*****************************************
*------------September 2, 1999----------*
*----San Jose News/Gossip Bulletin------*
*****************************************
**With financing secured and a September 2001 Redevelopment Agency deadline looming,
construction is set to begin on a 16-story office building at Almaden & Santa Clara St.,
directly across from the De Anza Hotel. Now, it's just a matter of leasing the large
ground floor space to retail. There's talk of a bookstore, and the two major players (B&N
and Borders) have been contacted, though other locations in the city's core (e.g., First
Street) seem more suited for such a business. More on this later.
**Sad news this week, as the UA Cinemas announce that they'll be permanently closing
their downtown location at the end of the month. You can blame the chain's inability to
draw top-grossing films in the Silicon Valley; you can pin-point the theater's lack of
"theme-park" grandeur (e.g., AMC's entertainment megaplexes). But, in the final analysis,
it may have been just too soon for such a "leisure" business to blossom downtown. Within
a few years, the downtown housing base will skyrocket, and it might be a different story.
On a positive note, Camera Cinemas is checking out the building for their planned artsy
plex, but expect an interim vacancy period of at least a few months.
**Alviso is on the move: The cozy north-side neighborhood, which provides San Jose's only
access to the San Francisco Bay, is growing rapidly. A 100-room Extend-a-Stay America
hotel is proposed for Gold St., near HW 237. A new library and community center debut
September 14th. And, finally, more permanent residents are on tap, as a townhouse project
and 34 new homes are constructed along North First Street. The historic neighborhood,
once a booming seaport, already boasts several restaurants (including the San Jose
landmark Vahl's), a post office, and two small grocers -- not to mention spectacular
sunsets over little-known jetties that stretch out over the Bay.
**The Mexican Heritage Gardens and Plaza opens at Alum Rock and King next week. Besides
providing a state-of-the-art performing arts venue for Mexican cultural events, the
center also revitalizes part of the Alum Rock Business District. The RDA has pumped tens
of thousands of dollars into the area to refurbish storefronts and to implement
neighborhood identifiers (e.g., Little Portugal between 22nd and 30th streets). The
business district is already a wealth of beautiful buildings (e.g., Five Wounds Church),
unique shops, and ethnic restaurants. However, one major impediment to creating
pedestrian, distinct neighborhoods in Alum Rock has always been the flow of traffic
streaming to and from highways 101 and 680. However, if one were to focus future public
art, street improvements, and retail development along a side street or two (such as
King, around the new Plaza or one of the numbered streets in Little Portugal)....
**KNTV's recent press release (www.kntv.com) celebrates the fact that local San
Jose-focused programming (news broadcasts, possibly a Silicon Valley news "magazine,"
technology specials, etc.) will almost double after the station terminates its ABC
affiliation in mid-2000. This is an interesting positive spin on a decision that dashes
San Jose's hopes of becoming a distinct media market. However much KGO Channel 7 (our
future source for the ABC network) tries to court the Silicon Valley, they will always
conceptualize us as the "South Bay." On the other hand, many hours of local programming
could help "define" San Jose's identity in the minds of viewers from around Northern
California. Time will tell.
++The annual Aki Matsuri Festival takes place at Wesley United Methodist Church in
Japantown on Saturday, September 18 from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM. The festival features
dancing, Taiko drummers, as well as food and crafts for sale. The Church is located at
566 N. 5th Street in the heart of Japantown.
------------------------------------------------------
Please send all news or gossip regarding new business openings, redevelopment projects,
celebrity sightings, and other interesting gems concerning San Jose to
todd_95130@yahoo.com.
To be added to the weekly bulletin, please email the above address.
The San Jose News/Gossip Bulletin is a free weekly newsletter intended
to boost city pride, to foster a vital link between city districts, and
to provide information on current and future plans for downtown and the
neighborhoods. Information is gathered from a variety of sources,
including non-profit organizations, neighborhood business
associations, local and national newswires, as well as city government
meetings and documents. All items are written by myself, unless otherwise noted.
Back To Archives
