As I am making my own resolutions to lose weight, hit the gym more often and eat less carbs, I think that the San Jose City Council should make a few resolutions of their own in 2008. Here are some ways they could really improve our city this year.
San Jose City Council New Year’s Resolutions
1. Connect the Guadalupe River Park so that families can be cycling and running from Los Gatos to the Airport by summer.
2. Add a new music venue to downtown to host smaller acts, such as the long-awaited House of Blues, or the smaller music hall that has fizzled in both downtown and the fairgrounds.
3. Chuck Reed needs to start exerting his influence with big-ticket items that will really make an impact. If he continues to be too plain vanilla he won’t leave a lasting impression on our city before his term is up.
4. Find a new event to take the place of the Grand Prix that will last for years to come and also funnel in revenue to our city. It could be a yearly music festival that brings in first-rate international acts or a food festival a la “Taste of Chicago.” It must be something good enough to make people who never travel to San Jose do so for the first time.
5. Add more money and devote more resources into the annual Cinequest Film Festival (Feb 27- March 5 this year). In the inner circles it’s already known as one of the top festivals in the industry, yet it’s still not a festival that puts us on the map. Let’s make it a premiere event in the city.
6. Add another Santana Row downtown. I know that there will never quite be another Santana Row, but it has proven how much people love having lodging, restaurants and shopping all in one place. Let’s do it again and give it a downtown flair. How about: “Old Town San Jose?”
7. Close San Pedro Street at San Pedro Square and make it a promenade. Make the farmer’s market permanent with year-round kiosks. We don’t live in Seattle (though it may feel like it this week) and let’s take advantage of the more than 300 sunny days a year.
8. Subsidize a downtown bookstore and Apple Store. I don’t think any business owners would complain if a major bookstore moved in downtown with free rent or an Apple Store made itself a home in San Jose. It seems almost wrong that there is an Apple Store in Santa Clara and Los Gatos and not San Jose.
9. Decide what the city actually needs as far as public transportation and make it happen. Is BART the best idea and is it actually ever going to come here? If it’s a pipe dream, then what can we do with high-speed trains or trolleys in San Jose? Let’s stop talking and wasting time and starting acting and getting things done.
10. Continue to build up and not out. We don’t need urban sprawl; we need a skyline.
Let’s hope they can stick to these resolutions easier than I can give up carbs!
Single Gal, what drug are you on? Santana Row can never be built downtown! We need a skyline? Give me a break! We already have one, and building up, not out, is what the market dictates. The developers can’t get financing. As for music venues, the renovated civic is it. As for big events, move to Chicago and or Indianapolis! Like an old say, New Year’s resolution is meant to be broken. Wishful thinking and get off whatever drug you’re on!
All of these resolutions seem legitimate and well thought of. May I suggest also consider the idea of Mark Purdy to have outdoor stadiums for hockey games. The 49er Stadium in Santa Clara could do this, as could Stanford Stadium.
Why not all cooperate to help the Sharks and the 49ers.
1. Yes, and have even more trails which allow one to traverse the city and not simply take in scenery.
2. Not only this, but allow for member-run clubs like Gilman in Berkeley. There are so many kids here who would love to take part in such a thing. It’s also more stable than the capitalist-run clubs which change themes when the wind blows.
3. Eh, big deal.
4. San Jose has tons of this stuff and people still hate us. Let’s work on the little things instead of going for a big bang.
5. More money won’t make it more successful. Positive word-of-mouth is more helpful.
6. Let’s not build a new development and call it “Old” Anything. That’s more fake than the first Santana Row.
7. I strongly agree with this. Let it be done.
8. Apple Store, yes. Bookstore, maybe. Central SJ already has some nice small shops geared to this crowd.
9. Light rail down key corridors would be much more worth our money than BART to funnel in Alameda County residents to a downtown that’s barely central to Valley jobs.
10. This is already being done. There are more than a dozen towers planned for the next few years. We just have to hope that the market doesn’t deter these efforts.
You forgot the single most important item preventing downtown from succeeding.
Move the airport, and use the 1000 acres in an intelligent, beneficial manner that improves the city’s tax revenue, and the quality of life for all of Santa Clara county.
With the airport expanded and downtown, the city will not “grow up”. Nor will downtown attract many successful, educated, and affluent residents who also like living near an airport, since few people fit that profile.
As long as the airport is located downtown you can expect downtown to follow the East San Jose model of neighborhood growth and improvement.
SG: Please inform us all where there is a piece of land in downtown SJ large enough to build another Santana Row, including sufficient FREE parking?
And who would come to it, with one so close? And I mean both businesses and customers.
You wrote:“Subsidize a downtown bookstore …” Apparently that’s what it would take, since the Borders Express along Paseo San Antonio, quite close to SJSU, failed, despite having a friendly and efficient staff, and the ability to order and receive promptly books not in stock.
We do need more events like the great (almost) free Jazz Festival that brings in lots of folks. How about a Blues Festival, like the one @ Fort Mason every year?
Your suggestions are great wants, but they need to be delivered not by the city government, but by ConVis, & others. The city needs to concentrate on needs, like cops, firefighters, good roads, parks, libraries , pools; ya know, the stuff that cities should do, but can’t since the $$ gets sucked up by highly paid consultants doing the things staff is apparently incapable of doing, public art program, and other nice touches we cannot afford right now with our huge batch of unfunded liabilities and a continuing structural deficit.
Excellent ideas. The first step in any process is to imagine or have a goal. Many times there is negative energy or pessimism. By working together (elected officials and citizens) we can bring these ideas to fruition.
