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SEPTEMBER  2017
FEATURE
CITY'S DEVELOPMENT PICTURE SHARED AT SVO EVENT
 


#SJCA

San José has always been a home for innovators. And now the city is setting the table for the next generation of dreamers, creating great places to live, work and dream big.

On Aug. 17, Kim Walesh, Director of the Office of Economic Development, and Rosalynn Hughey, Acting Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, presented an update on San Jose's economic and real estate development trends at the Silicon Valley Organization's (SVO) monthly breakfast meeting.

Kim's presentation gave an overview of the city's emerging identity as a center of innovation, arts as well as the urban core of Silicon Valley.

Rosalynn provided a detailed look at the commercial and residential developments. San Jose has more than 4,500 homes under construction (or recently finished), with 15,300 built between FY11-15. The city has also welcomed major new industrial developments, and is seeing a burst in office construction. She also shared updates on improvements to the city's planning and building department.

More than 100 representatives of San Jose's business, real estate and non-profit communities participated.

For more information, contact Elisabeth Handler, Public Information Manager, OED.
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MANUFACTURING NEWS
 THINFILM HOSTS CITY SITE VISIT

#BuiltInSJ

Consumer product engagement. High-tech security and product authentication. Health-and-wellness tracking.

Those are just some of the applications for a tiny little device that's being produced inside a North San José facility by Thinfilm.

The company recently hosted San José staff from the city's Special Tenant Improvement team (STI), as well as the Office of Economic Development, for an up-close look at this revolutionary technology.

Thinfilm, based in Norway, acquired the Junction Avenue building last fall and expects to ramp up production of its NFC (Near Field Communication), EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) and Sensor Label products dramatically.  It's soon to install new "roll-to-roll" production equipment that will ramp up capacity to 5 billion devices per year.

Thinfilm credited its quick setup in the 93,000-square-foot building in large part to the City's innovative STI process, a service that speeds and coordinates review of tenant improvements for qualifying office, R&D and industrial projects.

For more information, contact Donovan Lazaro, Business Development Officer, OED.


/  BENTEK AND CITY CELEBRATE COMPANY'S EXPANSION

#BuiltInSanJose
Formally celebrating Bentek's expansion to a new corporate manufacturing facility just south of Downtown, Mayor Sam Liccardo participated in a "meet and greet" with the company's employees in August in the 55,000 sf facility.
 
Bentek was founded in 1985 in North San José, where it still has its supply chain management, sales and integrated materials operations.  Bentek makes innovative and high-value products for the solar PV (photovoltaic) industry and provides world-class design and manufacturing service for industrial markets. Manufacturing combiners, recombiners, safety systems, cables, harnesses, and accessories for a wide variety of photovoltaic projects, Bentek boasts 40%-50% of the U.S. market share for these areas.
 
Mayor Sam Liccardo, right, Bentek CEO Mith Scoch at
opening ceremony

Bentek's CEO, Mitch Schoch and the Mayor both applauded the partnership the company has with work2future's SJ Works program, which provided Bentek with 40 youth for paid internships this summer. "We are so excited to be part of the San José community, and we can't wait to establish ongoing relationships like this with the local school districts, as well."
 
For more information, contact Jeff Ruster, Director of Strategic Partnerships, OED. .  

/ WORK2FUTURE CONVENES MANUFACTURING LEADERS TO REMAKE AREA'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

#WhySJ

work2future is leading a new effort that will bring two dozen leaders from advanced and contract manufacturing firms together at the Jabil Blue Sky Center in San José on Monday, August 21 to lay the foundation for an industry-led, systems approach towards developing and implementing efforts to address critical workforce issues. 

The convening is an essential first step in work2future's new Sector Strategies Initiative, which aims to shift the local workforce development system from a historically supply-driven dynamic to a demand-driven one led by the business community. A similar number of attendees from the region's workforce development partners-community colleges, SJSU, economic development agencies, business and business development organizations, and others-will observe the business leaders' conversation. T he business-with-business meeting is believed to be a first in this region.

work2future has engaged John Melville, co-founder/CEO of Collaborative Economics, to facilitate the discussions and planning. work2future is the local workforce development board serving San José, seven other local cities and the unincorporated communities of Santa Clara County. It is administered by the Office of Economic Development and funded by the US Department of Labor through the California Economic Development Department. 

For information, contact Jeff Ruster, (408) 535-8183, or Lawrence Thoo, (408) 794-1170.
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RETAIL NEWS
/ VIETNAM TOWN EXPANSION ALMOST COMPLETE

#WhySJ

The developer of the largest Vietnamese-oriented commercial plaza in North America is finishing up a major expansion that adds space for dozens of new retail and office businesses.

Vietnam Town hosted a tour on Aug. 17 to show off new units and a new parking garage. The expansion brings the 20-acre project up to 256 commercial condo units, totaling about 300,000 square feet.

Located at 909-999 Story Road, the center already contains dozens of unique offerings, including food, drink and dessert; electronics; professional servic es; medical offices and financial firms. "There's really nothing else like it," said broker Jeff Vo with GD Commercial, who is marketing Vietnam Town with se
nior partner Hai T. Dang.

Jeff Vo, GD Commercial.

It is estimated that San José has more than 100,000 Vietnamese residents, more than any other city outside of Vietnam, and a thriving Vietnamese business community.

Units at Vietnam Town average about 1,000 square feet, but an anchor space of about 36,000 square feet remains available. The new parking garage contains 550 spaces, bringing the total to 1,342 stalls.
For more information, contact Nathan Donato-Weinstein, Business Development Officer, OED.

/ EXCITING COFFEE EXPERIENCES ENLIVEN TWO DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS

#DTSJ

It is clear that Downtown San José offers the right environment, storefront opportunities and demographics for casual refreshment retail - and two very different new coffee purveyors opened in August to demonstrate this trend.

