This weekend downtown San Jose will be transformed into an international hub of ground-breaking digital arts, interactive performances, and new cinema. The 2nd Biennial 01SJ A Global Festival of Art on the Edge hits downtown beginning today and features over 100 artworks, performances, screenings, talks, and workshops. Billed as North America’s newest and largest festival of digital arts, 01SJ is where art, technology, and pop culture collide. Festival organizers promise that 01SJ will be a perspective-altering experience that will entertain, enlighten, educate, and involve attendees.

The five-day arts festival schedule of events will include art exhibitions, films, concerts, performances, happenings, and nightlife. There are a number of free events as part of 01SJ. One of the featured events of 01SJ will be SubZero on Friday night, a block party in the SoFA district including 50 artists and bands. SubZero is also being presented by South First Fridays.

01SJ is presented by ZER01, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the arts and digital culture. The original 01SJ festival took place in 2006.

01SJ presented by ZER01
2008 01SJ A Global Festival of Art on the Edge
June 4-8, 2008
Various Venues Downtown San Jose

Rumor has it that Safeway will be the anchor tenant on the ground-floor retail area at The 88, downtown San Jose’s most recent luxury, high-rise development. According to an article in the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, the developers of The 88 are in talks with the grocery market chain to locate a store at the street-level of the 22-story tower, which is located on San Fernando Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets. The store would be on the south side of the The 88. An annoucement for the deal could be only weeks away, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Safeway has been successful in placing smaller grocery markets in urban locations similar to The 88 and downtown San Jose. A Safeway at The 88 would likely be less than half the size of a store in a suburban location.

Bringing in a national retailer like Safeway would be a tremendous lift for downtown San Jose. Hopefully this will attract more residents to the area. More importantly, maybe this will attract other big retailers to downtown San Jose. If Safeway does move in at The 88, how will that affect Zanotto’s Downtown Market? Do you currently shop at Zanotto’s? If so, would you continue to shop at Zanotto’s if you had a choice to go to Safeway? What do you think of having a Safeway in downtown San Jose?

Read a synopsis of the article by Katherine Conrad in the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.

Back for its 11th season, Music in the Other Park is set to kick off this Thursday evening in St. James Park in downtown San Jose. Each Thursday evening in June, the free concert series will feature a different genre of music ranging from reggae to swing to retro R&B. The concerts start at 5:30 pm and are free to the public. There are plenty of food and beverage vendors at the event if you get hungry or thirsty. So grab your favorite lawn chair and come enjoy the great music, weather, and fun. The concert series is produced by the San Jose Downtown Association.

Music In the Other Park 2008

June 5
Groundation (reggae) with Firme (reggae with Latin twist)

June 12
Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks (swing/jazz/folk) with Samantha Stollenwerck (Cali soul)

June 19
Augustana (rock/pop) with Special Guest Ben Lee

June 26
Midnight Star (retro R&B) with Ryze The Band (retro R&B, formerly Nu Day)

Music in the Other Park
5:30 pm to 9:15 pm
St. James Park
First Street and St. James Street
Cost: FREE

*Note* No smoking in the park this year!

The St. James Park Advisory Council is meeting this Thursday night, May 22, to discuss the future of St. James Park in downtown San Jose. If you are interested in learning more about the current status, master redevelopment plan, and future redesign proposals for St. James Park, this is your chance to get involved. Items on the agenda for the St. James Park Advisory Council meeting include park design goals, solar power lighting, design development layout, and park security and safety.

St. James Park Advisory Council Meeting
Thursday, May 22, 2008
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Trinity Church, Choir Room
81 N. 2nd Street
Downtown San Jose

Are you craving fresh fruit or vegetables? Or maybe you just want to enjoy a leisurely stroll through San Pedro Square enjoying the sun. The San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market at San Pedro Square is back in full swing each and every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Walk through San Pedro Square and enjoy the fresh variety of produce and flowers — all locally grown in California. Local arts and crafts, food demonstrations, and entertainment can also be found at the Farmers’ Market. The Farmer’s Market in downtown San Jose kicked off last Friday and will run every Friday weekly through December 19, 2008.

To learn more about the benefits of buying locally grown produce and eating organic produce, visit the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.

San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market
San Pedro Square
San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John Street
Every Friday between May 2, 2008 - December 19, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For more information about the San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market, call (408) 279-1775.

The San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA) will once again be hosting its 1st Saturday Social this Saturday morning, May 3rd from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, at Bijan Bakery in downtown San Jose. The SJDRA 1st Saturday Social is a no-host event designed to foster community development and promote community awareness amongst downtown residents. The 1st Saturday Social is a great way to meet your downtown neighbors and to discuss issues that affect downtown living while sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying the fantastic pastries at Bijan Bakery.