Single Gal,
Happy New Year! Please write a check for $10,000 as soon as possible; make it payable to the City of San Jose General Fund. As one of approximately one million residents of the City, that’s your share of the cost for the improvements that you’ve identified. Oh, that will only cover the initial capital costs. Please also remit $2,500 to the City each year, no later than April 1st.
While not exactly the same, isn’t the CIM project currently underway supposed to provide a retail scene along the same lines as Santana Row? Probably with more down to earth retailers?
Kind of related to what was stated last week in Mr. McEnery’s post: IF CA. voters approve the High Speed Rail bond in November of 08, and a line is built from Oakland to SJ, with stations in Union City and Fremont/Warm Springs, will BART to SJ even be necessary? I’ll go out on a limb and say no, and this coming from a huge BART proponent. BART riders from the East Bay could then easily transfer to an HSR train for transit into SJ/Silicon Valley, or they could use HSR entirely (no transfer necessary). And the money now being raised by the BART tax? How about an east/west “Metro” light-rail line from Steven’s Creek Blvd., through downtown, and along Santa Clara St/Alum Rock Ave. Or for roads, a 152 freeway in South County, a true freeway interchange at 880/101, ramps at 880/87…fill some potholes? The opportunities are endless with all that Measure A BART money. Just a thought.
WE need people with ideas like that keep it up.
To all the negative people that is the problem with san jose the last few years hopefully Reed will think big.
I liked some of the things on SG’s wish list, but frankly, I don’t know how or when you’ll get any of them given the proposals to solve the city’s budget crisis that are listed in today’s Mercury News. Pay more…get less seems to be the solution. Where will money be found to do any of the things that SG mentions?
Pete Campbell
Reed will not leave a lasting impression. He will be one of the most forgettable among SJ mayors. He doesn’t have enough substance (excluding that of his 1952 hair style that might still be in fashion back in Kansas) to leave an impression on anything.
Big ticket items? Please. Those will send Chuck running in the opposite direction.
Wake me up when it’s time to vote Liccardo in for mayor and get some dynamics injected at 200 E. Santa Clara.
Nam Turk!
If you’re a Gilman member, how can you stand reading all of these posts filled with racism, sexism, homophobia, and (encouragement of) violence?
Gilman shows that a bunch of teenagers working for the sheer joy of creating a community are smarter and better organized than all the greedy businessmen in the world.
Hey guys,
Let’s start 2008, out right by being supportive and positive; all this griping is counter productive. Instead of bashing SG ideas, why not add some of your own. I hate Santana Row, but I think SG has a point. SF has some pretty awesome shops, museums, farmer’s markets, etc. that attracts visitors from everywhere. I think a wax museum, some good jazz clubs, nice eateries, some unique shops etc. are right on target.
I think more sports venues are great things to consider too, as well as, perhaps an event like a Renaissance Fair. We could hold the Renaissance Fair somewhere like Alum Rock Park, like they do at Casa DeFruita. Great wooded areas at Alum Rock Park, and lots of parking make it an awesome spot to consider holding it there. We could also have some classic car shows with some 50s music, and even some costume contests. The sky’s the limit!
I like JMO’s idea, get big business to sponsor these kinds of things to bring us revenue and business.
As to resolutions I’d like to see the Council make, again limiting their comments so citizens can speak more than one minute, stop publicly bashing one another, stop ignoring citizen survey’s, and have less involvement with special interest groups, as well as, getting the necessities taken care of.
#5. 200 East Santa Clara St. They could do a laser light show in the dome.
Single Gal, great posting, lots of good Ideas.
Re: your #3 Chuck Reed…“can start exerting his influense with big ticket item…” How about BART for the big ticket item ???
Mayor is a new Mayor and a new Chairman of VTA, he could use his influense with the big ticket item to get us out of this gigantic mess. He can become our hero, just get us out of it. The money collected by VTA for BART could be used here in Santa Clara County on our needs. Forget helping Alameda County.
Greg –
I have a money tree in my backyard so the 10K is on it’s way….
Single Gal,
A money tree… I think I’m falling love! I think a June wedding would be nice. I’d even be happy to get a few cuttings and a bottle of Root-Tone.
#18 correction,
Mayor Reed is a new Mayor…
This BART program can do all of us in, it is a very serious matter. As we watch the non-disclosed information unfold, it gets scary!
Single gal, your #7
I think this would be a great idea. I spent the summer in Spain and while in Madrid I experienced a similar street or streets in there downtown,. Madrid has “pedestrian only streets”, lot`s of activities on these streets, great people and revenue generators, strong energy even up to 10pm. Great idea.
#1 Connecting to the guadalupe river park trail downtown would be an excellent idea for pedestrians and cyclists.
The problem is the connector from Willow Glen to downtown is in serious trouble. A developer has opened an escrow with the railroad to purchase the R.R. tracks on both sides of Coe street in Willow Glen so he can get a permit to built high density row housing on top of the R.R.tracks which would block the W.G.Spur trail, aka Three river trail from connecting to downtown. Housing similar to those built on Hervy lane just off Minnesotta in Willow Glen. This property was planned for a walking/bike trail.
This would provide an excellent walk or bike ride from Willow Glen to downtown San Jose. I walk the Willow Glen portion of the Los Gatos creek trail to campbell every day. This trail is very popular with people walking from Campbell to Los Gatos, “lots of foot and Bike traffic”.
Maybe Tom can help save this trail connection. Tom, what do you think ? Good for Downtown business and Willow Glen residents.
SG –
We tried #6 once before, remember? It was called the Pavilion. And it was never more than 1/3 done. And people came and said “isn’t this nice? isn’t this cute? Wanna go to Valley Fair?”
We don’t need sports venues and bookstores and big events and big ticket items. Not yet. There’s too much broken that needs to be fixed before we can and should consider any of that. First things first.