With a new luxury, market-rate housing development coming to Japantown, local business owners are feeling the pinch of losing parking spots that they say could threaten their livelihoods. In January, developers broke ground on Facet, the upcoming 518-unit apartment complex, and Sixth and Jackson, the adjoining 19,000-square-foot retail space. The mixed-use development will feature a two-building, seven story...
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Business
The Dark Side of Luxury: State deems Capital Club’s wage policy illegal
In the wake of accusations of unfair wages stemming from a confusing pay system at the ritzy Silicon Valley Capital Club, state officials are now confirming that the club violated employment law. “Under California law, a service charge cannot be used to make up any shortfall in paying at least the minimum wage for all hours worked,” read...
Burrito Factory in San Jose settles wage theft claims for $1 million
A Mexican burrito chain that’s been part of the San Jose dining scene for more than 20 years has agreed to pay a $1 million settlement over wage theft complaints from at least 239 employees, the Department of Industrial Relations announced on Monday. The restaurant Burrito Factory has four locations across San Jose, and came under investigation by the California...
The Dark Side of Luxury: Capital Club accused of unfair wages
It’s the go-to spot for some of Silicon Valley’s elite. Politicos, executives and the area’s top movers and shakers shell out $200-plus a month just to walk through the 17th-story doors of the exclusive Silicon Valley Capital Club. But while many members drive up to the lavish business club atop the downtown San Jose KQED building in...
‘Rundown shopping center’ revamp worries business owners
Cambrian Park Plaza — the 17-acre shopping center known for its iconic carousel display — is long overdue for renovation, but many longtime business owners are worried they’ll be squeezed out. Weingarten Realty is planning a significant redevelopment that calls for a six-story hotel, town square, park,115,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, senior...
Google in San Jose: Why did consultant contract use a pseudonym?
Since San Jose sold 11 acres of public land to Google for its $272 million campus, worry over the tech titan’s involvement in policy making decisions continues to escalate.
Veggielution brings farms, food and family to East San Jose
Silicon Valley is going back to its roots as the “Valley of the Heart’s Delight.” Veggielution, a nonprofit founded in 2007, is part of a growing movement to use public spaces to grow fresh, healthy food for underprivileged communities. Food, after all, is what brings people together. “The idea is that food is the ultimate...
Downtown San Jose needs to rebrand itself, study says
Downtown San Jose needs to rebrand itself to revitalize its struggling retail landscape and encourage a more welcoming and walkable environment, according to a new study presented to city lawmakers this week. A downtown retail study, presented to the city’s Community and Economic Development committee on Monday, details the history of downtown San Jose’s economic changes since the mid-1950’s,...
San Jose lawmakers look to help minorities get into cannabis industry
With corporate giants like Monsanto lining up to invest in cannabis, some San Jose lawmakers are trying to make room in the industry for residents who fell victim to the war on drugs. Next week, councilors will decide whether to move forward with a cannabis equity program, previously proposed by Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco and Raul Peralez. The concept is...
The price of growth: Alum Rock businesses at risk of displacement
From the outside, nothing stands out about the mid-size commercial lot home to about a dozen businesses on the corner of Alum Rock and Foss Avenues. But inside these businesses, a vibrant Latino presence takes place. Busy shopkeepers toil, taco-truck patrons laugh and cheer at the soccer game during lunch and local neighbors stop in just to...