CAVA Brings Its Mediterranean Bowls to Santana Row in 2027

After years of fan requests, the popular Mediterranean fast-casual chain CAVA has confirmed its first Northern California location will open next year at Santana Row. The restaurant will take space at 3055 Olin Avenue, Suite 1035, marking the chain’s long-awaited arrival in the Bay Area.

CAVA specializes in customizable bowls and pitas built around grains, proteins, vegetables, dips, and dressings in a style often compared to Chipotle. The company currently operates more than 450 restaurants nationwide, with all of its existing California locations concentrated in the southern part of the state. Two additional Bay Area sites closer to San Francisco are also planned, though exact addresses and timelines remain unannounced.

Each new restaurant typically employs 25 to 40 local team members, so the Santana Row opening should create fresh jobs alongside the expanded dining options. The arrival fills a gap that many residents have noted for some time as the brand’s popularity grew elsewhere.

Santana Row already offers a dense mix of shopping and restaurants, making it a logical first foothold for the chain in the region. Once the doors open in 2027, diners will finally be able to grab those well-known Mediterranean bowls without leaving the South Bay.

Source: KRON4

A Faster Path for Diridon Station’s Transformation

California lawmakers took a meaningful step last week when the Assembly Appropriations Committee approved SB 1375 and sent it to the full Assembly. The measure creates a targeted exemption from California Environmental Quality Act review for qualifying urban intermodal rail station modernization projects that meet environmental, labor, and community standards while limiting construction impacts and protecting against displacement. Authored by Senator Dave Cortese of San Jose, the bill positions the long-planned overhaul of Diridon Station to move forward with fewer redundant delays.

Diridon already functions as a critical node on the western edge of Downtown San Jose, serving Caltrain, Amtrak, ACE, and VTA light rail and bus lines. Future service will layer in BART through the Silicon Valley Phase II extension, additional Capitol Corridor trains, and California high-speed rail. The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 business plan targets extension of service from the Central Valley to San Jose and San Francisco by 2039. Partner agencies including the City of San Jose, Caltrain, VTA, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the High-Speed Rail Authority selected an at-grade station alternative in 2025 that keeps tracks near today’s street level while rebuilding platforms, the historic depot, public plazas, and street connections. Normal environmental review for that program was projected to consume three to four years before design and construction could fully advance.

Streamlining the state environmental process while federal NEPA review continues could shave years off the timeline for a facility expected to handle nearly 100,000 daily passengers once complete. That scale of connectivity supports denser housing and jobs within walking distance of frequent transit, eases highway congestion, and advances the region’s climate targets. Mayor Matt Mahan has described Diridon as poised to become the busiest transit hub west of the Mississippi, provided modernization does not stall. Councilmember Michael Mulcahy has likewise framed the station as a foundation for sustainable growth that links jobs, sports venues, and neighborhoods across Downtown San Jose and the South Bay.

Passage of SB 1375 would not eliminate every review or community conversation. It would, however, remove one layer of duplication for a project that has already undergone years of planning, design alternatives analysis, and public input. For a city investing heavily in transit-oriented development around Diridon, including Google’s Downtown West project, the difference between a delayed station and a completed one will shape daily life for decades.

Source: SVBJ

Bellarmine Launches Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Bellarmine College Preparatory has established the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to give students a structured path from idea to real-world impact. The program centers on identifying meaningful problems and developing solutions that serve others, consistent with the school’s Jesuit mission.

Students move through three phases: Ideate, where they reflect on real challenges; Create, where they prototype and refine solutions with access to the Maker Lab, seed funding, and campus resources; and Impact, where they present work through pitches, showcases, or further development. Mentors drawn from Silicon Valley technology and entrepreneurship backgrounds provide guidance throughout.

Early student projects already illustrate the range of work underway. One focuses on accessibility technology that adds subtitles for facial expressions, while another explores biologically enhanced concrete for more sustainable infrastructure. These efforts sit alongside expanded classes, workshops, competitions, and speaker opportunities that help students gain experience usually reserved for college.

The Institute acts as a central hub connecting existing campus tools and new support systems so ideas do not stall in isolation. For a San Jose school long known for academic rigor and service, the program adds a practical outlet for entrepreneurial thinking rooted in city synonymous with innovation.

