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*-----------September 21, 2000----------*
*---San Jose News and Gossip Bulletin---*
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**Following the anticipated announcement concerning House of Blues, commercial real
estate agents and downtown observers are salivating to find out which big-name player
will hop on the bandwagon first. Word has it that an LA-based comedy club is eyeing the
Jose Theater. Talks are in the very early stages, but such a use would be ideal for the
96-year old building. It would also compliment HOB, as a more mainstream after-dinner
alternative to bar-hopping or seeing a show.
**More downtown happenings...A new restaurant concentration is development around Paseo
de San Antonio, providing more eating options for Rep. patrons and for those living in
the upscale apartments and condos lining 4th Street. HarborCafe.com (at 4th and San
Carlos) has been serving pearl tea drinks, Taiwanese ice cream, and other goodies for
about a month. Hawg's Seafood is set to open in November (adjacent to the Rep.). Tengu
Sushi soon cooks up japanese delicacies in a cozy, neighborhoody setting within the Paseo
Plaza courtyard. Now add to the mix a Chinese eatery (2nd and San Carlos) and a Thai
restaurant rumored to be locating nearby.
**Meanwhile, the Fairmont annex space (to-be-completed by late 2001) has been receiving
inquiries without even advertising. Rumor has it an upscale clothier, an art gallery, and
a well-known national restaurant chain have expressed interest in the ground floor space.
**Trials Pub has become an Old Downtown institution, and provides a fascinating window
into a rapidly-growing neighborhood that surrounds St. James Park. While currently a
ghost town, there are so many projects under construction (and pending), that it is hard
to imagine what things will be like here a year from now. To give you an idea: Two
12-story high-rise towers are planned for Taylor & First; loft apartments at Julian &
First have just been completed; a 3-story complex is also under construction at Julian &
First (across the street from the Park). And several other projects are in the early
planning stages. In total, this yields an estimated 5,000 new residents for the
neighborhood (roughly bounded by Santa Clara, Taylor, 4th, and San Pedro) by the end of
2002. Pioneer dwellers love the history, peacefulness, and proximity to the downtown
core, but anxiously await new retail and convenience businesses. At least one current
business owner would like to open a cafe/bookstore, though the only available commercial
space for such a business has been sold (ground floor of the lofts at Julian and First).
As for Trials, which is bustling with locals on most evenings and will soon stay open
until 2am on weekends, word has it the British mainstay is aggressively seeking a second
location in the downtown core or in Willow Glen.
**In other neighborhood news, South University may one day be home to a large mixed-use
campus housing complex. Including ground-floor retail in such a development benefits not
only the neighborhood, which is seeking its own local services (e.g., a coffee-house, a
drug store, etc.), but also the university (which could rake in money from commercial
rents). SJSU is organizing preliminary discussions with S.U. neighborhood leaders over
the next several months. Under consideration are several brick buildings near 8th and San
Salvador.
**On to Northside, which has decided to catalogue the fascinating lives of its residents
through a massive oral history project. Neighborhood association leaders are collecting
resident-conducted interviews, photographs, old documents, etc., in hopes of detailing
the colorful experiences of past and present settlers of the century-old neighborhood,
centered near 17th and Julian. If enough stories are gathered, the Association may
publish a booklet of what was learned. For more information, check out Northside's home
on the web, at http://enative.com/ca/scl/nna.
**Alison van Diggelen knows the unique juggling act that Silicon Valley moms face,
balancing mortgage payments and hobbies; school field trips and career; pregnancy and
business trips abroad. Recognizing what a savage toll our fast-paced lifestyle, our
fixation with all that is high-tech, and our exorbitant home prices can wreck on family
life, Alison launched siliconmom.com. Already an award-winner, the site has attracted
city moms from Almaden to Willow Glen as well as international fans from as far away as
South Africa. Besides resources on child care, employment, travel, and health, the web
site features essays from moms of all ages and ethnicities. Coming up on the site:
back to school strategies and a touching account from a San Jose mom who walked from De
Anza College to San Francisco on blistered feet to raise money for Cancer Research.
**Kudos ... to Mix 106.5, whose DJ's have been proudly exclaiming things like, "It's 6:00
in the Capital of Silicon Valley!"... to the Silicon Valley Business Ink, a new downtown
San Jose-based business weekly that has so-far broken several major stories in its first
two weeks on the job... and to the San Jose Mercury News, whose well-advertised new look
has been accompanied by a more subtle return to "San Jose"-filled headlines.
**Quote of the Month: "It's nearly a matter of time until San Francisco is a suburb"
--Randall King, San Jose Stage Artistic Director [Quoted in the Silicon Valley Business
Ink, 9/15/00].
++The San Jose Lions are holding their second annual Playing on the Plaza black tie
fundraiser on October 10th. The bash begins at the Capital Club, with a strolling
violinist and cocktails, and then moves to the Fairmont for dinner. The highlight of the
evening, for those even remotely near Plaza de Cesar Chavez during last year's party,
will be the procession of bagpipers (guests in tow) to the St. Claire for dessert.
The festivities benefit sight programs for San Jose Unified and Hope Rehabilitation. For
more information, contact Jan Telesky at (408) 558-0230.
++Pumpkins in the Park is back! The pre-Halloween festival features a scarecrow contest,
pumpkin decorating, food and drinks, pumpkins and other traditional harvest products, and
lots of kids' exhibits. The event takes place at Guadalupe Park and Gardens on October
14th from 10am to 4pm.
++ Visit the San Jose News and Gossip Bulletin web site at
www.angelfire.com/ca4/sanjosengb. The site features past issues, links to EVERYTHING that
screams San Jose, as well as the Bulletin's mission statement.
ATTENTION: Online neighborhood groups, business associations, and city promotions
organizations -- if appropriate, please provide a link to the Bulletin from your own
site.
++ Keep the gossip coming!! I want to emphasize that all sources shall remain completely
anonymous.
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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 monthly bulletin, please email the above address.
The San Jose News and Gossip Bulletin is a free monthly 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.
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