Downtown San Jose
Encyclopedia
Downtown San Jose is the central business district
of San Jose
, California
, United States
. The area is generally located north of Interstate 280
and east of Guadalupe Parkway
, which roughly parallels the Guadalupe River
. The region is bound to the north by U.S. Route 101 and to the east by Coyote Creek
The ZIP code
for the business district of downtown San Jose is 95113, and the residential area is covered by ZIP codes 95110, 95112 and 95113.
spearheaded aggressive expansion during the 1950s and '60s. As the city rapidly expanded into outlying areas, the downtown area entered a period of decline. In the 1980s, mayor Tom McEnery
, whose family owned several buildings in downtown, initiated significant gentrification
in the area. The San Jose Redevelopment Agency, the largest such group in the state, would eventually become a key player in revitalizing the downtown area and, to a lesser extent, surrounding neighborhoods. In some cases, historic downtown buildings were bulldozed in order to make room for new hotels, office space, condominiums, museums, theaters and parks; to widen or re-align streets, and to build parking lots and garages.
flight path. Despite the height restrictions, the area is home to many of the city's landmarks, including the headquarters of Adobe Systems
, BEA Systems
, the San Jose Museum of Art
, the Tech Museum of Innovation
, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
, the San Jose Repertory Theatre
, the San Jose Stage Company, the historic De Anza Hotel
, the Fairmont Hotel
, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
, the campus of San Jose State University
and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
. HP Pavilion at San Jose, just west of Guadalupe Parkway, is also normally considered to be part of the downtown community.
Downtown also is home to several important network service provider
s and Internet service providers, many of them located in Market Post Tower
. Although the cost of office and technical space is relatively high downtown, this is offset by the low cost of peering
and internetworking
, an effect of proximity to other networking companies.
Many of the public areas of downtown San Jose are covered by a public, free, Wi-Fi
network, including the areas surrounding Plaza de César Chávez
and San Pedro Square
. Downtown is also the hub of the VTA
's light rail
system, and the home of the main campus of San Jose State University
. Many of the 19th century buildings in central downtown appear on the National Register of Historic Places
, in particular the area surrounding St. James Park.
, a number of neighborhoods still retain their original, pre-1906 housing stock. These neighborhoods include the South University, Naglee Park, Hensley Historic District, Reed Historic District and Vendome neighborhoods. Downtown San Jose's early 20th century housing is diverse and includes many smaller Victorian
homes along with a few fairly large gingerbread or Italianate-style Victorians, Craftsman
, Mission
and California Bungalow
architecture in the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core.
As part of its apparent effort to stimulate economic growth and increase tax revenue within the downtown community, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency began encouraging builders to construct high-rise residential towers, and the agency offered subsidies and lifted the requirement to provide affordable units that were characteristic of other redevelopment projects throughout the city. The agency’s master plan has incorporated high-rise condominiums since 1980. In 2008, the city’s first high-rise project began selling units. Construction or planning has begun on at least seven additional high-rise projects. The agency states the high-rises will contribute to the creation of a more vibrant and well-to-do downtown culture.
The downtown residential area primarily consisted of Caucasian
residents through the mid-twentieth century. A notable exception was the Northside Neighborhood, where ethnic minority groups were invited to establish their homes and live their lives freely. With a vibrant African-American community and a Chinatown that grew into today's Japantown
, San Jose's Northside welcomed everyone and helped to form the inclusive, diverse and vibrant downtown San Jose community of today.
Downtown San Jose is home to the campus of San Jose State University
. SJSU is the founding campus of the California State University
system and the oldest public university on the west coast of the United States. SJSU enrolls approximately 31,000 students.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
, shared by the city of San Jose and San Jose State University, is located on the campus of San Jose State University in downtown San Jose. The King Library represents the first collaboration of its kind between a university and a major U.S. city, and has won numerous awards including the Library Journal's
prestigious 2004 Library of the Year award, the publication’s highest honor. The library first opened its doors in 2003.
