A controversial design element of a multi-billion-dollar BART plan to downtown San Jose could be shifting under a new proposal. The BART extension project is set to cost $6.9 billion, according to VTA estimates, but federal estimates place that closer to $9.1 billion. It will run from the current end of the line in Berryessa through Little...
Housing vs. transit: Why VTA opposes San Jose tower
A major residential development being eyed for downtown San Jose has been given the green light from the city, but the project may never be built due to a property dispute with a transit agency. The 26-story Eterna Tower project, which Roygbiv Real Estate Development is hoping to build at 17-31 E. Santa Clara St.,...
The Biz Beat: San Jose wine and cheese restaurant simply ‘Devine’
When having some wine and aged cheddar cheese, you might not think of pairing it with caramel corn—but it’s part of Liana Ryan’s culinary genius. The mix of sharpness and sweetness creates a surprisingly balanced, harmonious depth of flavor. “My first thing, when you are pairing cheese and wine or wine and food, is that everything is subjective,”...
Downtown San Jose coffee shop workers start to unionize
Changes are brewing at a downtown San Jose coffee shop as workers form a union—with the owners’ blessing. Employees at Nirvana Soul, a Black-owned coffee shop that opened in the SoFA district during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced plans to unionize Thursday during the cafe’s weekly open mic event to more than 100 people. Workers told...
4th Street Pizza in Downtown San Jose closing up shop
An iconic pizza shop favored by San Jose politicos and downtown residents alike is going under. The co-founders of 4th Street Pizza Co. told San José Spotlight they have to close their 16-year-old business by October when their lease expires. The developer who purchased the building before the pandemic, Bayview Development Company, is going to...
A ‘quiet panic’ over looming sweep of San Jose homeless camp
After 19 years on the streets, unhoused San Jose resident Kellie Goodman is finally moving into a home. But she’s worried about her friends who aren’t so lucky—some of whom will soon be cleared from their camps. More than 100 homeless residents in Columbus Park in downtown San Jose have about five weeks before the...
San Jose Downtown Association finds new leader in Reno
After more than three decades, the San Jose Downtown Association is getting new leadership. Alex Stettinski, executive director of Downtown Reno Partnership, is set to become CEO following a six-month national search involving 46 candidates. Stettinski will replace CEO Scott Knies, who has led the business organization since 1988. Knies will remain on the job until Nov....
You might see more beat cops in San Jose neighborhoods
San Jose is ready to bring back police foot patrols to address rising safety concerns and build trust with residents, a service that has not gotten consistent funding for decades. The City Council unanimously approved a proposal from Mayor Sam Liccardo last month to fund 16 police to patrol San Jose streets. The program, which costs...
The Biz Beat: San Jose infrared fitness studio turns up the heat
HOTWORX-San Jose stands out from other Bay Area gyms as a unique experience where residents can do yoga and work out in an infrared sauna—in as little as 15 minutes. In 2017, Nora Heindel was attending the University of Mississippi and working part-time at a fitness studio near campus called HOTWORX. This was the company’s...
New report paints grim picture of downtown San Jose
A new analysis shows downtown San Jose is reeling economically from the pandemic – more than its neighboring suburbs. According to the report, presented at a council committee Monday, the downtown’s recovery has been grim and economically lagging because many of its driving forces, including commercial projects and events, have not returned to pre-pandemic levels....