Tuesday, September 23, 2014

September 2014 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:
  • Downtown office vacancy has dropped to 18.8%, versus a high of almost 29% during the Great Recession. Some of the recent big leases include:
    • Xactly in Riverpark II
    • Intacct in Riverpark II
    • ThreatMetrix's expansion to multiple floors at 160 W. Santa Clara
    • Regus on Almaden Boulevard
    • Electric Cloud in the Metropole building on Market
  • Boston Properties is looking for a major tenant for its approved plans to build an 840,000 SQFT office complex Downtown.
  • 46 sets of colorful banners celebrating Downtown's diversity are now on light poles along First and Second Streets.
  • Silvery Towers were sold to Full Powers Properties, which intend to move full-speed ahead and break ground Spring 2015 with completion in 2017. The towers will have a total of 643 units and 20,000 SQFT of retail adjacent to the historic Fallon House and San Pedro Square Market expansion. Originally these were planned to be apartments, but they now may be built as condominiums.
  • The San Pedro Square Market is planning to expand on a 13,045 SQFT lot across the street, next to the Fallon House. The new project is expected to be at least two stories.
  • Symphony Development has already started construction of its student housing project at 27 N. 6th.
  • Techmanity is bringing together technology and music on Oct 1st and 2nd at the Convention Center and various Downtown venues.
  • LitBit is nabbing the last 8,000 SQFT at the Metropole building at 35 S. Market.
  • Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition has moved Downtown to an office at 96 N. Third.
To read the full newsletter, click here!



Monday, September 22, 2014

Review & Photos - 7th Annual Luna Park Chalk Art Festival

Despite the fact we're in a drought, I am glad that it didn't rain on Saturday.

I know, I'm simply horrible to say such a thing.

But hear me out - on Saturday, it was the 7th Annual Luna Park Chalk Art Festival.

The Luna Park Chalk Art Festival "is an annual nonprofit event organized by volunteers to increase support for the arts in local schools and the community. The purpose of the festival is to provide a family-friendly, accessible venue to showcase the talents of local artists and students, foster awareness of the critical need for arts in schools and organizations serving youth, and to raise funds for providing grants and scholarships to meet that need." [lunaparkchalkart.org]

Last year I wanted to attend. We were going to bring our one and a half month old out for a day at the park. But since it was raining that didn't seem like a good idea. And apparently rain and chalk, for the most part, are not friends. Not unless you get really creative…

Anyway, this year it was sunny! Sun sun shiny sun hot sun.

My hubby and I packed up our 13 month old and headed to Backesto Park. It was hoppin'! Lots of people wandering around, checking out completed and in-progress chalk art pieces, listening to live performances, buying handmade goodies, or snacking on some food from a couple food trucks.



I love events like this. I really do. It's family fun, artsy, and it's at a park. It really makes me love San Jose even more than I already do.



So we made our way around part of the artwork, snagged a lunch from the truck Banjara Bistro. Chicken tikka masala in a crepe with a side spinach salad for me, and my hubby had the chicken tikka masala in an omelette. Then my hubby, a donut purist, moseyed over to Rollo's Donuts to bring back TWO donuts. However, he arrived with a bag of five instead. Apparently it pays to go to a donut shop a short time before they close. (Generous freebies.)

On to the artwork!

I noticed a *lot* of sea and sea life - fish, octopuses, and mermaids-a-plenty.



Pop culture references FTW!



Trader Joes not only had some artwork going on, they were giving out free snacks and water. Very generous and awesome of them. Unfortunately I did not win the "guess how many brussel sprouts" contest. Boo.



Both Dave Cortese and Sam Liccardo showed up to say a few ones. Not even going to get political here, but one sounded more enthused to be there than the other.



There were a ton of vendors, many of which I've seen numerous times at SOFA district or SJ Made events. There was something for everyone. If you like candles and knickknacks - they had that. Want designed t-shirts with local messaging - that was there (therethere.com to be specific, and a personal fave of mine.) Many of the chalk artists had booths as well. Working on the Back to the Future pixel art was David Canavese from OtherLife Art. I made a mental note to purchase one of his mixed pop culture referenced art pieces.



While we stayed for several hours we did not stay until the end so I didn't get a chance to see the final outcomes of some of the work-in-progress pieces I saw. But thanks to the magic of the interwebs, those photos are out there.

Follow Luna Park Chalk Art Festival on Facebook for updates - many people have shared their photos/links to photos via the Event page as well.

Feel free to check out the rest of my Luna Park Chalk Art Festival album of photos on Flickr. There are a lot of great pieces of work (in various stages) in there!

Also - see you next year! I made ornaments two years ago (for The San Jose Blog) at Christmas in the Park - I think next year we should have a sidewalk space to draw on. What do you think? I'm excited to participate!

