Tallest Proposed Hi-Rise in San Jose

Okay, so the current economy isn't exactly a harbinger of optimism to the San Jose construction scene. Despite everything, there still are quite a number of projects on the table, particularly in the downtown San Jose area. There's a handy San Jose Future Highrise Map link on the right hand menu to this blog to give you an idea of how many projects are shovel ready, approved, or proposed (along with photos if we have them).

I wanted to highlight the tallest approved project, the One South Market building by KT Properties and designed by Ankrom Moisan. If completed, it should stand somewhere between 315-338 feet tall and be the tallest building between San Francisco and LA. Also, it couldn't be in a better location with easy access to San Pedro Square, 1st St, 2nd St, and Market. For more details about the building head down past the photos!

Description from the Ankrom Moisan website:

"Located in the heart of downtown, the building is adjacent to the San Pedro Square dining and entertainment district. New retail space at street level and the addition of permanent residents will increase pedestrian activity in the district and make it safer through a significant number of "eyes on the street." The building design uses a modern palette of materials, with a transparent curtainwall skin at the base that rises to a glass and stone tower designed in a Mondrian-like pattern. The tower will be a striking presence on the San Jose skyline, offering residents views of downtown and the surrounding Santa Cruz and Diablo Mountain ranges. Residents of the 300 luxury condos will enjoy a variety of amenities, including a landscaped elevated plaza deck with lap pool and spa. Bus and lightrail access is only one block away. 1 South Market is designed as a 22-story, 610,000 sf building with 300 luxury condominiums."

Dane Cook @ HP Pavilion, Sun 5/31

Here's the news release:

Fresh on the heels of the announcement of his Comedy Central special and comedy album, ISolated INcident, comedian Dane Cook has now announced plans to take his material on the road with the ISolated INcident - Global Thermo Comedy Tour. Touted as the largest comedy tour in history, Cook will travel within the US, Canada, Africa, Brazil, Australia, UK and Germany.

Tickets range from $30 to $100 and can be purchased here!

Hungry? San Jose Restaurant Lists

There are hundreds of great restaurants in San Jose representing every category and ethnicity possible. So how do you pick where to go? Personally, I first pick a type of food I'm in the mood for and then refer to this handy list put together at sanjose.org.

If you would like to limit your selections to Downtown San Jose, then the Downtown San Jose Association also has their own list. I've been to at least 90% of the restaurants downtown, and try to hit up a new one each week. There is also a great promotion coming soon to downtown restaurants allowing you to get a 3-4 course meal for a reasonable fixed price. I'll post more info about that right before the promotion goes into effect!

Latest San Jose Airport Construction Photos

Taken from the SJC Website.

San Jose Airport - Potential People Mover Route?

There have been talks for quite sometime of building a people mover or personal rapid transit system (PRT) connecting San Jose International Airport to existing and future transportation systems. These would include Light Rail, Caltrain, and even BART.

Today I stumbled upon an image of a potential route around SJC from the smart growth/planning site Cities21. Click on the image to see the full map. This might be a wild dream, but I'll be the first to celebrate if anything close to this actually comes to fruition!

Below is an example of what a PRT system "car" could look like. There are already some PRT systems in place around the world (West Virginia University, London Heathrow Airport, etc.).

The 88 - Observation Terrace (Open to all 88 Residents)

Okay, so maybe you can't afford the $2.75 million penthouse that I posted photos of yesterday. If you want to sit outside and bask in the Silicon Valley skyline while sipping on a glass of wine, you still have a couple of options. Option #1 is above. The 88 is the only residential high-rise to offer ALL residents a shared penthouse-level terrace. Condo owners can go up to the 21st floor and enjoy the view (and possibly that bar in the 3rd photo). Right now they have a bench, but I'm sure they'll be adding some patio furniture as more residents move in.

Oh, I mentioned a couple of options. Option #2 is to join or become friends with a member of the Capital Club (top floor of the Knight Ridder Builder next to the Fairmont). There are 2 massive balconies, a private restaurant, and a bar up there. As far as I know, these are the only two places in downtown San Jose where you can enjoy the view outdoors without purchasing a penthouse.

The 88 - Flagship Penthouse (Oh Baby)

The photos don't do this one justice. This is the largest penthouse unit on the 21st floor and has not one but two balconies, one of which is at least 700sqft.  Inside, you're looking at 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, around 2400sqft, and spectacular views from every window.  

The 88 - Corner Studio