The mission of SJDRA is to provide a voice for a diverse socio-economic group of residents of the downtown San Jose core, promote a partnership with the city government and neighborhood businesses by participating in policy and planning processes, educate residents about neighborhood issues, and maintain and promote the downtown core as a livable, family-oriented community with a high quality of life.

San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA)
1st Saturday Social
Saturday, May 3, 2008
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Bijan Bakery (next to McCormick & Schmick’s)
170 S. Market Street, Suite 110
Downtown San Jose

For additional information or to RSVP for the SJDRA 1st Saturday Social, contact paulmhiggins@yahoo.com.

The San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA) will be holding its Spring Quarterly Meeting on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the Paseo Plaza lounge. The featured guest speaker for the SJDRA Quarterly meeting will be Dan Gagliardi, President of Soccer Silicon Valley. Additional items of the agenda include an update on the PBID, 1st ACT Silicon Valley, and First 500 Days plan for Downtown.

Residents of downtown San Jose, and non-residents, are encouraged to join SJDRA and attend the Quarterly meeting. Membership is only $10. For additional information, contact www.sjpeople.org or call (408) 794-0153. The San Jose Downtown Residents Association is a great way to meet your downtown neighbors and to learn more about what’s happening in downtown San Jose.

San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA)
Spring Quarterly Meeting
April 16, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Paseo Plaza Lounge
144 S. 3rd Street
San Jose, CA 95112

If you are in downtown San Jose today or tomorrow, you may hear a buzz in the air, see a sea of teal, or feel a sense of excitement. That would be playoff hockey here in downtown San Jose at the Shark Tank (HP Pavilion) starting tonight. The NHL San Jose Sharks will be taking on the Calgary Flames in Round 1 of the Western Conference playoffs as they make a run at the Stanley Cup. The Sharks went on an 18-0-2 run over their last 20 games to win the Pacific Division title enroute to the playoffs. This is Sharks playoff territory! Good luck and bring the Stanley Cup to San Jose!

Sharks Playoff Schedule - Round 1 vs. Calgary Flames

Game 1 4/09/08 at San Jose
Game 2 4/10/08 at San Jose
Game 3 4/13/08 at Calgary
Game 4 4/15/08 at Calgary
Game 5 4/17/08 at San Jose (if necessary)
Game 6 4/20/08 at Calgary (if necessary)
Game 7 4/22/08 at San Jose (if necessary)

If you live, work, or pass by any part of the VTA light rail system that makes a curve in the road, you may have heard the train squealing by. Authorities at the Santa Clara Valley Transport Authority (VTA) are hoping that an approximately $1.8 million rehab project in three curved sections through downtown San Jose will reduce that “wheel squeal” you hear. The Downtown Transit Mall Rail Rehabilitation Project, which begins April 1, 2008, will replace the curved rail at three corners located at First and Devine streets, Second and Devine streets, and Second and San Carlos streets. In addition to replacing the rail, VTA will also be removing adjacent pavers and cleaning or replacing the pavers.

The Downtown Transit Rehab Project Schedule

Second and Devine Streets
March 31 - April 11, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm - Granite paver removal
April 21-23, 7:00 pm to 4:00 am - Sawcutting
May 9-11, continuous 9:00 pm Friday until completed - Demolition, rail work, concrete pour
October - Ganite paver replacement

Second and San Carlos Streets
April 14-18, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm - Granite paver removal
April 23-25, 7:00 pm to 4:00 am - Sawcutting
April 25-27, continuous 9:00 pm Friday until completed - Demolition, rail work, concrete pour
May 9-11 - Granite paver replacement

First and Devine Streets
Work tentatively scheduled for October 2008

Read the VTA Construction Update or VTA Rail Rehab Fact Sheet.

For additional information or questions regarding the Downtown Transit Mall Rail Rehab Project, contact VTA Community Outreach at (408) 321-7575 or visit the VTA Construction Update page.

Downtown San Jose’s Three Sixty Residences was featured recently on KTVU Fox Channel 2’s “The Malou Review.” Advertised as downtown San Jose’s most prestigious address, the video clip prominently displays many of Three Sixty’s condo and complex amenities, including a Smart Home feature. What’s a Smart Home? According to the video clip, the Smart Home feature allows you to control certain features of your home from a computer anywhere in the world. Turn on the lights from your office. Roll down the window coverings while you are on vacation. You can have a Smart Home at Three Sixty.

The Malou Review is hosted by two-time Emmy Award winner Malou Nubla. The weekly “info-tainment” program combines useful information with exciting entertainment.

Click here to watch the episode of the The Malou Review and learn more about Three Sixty Residences. The clip about Three Sixty is halfway through the video.