If you have an opinion, idea, or concern about the future of downtown San Jose, then let your voice be heard by taking the Downtown Survey currently being conducted by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. The Redevelopment Agency is asking downtown stakeholders including business owners, employees, residents, students, and visitors to help shape the future and vision of downtown San Jose. There are separate surveys specifically directed at three target downtown demographic groups: (1) downtown business owners, (2) downtown residents, visitors, and students, and (3) downtown employees. The Redevelopment Agency is seeking to improve shopping in the downtown San Jose area and to enhance business assistance services to existing and prospective businesses.

The surveys only take a few minutes to complete and will help the RDA shape the future of downtown San Jose. So let your voice be heard and take the Downtown Survey by April 10, 2009.

San Jose Redevelopment Agency (SJRDA)
Downtown Survey
Deadline: April 10, 2009

Happy St. Patty’s Day! I hope all of you have a fantastic day filled with corn beef and cabbage and green beer (but only if you’re over 21). The San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA) will be holding its monthly Evening Social this Thursday evening at Caffe Trieste. The event is designed for residents to get to know downtown San Jose destinations and meet and mingle with SJDRA residents. This is a great way for you to meet your downtown neighbors and talk about downtown living.

San Jose Downtown Residents Association (SJDRA) Evening Social
Thursday, March 19
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Caffe Trieste
315 S. 1st Street (next to Original Joe’s)
Downtown San Jose

For more information or to RSVP, email sjdra@yahoo.com or call (408) 794-0153.

*Caffe Trieste is offering 15% menu prices for those attending the SJDRA Evening Social.

The last few weeks have produced a slate of new legislation aimed at helping to spur the economy and boost the real estate market. Several significant new pieces of legislation were included to pump up real estate sales. Most notably are the tax credits currently being offered. The federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers purchasing a principal residence frm January 1, 2009 to November 30, 2009. In addition, the California legislature added a provision in the state budget for a $10,000 tax credit for the purchase of a new home that has not been previously occupied from March 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010. So if you are a first-time buyer purchasing a brand new home, you may qualify for up to $18,000 in tax credits. Let’s hope all this stimulus gives the real estate market and the economy a swift kick in the pants!

Maybe all this new legislation will spur things around here in downtown. The number of closed transactions dropped to seven for the month of February. This is down from ten last month and also when compared to February 2008. In fact, to find the last single digit closing month you have to rewind all the back to December 2001. Over seven years ago!

Short sales and bank-owned listings accounted for over half of the closed transactions in downtown San Jose in February. Not a big surprise there. The three lowest priced transactions all involved bank-owned properties. Again, not a surprise. There are definitely a lot of great deals on great properties to be had out there. Maybe some of the new legislation will help get us back in the double digits in the next few months.

Reminder: The following statistics represent resales of Central San Jose’s (MLS Area 9 which includes downtown San Jose) condos, townhomes, and lofts. As noted in past statistical postings, these numbers may not include sales from new construction developments. New developments may or may not provide information to the MLS.

*The above statistics are generated using information from the MLSListings, Inc. (formerly RE InfoLink) MLS, but have not been verified and are not guaranteed. MLSListings, Inc. disclaims any resposibility for the accuracy and reliability of these statistics. This information should not be relied upon for real estate transaction decisions.

Baseball seems to be one of the hottest topics circulating around downtown at the moment now that the A’s have walked away from efforts to relocate to Fremont. Last night, the San Jose City Council officially opened up the discussion of trying to lure the Oakland A’s baseball team to downtown San Jose. Discussion of professional baseball in downtown San Jose was placed on the April 7 City Council meeting agenda by approval at the City Rules and Open Government Committee meeting. The April 7 meeting will include strategizing on how best to approach Lew Wolff, the owner of the A’s. This coincides with a group of civic and business leaders that have teamed up to lead the effort in bringing the baseball team to town. Heading the A’s to San Jose Study Group are former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer and businessman Michael Mulcahy. Hammer has been a big advocate of professional baseball in San Jose and previously tried to attract the San Francisco Giants to San Jose when she was mayor back in the 1990s. Mulcahy leads an advocy group, Baseball San Jose, designed to support the effort to lure the A’s to San Jose. While professional baseball is still a long road ahead, its nice to see that we are stacking our lineup with heavy hitters to get the A’s to downtown San Jose.