Source: Bellarmine College Preparatory

VTA Light Rail Critical Feedback

"Classy Whale" has ridden every single major metro system in America and has just posted a brutal review of the VTA light rail system. Unfortunately, he makes a lot of fair points.

Slower average speeds and longer headways remain part of the current experience, especially outside peak hours. Those realities stem from the original design that favored median running through lower-density areas rather than fully exclusive rights-of-way. Yet the same network continues to support transit-oriented projects and future extensions that aim to densify key corridors. Riders who board at Milpitas or Diridon already gain seamless ties to regional rail, and the light rail itself delivers a car-free way to move between them.

Still, we should take a hard honest look at the system to see what is really needed to bring transit times down and frequencies up. Improvements in those key areas will translate to increased ridership and rider satisfaction.

Source: Youtube

 

Affordable Housing Project Breaks Ground Near Downtown San Jose

Eden Housing has broken ground on a new four-story affordable housing development at 700 East Saint John Street. The project will deliver 68 units, including 48 homes for households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income and 20 permanent supportive housing units for seniors exiting homelessness.

The L-shaped building incorporates ground-level podium parking and forms part of the broader East Santa Clara Master Plan. Design work by Architects FORA includes a façade that shifts from cement panels on the lower levels to darker brown and tan tones higher up, along with painted mural elements. Amenities planned for residents include a community room with kitchen, food pantry, laundry facilities, and recreation spaces on each floor.

The site sits close to Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University, and neighborhood services. It also involves adaptive reuse of the neighboring Building 800, a historic structure that once housed IBM’s first West Coast offices.

Officials including U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma attended the groundbreaking ceremony on August 6. The project adds much-needed homes for seniors and lower-income residents in a central location while contributing to the ongoing transformation of the former hospital area.

Source: SF YIMBY

Grande Pizzeria Makes Its Welcome Return to Downtown San Jose

After seven years of silence on East San Carlos Street, Grande Pizzeria has stepped back into the Downtown San Jose scene across from San Jose State University. Owner Nick Barrita poured more than $250,000 of his own money into the nearly 1,700-square-foot space, which now seats roughly 130 guests including a sizable outdoor patio for 80. The doors opened on August 3 without outside investors, a decision that followed heavy pandemic delays, labor shortages, and climbing costs that kept the longtime campus hangout dark for so long.

Barrita absorbed around $500,000 in losses during the closure yet covered them through his other local spots, La Victoria Taqueria and Burger Bar. The location still sits in a strong position for foot traffic. Major events earlier this year, from the Super Bowl to FIFA matches and FanimeCon, reinforced his belief that San Carlos Street stays lively when the city draws crowds. Regulars had been pushing for the return, some half-joking that they needed the place open before they were gone. The kitchen answered by keeping signature pastas and favorites while expanding the seafood options and shifting to a more casual setup where tables order through QR codes.

Once fully staffed the restaurant expects to employ 10 to 12 people. Nate LeBlanc of the San Jose Downtown Association noted that bringing back a familiar local name fills an empty storefront and strengthens the hospitality mix that helps create lasting memories for students and visitors alike. A similar revival is underway nearby at Peanut’s Deluxe Cafe, another former SJSU favorite now under new ownership with cooperative plans. Together these reopenings add energy to a stretch of Downtown that benefits when college-area classics come back online.

The timing feels right for anyone who remembers the old Grande or simply wants a solid pizza and pasta option steps from campus. The patio offers a chance to sit outside, the expanded menu gives new choices alongside the classics, and the casual approach keeps things easy for both quick bites and longer stays. Downtown San Jose gains another steady presence that ties the SJSU community to the broader Downtown area.

Source: SVBJ

Swades Turns Plaza de Cesar Chavez into a Daylong Celebration of India’s Independence

San Jose residents looking for a memorable Saturday afternoon and evening can make their way to Plaza de Cesar Chavez on Saturday, August 15th for AIA Swades 2026. The Association of Indo Americans has filled the park with a free Day and Night Mela that runs until 10:30 p.m., pairing India’s 80th Independence Day with America’s 250th anniversary in the heart of Downtown San Jose.

The afternoon’s centerpiece arrives at 4 p.m. when the multinational India Day Parade steps off with more than 75 floats, marching groups, and cultural contingents. Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu serves as honorable guest and grand marshal, while San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Consul General of India Dr. Srikar Reddy join as chief guests for the flag-raising ceremony that follows. Families already on site have the chance to take part in the record-breaking Indian human flag formation and the Tiranga Walk that weave through the plaza.