52 Things About San Jose You Probably Didn't Know

Movoto put together a great list of San Jose statistics and fun facts, easily one of the best I have seen. If you haven't already gone through it, head over there right now and have a look. You'll be glad you did.

Here are some of my favorites from their list:

  • #4 - Roughly 35% of Venture Capital funds that are invested into American companies end up in San Jose
  • #5 - Best known for voicing Mario and Luigi, Charles Martinet is from San Jose
  • #7 - The 30 foot tall Check E. Cheese status in San Jose is the world's largest rat.
  • #8 - Rocking the crown since 1981, "The Wave" was invented by former San Jose State cheerleader Crazy George Henderson.
  • #10 - The Monopoly board in the Guadalupe River Park is 30 feet by 30 feet, making it the largest Monopoly board in the world.
  • #13 - Over half of the adults in San Jose have a college degree, making it one of the most educated cities in the country.
  • #16 - San Jose State University's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library is the largest public library west of the Mississippi.
  • #17 - Despite its large size, San Jose is the third safest large city in America with low crime rates and low criminal activity.
  • #23 - San Jose recycles the most among large American cities.
  • #28 - The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in San Jose is the oldest parish in California.
  • #34 - There are over 50 miles of commuting trails throughout San Jose.
  • #35 - Alum Rock Park is the oldest municipal park in the entire state of California.
  • #36 - More patents come out of San Jose than any other city in the country.
  • #40 - San Jose is often called the most bike-friendly city in California, with bicycle clubs dating back to 1884.
  • #49 - San Jose's Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the West.
  • #51 - According to Glassdoor's Employment Satisfaction Report, San Jose employees are the most satisfied in the nation.
  • #52 - Boasting a presence of close to 7,000 tech companies, San Jose is the most concentrated tech center in the entire world.

Source: Movoto






Sunday, September 21, 2014

Record Condo Sale in Downtown San Jose

The most expensive condo sales on a square foot basis in Downtown San Jose just happened last month. One of The 88's penthouses clocking in at 1,488 SQFT was sold for $2.2 million dollars. This comes out to be $1,478 per square foot, something you would expect to see for condos in New York or San Francisco.

The price may seem steep, but this unit does come with one of the most amazing balconies in Downtown San Jose, if not the entire Bay Area. You practically have a back yard in the sky. This unit was previously sold in November 2012 for $1.16 million.

Sources: Black & Gold, SSC




 

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Saturday Stats: Santa Clara County is One of the 10 Best in California

This week's Saturday stat is for our county. Movoto looked at all 58 counties in California in order to determine where the best places to live would be. Here are the criteria that went into the rankings:

  • Unemployment rate (the lower the better)
  • Median household income (the higher the better)
  • Median rent (the higher the better, to indicate area’s desirability)
  • Median home price (the higher the better, to indicate desirability)
  • Percent of families below the poverty line (the lower the better)
  • High school graduation rate (the higher the better)
  • Average Commute Time (the lower the better)

Santa Clara county took #3. Half of the places on the list were in the Bay Area; SF came in at the bottom of the top 10.

Best Counties in California
1. Marin County
2. San Mateo County
3. Santa Clara County
4. San Luis Obispo County
5. Ventura County
6. Placer County
7. Napa County (tie)
7. Orange County (tie)
9. Santa Barbara County
10. San Francisco County

Source: Movoto


Update: The Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Opens on December 9th!

The highly anticipated Whole Foods on The Alameda finally has a grand opening date! Mark your calendars for December 10th December 9th. Update: the grand opening has been pushed forward by a day! That is when both the grocery store and the two-story microbrewery/tap room open up. This will be the very first Whole Foods with an integrated microbrewery.

The store is grocery going to be 35,000 SQFT while the brewery building will clock in at 5,600 SQFT. There is a patio area connecting the two buildings which you can see in the photo below. The brewery will also have a coffee and fresh juice venue and a restaurant-style menu. 15 taps will be curated by an in-house brewmaster, which will host a wide variety of seasonal and local beers in addition to the signature brews made in house.

Whole Foods is also pursuing LEED certifications for the store given its many environmental initiatives. High recycled content bricks, reclaimed red cedar, and an onsite heat and power plant were all part of construction. 38 new trees were also planted on the street and parking lot, there are 4 electric vehicle charging stations, and low water plantings were used in order to reduce water usage.

This could really be a catalyst for The Alameda and West Downtown by the SAP Center. This opening gives residents within a few miles easy access to a high-end grocery store. This has been many years in the making--finally a Downtown Whole Foods is coming to fruition!

Source: Whole Foods Newsroom

Thanks to Alex Shoor and Andy Wasklewicz for sending this in!


