlos. The building will house Student Health Center, Counseling Services and Wellness Center.
  • Status Construction Phase
  • Construction Duration: 6/2013-1/2015
  • Total Construction Estimate: $24,600,000
Student Health Center Sketch Drawing



Spartan Stadium End Zone Building

The 61,000 SF facility will house sports medicine and athletic training space, a football team locker room, football coaching staff offices, meeting rooms, a hall of fame, and an auditorium. The facility will serve the day-to-day operations of the athletic department,and provide hospitality space on game days. It will be located at the South Campus site,north of Spartan Stadium.
  • Status - Design Phase
  • Construction Duration: 2/2014-9/2015
  • Total Construction Estimate: $32,000,000
Spartan Stadium End Zone Building Sketch Drawing


Campus Village Phase 2

A new 850 bed student housing is being proposed at the corner of 9th Street and Peseo de San Carlos. The new building will house up to 850 beds, common study rooms, lounge, multi-purpose room, recreation space, and other support spaces. It is expected to be a 10 story high rise building.
  • Status - Planning Phase
  • Construction Duration: 6/2014-7/2016
  • Total Construction Estimate: $100,000,000
Campus Village Phase 2 Map Drawing

Friday, January 24, 2014

Rockage 3.0: February 7-9th @ SJSU Student Union

Three days of indie music and retro gaming will be coming to Downtown San Jose in early February. Rockage 3.0 features 25 bands (several local ones), DJs, and 50+ classic arcades and pinball machines. You will even be able to meet independent game soundtrack composers and learn about their craft. This sounds like a great event for fans of either indie music and/or video games, which I'm sure you will find a lot of in San Jose.

This is the largest Rockage event so far, and is targeted towards all ages. You can learn more at RockageSJ.com or their Facebook page. Head down past the flier for the full release.


ROCKAGE INDIE MUSIC AND RETRO VIDEO GAME CELEBRATION RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE FOR THE THIRD YEAR AT A NEW VENUE ON SAN JOSE STATE CAMPUS
            
* * Featuring live music from 25+ bands/ DJs and a huge collection of retro video games **

WHAT:            

For three exciting days, music and video game fans will experience some of the most cherished old school video games in the ultimate celebration of independent music, digital nostalgia, and retro bliss as Rockage 3.0® returns to Downtown San Jose!  More than 25 dynamic indie rock bands, chiptune artists and DJs will perform over the weekend in front of a classic free play arcade backdrop of more than 50 rare classic cabinets and pinball. 

In addition to the live music and arcade, die-hard fans can meet the composers of many modern independent game soundtracks and learn how to make their own chiptune music through workshops and panels. The intimate venue on campus at San Jose State University gives fans unparalleled access to meet and play their all-time favorite video games with their favorite independent musicians! 

Bit Brigade, video game rock band from Athens, Georgia, will be headlining the event. They will perform the full soundtrack and simultaneous speed run of The Legend Of Zelda for the first time on the West Coast live on Saturday, February 8th.

One of the steady-growing independent music festivals in the Bay Area, Rockage 3.0® has doubled attendance each year providing quality low-priced family entertainment in Downtown San Jose. Now in its third year, Rockage 3.0® looks to extend its appeal to a like-minded audience with more bands, more games, and more excitement.

WHO:               

Bit Brigade, Mega Ran, crashfaster, Slime Girls, Danimal Cannon, The Megas, Curious Quail, Matthew Joseph Payne, Super Soul Bros., Picture Atlantic, Good Hustle, Gnarboots, Space Town Savior, Cartoon Violence, Petriform, Together We Are Robots, Hawk Jones, The Albert Square, Ghost & The City, Porch, Lady Game Lyric, Space Boyfriend, Cartoon Bar Fight, Boboso, Jean Baudin, Continuum Kingdom, DJ Mr Smith, DJ Coco.                       

WHERE:          

San Jose State University, Student Union Ballroom – One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192

WHEN:
            

Friday, February 7 – Sunday, February 9, 2014Friday 3:00 PM – midnight
Saturday NOON – midnight
Sunday NOON – 8:00 PM

TICKETS*:      
Ticket prices – $30 for a 3-day pass or $20 for one day, at the door.                       
Advance tickets – $30 for a 3-day pass http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/540015
Kids tickets (ages 2-12) – FREE on Sunday (2/9) at the door with adult admission.
*Tickets may be subject to service charges, facility and handling fees.  

For more information and updates log onto http://www.RockageSJ.com

Monday, January 6, 2014

Student Apartment Project Groundbreaking in June

While not as impressive as Centerra or One South, Symphony Development is planning a dense infill project targeting SJSU students at 51 N. Sixth Street. The site is a parking lot for the First United Methodist Church right behind the 12-story Art Deco Vintage Tower. The building will consist of 119 market-rate apartments spread across seven stories on a one-acre lot (the first two floors will be parking). The total price tag will be around $40 million.

I don't believe this project has a retail component, but the sketch below does look like it has a couple sections that would make ideal retail spots. They could simply be communal areas. There is some retail right in front of this building in the Vintage Tower, as well as tons of places to eat within a few blocks such as Ike's, ISO: Beers, Cafe Pomegranate, 4th Street Pizza, Punjab Cafe, and popular SJSU hangout spot SmokeEaters. There will also be a BRT station within a block or two. I think this will be a great addition to the neighborhood!

Source: SVBJ
An elevation of Symphony Development's seven-story project tucked behind Vintage Tower. Construction should start in June.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Substantial SJSU Projects Coming Down the Line

The revised master plan for San Jose State University's Southeast Quadrant could pave the way for another tall student building on campus. Compared to the existing buildings, it looks like it may hit up to 15 stories at it's highest point and would wrap around a new recreation area, aquatic center, and dining commons. Once the general plan is approved, the real design work will begin.

Source: Franco Rancadore, SJSU Newsletter

Southeast Quadrant Master Plan

Southeast Quadrant Master Plan Update

Ten months ago, FD&O began working on a project to develop a Facilities Master Plan for the southeast quadrant (SEQMP) of the campus. The SEQMP encompasses the area of campus south of Paseo de San Carlos, between 7th Street and 10th Street. Once the plan is approved by the campus, specific project design will begin.
The purpose of the SEQMP project is to ensure a well considered road map for facility development in that part of campus. Given that we will be developing a new aquatic center, recreation center, additional student housing and expanded dining facilities on this portion of campus, planning is critical to ensure the best final development. Through the assessment of current facility conditions, proximity relationships, and long range construction and demolition plans, the SEQMP project will ensure that we build the best possible facilities to serve our campus. 
Ultimately, this project will be recommended for review and consideration by the Campus Planning Board, Campus Leadership and the Chancellor's Office. 
In the rendering above, the "Bricks" student housing will be removed. New housing is indicated in red, an aquatic center in teal, a recreation center in purple, and a new dining commons in yellow. Once the overall plan is approved by the campus, specific project design will begin.