THE PROPER CUP

Dean Sherrell and San José Councilmember Johnny Khamis at The Proper Cup opening

Opening first, The Proper Cup, at the corner of Market and Santa Clara Street, is the first retail occupant of One Market, the imposing high-rise residential building. The Proper Cup offers a deep dive into a curated selection of coffees, and features the pour-over, considered the gold standard for enjoying nuances in bean and grind. The vibe is busy, modern and urban, with high ceilings, glass and wood. The owner is hospitality veteran Dean Sherrell. Visit the website for more information.

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ACADEMIC COFFEE

From right, CM Raul Peralez, Mayor Sam Liccardo, Kathy Duong, Frank Nguyen, US Rep. Zoe Lofgren, CM Magdalena Carrasco, California Assemblymember Ash Kalra,
 and the parents of Frank and Kathy.

The second coffee shop that opened in August is Academic Coffee, taking over a much-occupied corner that used to be a laundromat at 449 S. 2nd Street, in the SoFA District.

Husband and wife, Frank Nguyen and Kathy Duong, saw the location and decided this was the place to fulfill Frank's long obsession with coffee. For both, it's a coming home, and a comprehensive slate of elected officials showed up to welcome the new addition to the expanding SoFA neighborhood. With a scholarly twist, menu items are listed under "Today's Assignments" on the chalk board.Check out the coffee shop's Facebook page.

For more information on Downtown, contact Blage Zelalich, Downtown Manager, OED.

NORTH SAN JOSE
/ MAYOR'S NORTH SAN JOSE ROUNDTABLE

#NSJ

Bringing together corporations, developers and investors, San José Mayor Sam Liccardo convened a roundtable briefing on issues important to the area where more than 90,000 workers collaborate and innovate. The Mayor's message -   North San José is the region's premier transit-served location for R&D, and it's primed to get even better.

First on the agenda was Nanci Klein, Director of Real Estate. She provided an update on the City's retail initiative, which is being designed to identify and facilitate new retail and amenity offerings for workers and residents

The second item was presentations from Ford Go Bike and Lime Bike, bike-sharing companies with slightly different offerings and business models. Both are interested in offering services in North San José. The discussion proved that companies believe bike share can be valuable not just for solving the "last-mile" connection between transit stations and workplaces, but also as an option for daytime trips to restaurants or to run errands. Both companies will likely develop proposals for the City to review. 

For more information, contact Donovan Lazaro, Business Development Officer, OED.
 
SAN JOSE LIFESTYLE
/CITYDANCE SAN JOSE BRINGS THE PARTY TO DOWNTOWN

#WhySJ

For the second year, CityDance San Jose kicked off in August, with Salsa and Country Two-Step. The program continues through Oct. 12, bringing instruction and live bands for sessions on HipHop, Bollywood, D
OED Director Kim Walesh kicks off Country Two-Step 
isco, Swing, Merengue and Zydeco.

Professional dance instruction begins at 6 pm every Thursday, with the live band striking up at 7 for two hours of live dancing. The event is free, and a beer garden and food truck are available for refreshment purchases.
 
 
The full schedule and additional details are available at the CityDance San Jose Facebook events page.   For more information contact Elisabeth Handler, Public Information Manager, OED.

/ VIVA CALLE RETURNS - A NEW WAY TO EXPLORE SJ!

#WhySJ

Viva CalleSJ is a free program that temporarily closes miles of San José streets so that we can walk, bike, skate, play and explore the city in a new way. Each year, more than six miles of iconic neighborhood streets are closed to motor vehicles and open to every other way of getting around. Hubs provide refreshment, fun purchases and restroom facilities

This year's hubs are in Japantown, Roosevelt Park, Mexican Heritage Plaza, Alum Rock Village and Lake Cunningham Park.

The basics:
  • It's free!
  • It will take place Sunday, September 17, 2017 from 10am - 3pm.
  • It's not a race, and you don't need a bike to participate. You can walk or skate.
  • There's no beginning or end. You can start anywhere and go as far as you would like.
  • The flow of participants goes both ways, just like regular traffic.


Last year, the Mercury News estimated more than 100,000 people participated in VivaCalle SJ. For more information, check the VivaCalle SJ website, or contact Sal Alvarez, Executive Analyst, OED.

OPPORTUNITIES
CONTACT US

For more information, call 408.535.8168, or contact Elisabeth Handler
  
EVENTS
  9.1.17

  9.2.17

 9.3.17

  9.3.17

  9.7.17

  9.9.17

  9.9.17

 9.9 - 9.24.17

  9.10.17

  9.12 and 9.14.17

  9.14.17

  9.14.17

  9.16.17

  9.16.17

  9.17.17

  9.17.17

  9.21.17

  9.23.17

  9.24.17

  9.25 - 9.27.17

  9.26.17

  9.28.17


  9.30.17

  9.30 - 10.01.17




/ SAN JOSE REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES

#SJCA

In this and future issues of SJ Economy News, we will be featuring properties in San José for sale and lease. We invite brokers to share the opportunities they have with us - please provide the address, square footage, use and an image if you have one, along with your web address and contact info.


FOR LEASE - 3,800 SF Retail at 450 S. 1st Street, San José

In the heart of SoFA in Downtown, the former yoga facility will be available for lease in early November, negotiable rent. 
 
 





FOR LEASE - Two retail locations - 1,136 SF and 1,151 SF  N 2nd Street, San José

Two ground floor retail spaces in historic building with offices above, hardwood floors, high ceilings. Food uses ok. For information, contact Geri Wong, CCIM, gwong@newmarkccarey.com  4080 987-4134


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