WHOLE FOODS MARKET® OPENS NEW SAN JOSE STORE ON DECEMBER 9
New location on The Alameda features environmental innovation and company’s first in-store brewery in California

Emeryville, Calif. (Sept. 10, 2014) – A new 35,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market store will open on December 9th at 777 The Alameda (at Stockton) in San Jose, California. This is the second Whole Foods Market location in San Jose, and the 42nd in Northern California. The store will bring an estimated 150 new jobs to San Jose.

This new store will be home to the first in-store microbrewery and tap room for Whole Foods Market in California. The two-story, 5,600 square-foot brewery building will also house a coffee and fresh juice venue, as well as offering plenty of seating and a restaurant-style menu. An in-house brewmaster will create signature beers for the tap room, and a total of 15 taps will offer a wide variety of seasonal and local brews, as well as some nationally-available favorites.

Whole Foods Market San Jose is also innovating with this store via environmental initiatives. The company is pursuing LEED certification for the store, and this project is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient. Locally manufactured, reclaimed, recycled and low- to non-emitting materials are being used in construction including reclaimed Western Red Cedar siding, high recycled content tile from Fireclay (based locally), Forest Stewardship Council certified decking, and high recycled content bricks made in Sacramento. An onsite Combined Heat and Power plant will provide continuous electric and thermal power, reducing the store’s dependence on the public grid by around 90 percent. This is also one of only a few grocery stores in the nation that will use nearly 100% natural refrigerants by relying on a state-of-the-art CO2 refrigeration system.

Additional environmental features include:

38 new trees planted on the street and in the parking lot and plaza
Street light upgrade to energy-efficient  fixtures
Bio-filtration/retention for on-site storm water management
Four electric vehicle charging stations
Native Grasses and Wildflowers support local habitat
Low Water Plantings and drip irrigation reduce water usage
Jeff Giardinelli, who formerly ran Whole Foods Market’s Fresno store, has been hired as Store Team Leader. Michelle Hohmeier oversees local partnerships, sponsorships and charitable giving as the store’s Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader.

“We believe that while more and more people may be shopping online for groceries, there’s nothing that can replace the experience of sharing a great food destination with your friends. That’s why this new San Jose store is truly designed as a community gathering space,” said Giardinelli. “We’re hoping folks will stop by for a beer or a pizza on the way to or from a Sharks game, or that they’ll enjoy lunch in the breezeway. We’ve got plenty of space and are looking forward to serving this community with the highest-quality foods.”

As it brings redevelopment to the abandoned site within the Diridon Station Area Plan, the store will help create a dense, more walkable neighborhood. Five Percent Days, Nickels for Nonprofits, and food and fund drives will add to the store’s community support initiatives. Customers will find many local products on the shelves, too, as part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to supporting local makers and growers.

More information on the brewery, local vendors, community partnerships and store features is forthcoming. For updates, customers can follow the store at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.

Friday, September 19, 2014

7th Annual Luna Park Chalk Art Festival Tomorrow @ Backesto Park!

Tomorrow is the annual Luna Park Chalk Art Festival, which seems to be getting larger and larger each year. The event features dozens of chalk artists, live music, performances, and great eats. There are also sections where you or your kids can pretend to be artists and leave a (temporary) mark on the event. Food options include: Waffle Amore, Banjara Bistro, Hill Country BBQ, Fish Taco Wabo, Barefoot Coffee, and Mona's Fruits.

Proceeds from the festival will benefit the Luna Park Arts Foundation, which was created to promote the arts in local schools and communities.

The Chalk Art Festival will run from 10am to 5pm at Backesto Park, which is bound by Jackson Street, North 13th Street, E. Empire Street, and North 15th Street. For more information, click here.


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Anne & Mark's Art Party: September 20-25

An epic "Art Party" is taking place starting Friday at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. While this event has been taking place since 2007, this is the first time Anne & Mark's Art Party is going to be available to the public. You can expect tons of visual art, music, dance, performances, fire, fashion, film, spoken word, art cars, and I'm sure some surprises. Over 300 artists and performers will be participating!

Moveable Feast Food Trucks will also be in the area to feed the hungry. Get more info and buy your tickets online at http://www.artpartysj.com.



Anne & Mark’s Art Party: An Occasional and Irrational San Jose Arts Fest

Some say it’s an “Art Exhibition” others say it’s a “Happening”.  It’s been described as, “Mad Max meets Moulin Rouge”,  “Burning Man meets Venice Biennale.” Some say, it’s better than… anything they’ve ever experienced…and we won’t argue with that.

It all began in 2007, when we got the idea to convert our downtown house into a gallery and invite our friends and family to showcase their talent, and invite all their friends, family and fans for a “One Night Stand for the Arts”.  We said we’d never do it again.  But we did.  Each time the past artists and guests invited their friends, family and fans, and each time it grew bigger.

We’ve gone from one night to one week, from our house to a warehouse, and now to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. We now have hundreds of artists and thousands of guests and the only thing we need is…YOU!