Between the pageantry, the Mela keeps the energy high with nostalgic street food stalls, a shopping marketplace, live cultural performances including Vijay Bharat dances of India, a fashion show, and a dedicated kids zone. The night market portion stretches under the lights as the park stays open late, giving visitors plenty of time to sample flavors and linger with friends.

This gathering once again shows how Downtown San Jose becomes a natural stage for the city’s many communities. Free registration for the Mela remains available through AIAevents.org, and the Eventbrite listing offers the latest updates for anyone still planning to head over.

Rising Star Pianist Angel Stanislav Wang Opens Steinway Society Season

Steinway Society – The Bay Area will launch its 31st season on Sunday, September 27, with a recital by 23-year-old pianist Angel Stanislav Wang at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the De Anza College campus in Cupertino. The 2:30 p.m. program, titled Worlds Away, moves from the Spanish lyricism of Granados through Liszt’s demanding Sonata in B Minor, Debussy’s atmospheric Estampes, and the rhythmic drive of Stravinsky’s Three Movements from Petrushka.

Wang has already collected major international prizes, including silver at the Tchaikovsky Competition, first prize at the Rachmaninoff Competition, and a place as one of the youngest finalists in Van Cliburn history. Born in Los Angeles and trained in Moscow, he has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Musikverein while building a reputation for expressive power and technical command. The Cupertino appearance marks a local chance to hear an artist whose career is accelerating across major venues and series.

The intimate 400-seat hall at De Anza offers a clear acoustic setting well suited to solo piano. Steinway Society, a Silicon Valley nonprofit now entering its fourth decade, continues its focus on presenting award-winning pianists alongside an active education program. Single tickets range from $53 to $78, with senior and student discounts available; three- and six-concert subscriptions remain on offer for those who want to hear the full season.

Tickets and full season details are available through steinwaysociety.com or by calling 408-300-5635.

Lokahi Polynesian Dance Group Presents Hō’ike 2026 at the Hammer Theatre

Lōkahi Polynesian Dance Group opens its 27th annual Hō’ike this weekend at the Hammer Theatre Center in Downtown San Jose. The two-night event runs August 15 and 16 and centers on the island of Maui, inviting audiences to experience the place many call “Maui nō ka ʻoi” through hula and Ori Tahiti.

Dancers ranging from age two to more than sixty fill the stage, creating a true celebration of ʻohana. Mothers perform alongside daughters, fathers share the floor with their children, and longtime members who have danced with the group for over 25 years stand next to first-time performers. The company has spent the past year preparing the program that highlights Maui’s landscapes, traditions and music.

The Hammer Theatre, located at 101 Paseo de San Antonio, provides an intimate setting for the multi-generational production. Orchestra and parterre seats remain available while the balcony has already sold out, reflecting strong local interest in the long-running cultural showcase.

This Hō’ike continues Lōkahi’s tradition of presenting Polynesian dance as both performance and family gathering right in the heart of Downtown San Jose. Those who attend will find a stage full of shared history, carefully learned choreography and the spirit of aloha that has defined the group since 1999.

For tickets and more info, head over here.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Plans Large House of Sport on Blossom Hill Road

Dick’s Sporting Goods will open a nearly 99,000-square-foot House of Sport store at 920 Blossom Hill Road in San Jose, on the rebuilt site of a former Home Depot destroyed by fire in 2022. The large-format location is expected to arrive in 2027 near Westfield Oakridge.

House of Sport stores go beyond traditional retail with interactive features such as climbing walls, golf simulators, and batting cages. The company has already filed permits for exterior remodeling and tenant improvements at the property. Brokers from Econic and others handled the lease.

The new store will replace Dick’s existing roughly 40,000-square-foot location at nearby Sunrise Plaza, where the retailer has operated for decades. The Blossom Hill corridor continues to draw national brands thanks to surrounding shopping centers, residential density, and convenient access. Boot Barn is also preparing an 18,000-square-foot store in the same area.

The arrival of this expanded format gives south San Jose shoppers a more experiential place to buy sporting goods and try activities on site while reinforcing the commercial strength of the Blossom Hill corridor.

Source: SVBJ