New KT Properties Sister Tower Renders!!!

The two tower high-rise project across from the San Pedro Square Market has gotten a new set of renders, and the buildings look gorgeous! This is what towers in Silicon Valley should look like. Be sure to check out the night shot below, highlighting the cool LED accent lighting.

It appears that this KT Properties project is now being called "Silvery Towers." Also worth mentioning, there is a three-story retail pavilion that is separate from the two towers. An outdoor dining terrace will be part of the top retail pavilion floor featuring a nice view of the San Pedro Square Market. The main building will have tons of retail and two large bike-parking rooms on the ground floor. On the podium there is an infinity-edge pool, bocce ball courts, and common areas for residents.

My hat goes off to KT Properties on this project. If you are still on the fence on whether Downtown San Jose is on a positive trajectory or not... the renders below should help sway you in the right direction.

Source: mjmcalister from the San Jose Development Forum

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

Stealth San Jose Startup Raises $33 Million

One of Silicon Valley's leading VC firms has just given a huge vote of confidence to a San Jose startup. Sequoia Ventures invested $33 Million in VIPtela, a networking company that is still in stealth mode. Word on the street is that they are helping large companies build more agile and secure networks. VIPtela is located at 1735 Technology Drive, near the San Jose airport.

Source: All Things D

Playful People Productions Presents: Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids

Dalmatian parents Pongo and Perdita live a happy, quiet life in London with their eight puppies and two human pets – Roger and Anita.  But when their villainous neighbor Cruella De Vil decides to kidnap the puppies with the help of her two henchmen, the race is on for the dogs of London to find and save the puppies before they become another fur coat in Cruella’s collection!

Keep your pups on their leashes!  Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS is certain to charm and delight all audiences.  A fun and spirited adaptation of the classic Disney animated film, performed by a fabulous cast of eager 4-9 year olds who are sure to put a smile on your face!

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:

Friday, January 17th  7:00pm

Saturday, January 18th 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm

Sunday, January 19th 10:00am and 2:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net

$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)

$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the Healthiest Housing Market in the US

According to Zillow, San Jose has the healthiest housing market in the country. Right behind us is San Francisco, followed by Los Angeles in 3rd place and San Diego in 4th. Sacramento came in 10th place, meaning five of the top 10 housing markets are currently in California.

This should help reduce the number of homeowners that are underwater with their mortgage and overall foreclosures, but continued housing appreciation will also make it more difficult for people to afford to live here.

Source: NBC News, Hat tip to Barclay Livker

Cavium Doubles San Jose Office Space

Cavium is a networking company that was founded in three small office rooms in San Jose back in 2000. They eventually moved to Santa Clara, then Mountain View, and in 2011 they returned home to San Jose. Now, they are expanding their footprint in North San Jose by signing a lease for a neighboring 111,000 SQFT building at 2345 N. First. This will bring them up to a grand total of 224,000 SQFT.

North San Jose office vacancy was 21.5% last quarter, so this expansion should made a positive dent in those figures sometime in the near future.

Source: SVBJ

Strike Brewing Co. Building a Permanent Home Right Here in San Jose!

It has been two years since San Jose's own Strike Brewing Co. launched. They are well known for their IPAs, Reds, and seasonal beers (the Stout is my favorite). While looking for a home, they have been using Hermitage's brewing facilities which is also located in San Jose (7th Street). They could have moved anywhere in Silicon Valley, but they decided to keep their permanent brewery right here in San Jose. You'll be able to visit them at 2099 S. 10th Street after they are fully up and running in March of this year. It sounds like they will have a tasting/tap room, so we have yet another craft beer destination to look forward to!

Paul Mitchell Beaty School Opening Downtown

The California Academy has signed a lease for a 20,000 SQFT standalone building over at 130 Almaden Blvd. in Downtown San Jose's CityView Plaza.. The plan is to build a Paul Mitchell-branded cosmetology school with capacity for 200-250 students and 30 employees. The school is planning to serve around 500 clients and will offer discounted prices on a full line of services such as cuts, colorings, and stylings.

The school is hoping to move in by April 2014, filling yet another vacant Downtown space.

Source: SVBJ