After more than three years of community wrangling and negotiations, one of the world’s largest tech giants will have a home in downtown San Jose. The San Jose City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Google’s Downtown West project, a multi-billion dollar plan by the company to expand into downtown San Jose. “Thousands of our...
Will downtown San Jose recover from office vacancies?
Office vacancies in downtown San Jose increased during the pandemic, but some say it’s only a matter of time before workers return. According to Silicon Valley MarketBeat, which analyzes commercial real estate activity, downtown vacancies rose during the beginning of 2021 from 14.2% to 17%—about 1.5 million square feet—compared to the first quarter of 2020....
Venture capitalist bringing green to downtown San Jose
The 96-year-old Bank of Italy building in downtown San Jose is one of the area’s most recognizable structures—a relic of Rennaisance Revival architecture in the middle of modern high rises. Soon, venture capitalist real estate developer Gary Dillabough, 58, will add a series of hanging gardens to the building’s facade. “We’re hoping to leverage experiences and...
East San Jose high schools get new superintendent
A new superintendent is preparing to take the reins in East San Jose and he’s all about leveling the playing field. Associate Superintendent of Educational Services Glenn Vander Zee, who was named East Side Union High School District’s new superintendent last week, shares a vision of empowering students and creating equity. Vander Zee also worked as...
Santa Clara County urges youth and Latinos to get COVID vaccines
The demand for COVID-19 vaccines is dropping in Silicon Valley, and county officials are urging youth and Latino residents to get the jab. While more than two-thirds of Santa Clara County residents over the age of 16 have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, the county has seen a recent drop in...
East San Jose housing group looks to hold developers accountable
As a prolific housing developer unveils plans in East San Jose, a new coalition is holding it accountable for maintaining acceptable living conditions. Peter Ortiz, a community organizer and policy advisor for the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association, founded the East San Jose Tenants Coalition in early April after a San José Spotlight...
Amid anti-Asian violence, San Jose’s Vietnamese residents embrace COVID-19 vaccines
Despite a fear of anti-Asian violence hanging over their heads, some Vietnamese residents lined up as early as 4 a.m. to get a COVID-19 vaccine at a new mobile clinic this week — a chance to defend themselves against a virus that’s disproportionately infecting them. “We initially expected around 700 people but now there’s about 1,000,” said Asian...
‘Nasty as hell’: Affordable housing site in East San Jose has mildew, drugs, tenants say
While the lobby of Renascent Place, a 160-unit affordable housing complex in San Jose is white-glove clean, a few steps inside residents’ living quarters the smell of mildew becomes almost overpowering. “It’s nasty as hell,” said Jina Monarch, a resident at Renascent Place. She’s lived at the complex since it opened in February 2020. By her estimate,...
City commissioner urges Liccardo to make $6.5M investment in East San Jose
Felipa Zuñiga, who owns Zuñiga’s Restaurant and Cakery in East San Jose, had to let go of all her staff because of COVID-19. For now, she’s the only employee left, and she’s had to dip into her life savings to keep her doors open. “I’m so nervous about everything that’s happening,” Zuñiga said in Spanish...
What happens to major East San Jose project after developer is charged with fraud?
When Jesús Flores first heard about the drama with SiliconSage — the upstart developer being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly defrauding investors — he said he felt dismayed. “We’re worried about what’s going to happen,” said Flores, president of Latino Business Foundation Silicon Valley. “This is very sad and frustrating for...