Parking your car in downtown San Jose doesn’t come close to the nightmare of parking in San Francisco but let’s face it, finding a spot for your beloved vehicle can be a challenge at times. Maybe you are meeting friends for dinner before the Sharks game and need to figure out where to park so you can strategically be close enough to the restaurant before the game and close enough to HP Pavilion after the game. Or maybe you have friends visiting downtown and they need directions to a parking garage close by. If you want to find out where to park in downtown San Jose and want to find the best parking spots, check out the San Jose Downtown Parking website. This great site not only has locations for all of the parking lots downtown, but you can also navigate the site for:

*Map of downtown San Jose parking with points of interest
*Driving directions to downtown San Jose
*Parking fees and validation information
*Evening parking
*Discounts on monthly parking for downtown residents
*Public transportation links (so you won’t need to find parking!)
*Info on free parking

So if you are looking for a spot to park your ride, check out the San Jose Downtown Parking website.

Have you noticed a difference in the cleanliness, overall appearance, and safety of downtown San Jose lately? Beginning in January 2008, Groundwerx cleaning crews have worked to improve the cleanliness of downtown streets while Groundwerx ambassadors have strived to provide information to those walking the downtown streets. Groundwerx is looking for feedback to review its effectiveness during its first year of operation and to determine future priorities. If you are a downtown business owner, resident, or property, please fill out a quick online survey to provide feedback on Groundwerx.

You may have noticed the Groundwerx cleaning crews with what I call the “mini-Zamboni” scrubbers or the Groundwerx ambassadors riding around on Segways. They are all visible in their bright orange or green uniforms around downtown. In my opinion, Groundwerx has done a fantastic job cleaning downtown and improving the streetscape. The ambassadors that roam downtown are also doing a great service by providing friendly faces and useful information. A few other visible downtown improvements include:

*48 new street planters with seasonal plantings;
*22 hanging planter baskets on street light poles;
*Bamboo “green screen” and bamboo forest scence fence along the former Porter Stock building on First Street;
*LED-lighting on 30 sycamore and bamboo trees

So please fill out a survey and let them know what you think of Groundwerx.

Groundwerx began in January 2008 after downtown business and property owners approved the Property Business Improvement District (PBID) annual assessment measure to fund the downtown cleaning and beautification operation. Groundwerx is a public-private partnership specifically aimed to improve the downtown environment.

Downtown San Jose welcomes the Grand Opening of Soula Power Yoga. If you are looking for a great workout that doesn’t include lifting heavy weights or running on a treadmill, check out this fantastic all around, whole body workout called power yoga at Soula Power Yoga. What is power yoga you ask? Great question! Working out at Soula Power Yoga involves a sequenced flow of athletic yet meditative movement. But that’s not it. Power yoga integrates proper breathing technique into the workout. Want more? At Soula Power Yoga, you work out in a humidified workout space heated to 90°F. Besides getting out from this chilly weather, why would you pump up the temperature? Because this loosens up the body for more flexible movement and a healthy hydration/perspiration cycle to flush toxins from the body and help the cells rejuvenate. Power yoga is an excellent workout and is believed to improve functioning of the human body’s respiratory, circulatory, and musculo-skeletal systems. So come out and experience power yoga at Soula Power Yoga. They even have a fitness shop where you can pick up the latest in yoga apparel and accessories.

Soula Power Yoga will be holding its grand opening celebration on Friday, March 6 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 6:30pm. Stop by to check out the studio, fitness shop, and meet the power yoga instructors. Soula Power Yoga is located on the Paseo de San Antonio walkway between First and Second Streets.

Soula Power Yoga
200 S. First Street, Suite 70
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 993-YOGA (9642)
www.soulapoweryoga.com

Grand Opening Gala
Friday, March 6, 2009
6:30pm - 9:00pm
Ribbon Cutting at 6:30pm