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The area is generally located north of Interstate 280
Interstate 280 (California)
Interstate 280 is a 57-mile long north–south Interstate Highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It connects San Jose and San Francisco, running along just to the west of the cities of San Francisco Peninsula for most of its route.I-280 from its northern end at King...
and east of Guadalupe Parkway
California State Route 87
State Route 87 , locally called Highway 87 or the Guadalupe Freeway, is a north–south state highway entirely within San Jose, California, United States. Its name was changed from Guadalupe Parkway in 2004 after its entire constructed length was upgraded to a freeway...
, which roughly parallels the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (California)
The Guadalupe River is a short river in California whose headwater creeks originate in the Santa Cruz Mountains near the summit of Loma Prieta and Mount Umunhum. The river mainstem now begins on the Santa Clara Valley floor at the northern end of Lake Almaden, which is fed by Los Alamitos Creek and...
. The region is bound to the north by U.S. Route 101 and to the east by Coyote Creek
The ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
for the business district of downtown San Jose is 95113, and the residential area is covered by ZIP codes 95110, 95112 and 95113.
Brief history
The town was first settled in 1777. The area that now makes up downtown was first settled twenty years later, when the town of San Jose moved somewhat inland from its original location on the banks of the Guadalupe River. In 1850, San Jose incorporated to become California's first city and the location of California's first state capitol. The downtown area was typical of a small, agriculture-based city of under 100,000 residents until city manager A. P. HamannA. P. Hamann
-External links:**...
spearheaded aggressive expansion during the 1950s and '60s. As the city rapidly expanded into outlying areas, the downtown area entered a period of decline. In the 1980s, mayor Tom McEnery
Tom McEnery
Tom McEnery is an American author, businessman, and teacher from San Jose, California, who served as the 61st mayor of that city from 1983 to 1991.McEnery attended Santa Clara University, graduating with a B.A. in 1967 and an M.A. in 1970...
, whose family owned several buildings in downtown, initiated significant gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
in the area. The San Jose Redevelopment Agency, the largest such group in the state, would eventually become a key player in revitalizing the downtown area and, to a lesser extent, surrounding neighborhoods. In some cases, historic downtown buildings were bulldozed in order to make room for new hotels, office space, condominiums, museums, theaters and parks; to widen or re-align streets, and to build parking lots and garages.
Business District
Downtown San Jose buildings are not allowed to exceed 27 stories in height (The 88 Tower is the tallest at 286 feet, one foot taller than City Hall), due to their close proximity to the Mineta San Jose International AirportSan Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
flight path. Despite the height restrictions, the area is home to many of the city's landmarks, including the headquarters of Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
, BEA Systems
BEA Systems
BEA Systems, Inc. specialized in enterprise infrastructure software products known as "middleware", which connect software applications to databases and was acquired by Oracle Corporation on April 29, 2008.- History :...
, the San Jose Museum of Art
San Jose Museum of Art
The San Jose Museum of Art is an art museum in Downtown San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1969, the museum hosts a large permanent collection emphasizing West Coast artists of the 20th- and 21st-century. It is located next to the Circle of Palms Plaza and Plaza de César Chávez...
, the Tech Museum of Innovation
The Tech Museum of Innovation
The Tech Museum of Innovation, or simply The Tech, is a museum located in the heart of Silicon Valley, in downtown San Jose, California USA.-History:...
, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is an art museum in Downtown San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1977, the museum is the first in the United States devoted solely to quilts and textiles as an art form...
, the San Jose Repertory Theatre
San Jose Repertory Theatre
The San Jose Repertory Theatre was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber as the first resident professional theatre company in San Jose, California, and is currently the largest non-profit, professional theatre company in the South Bay...
, the San Jose Stage Company, the historic De Anza Hotel
De Anza Hotel
The De Anza Hotel is a hotel in San Jose, California. At ten stories, it once was the tallest hotel in the San Jose central business district, prior to the construction of Hilton, Fairmont, and Marriott hotels. Significant for its architectural style, it is one of San Jose's few Zig Zag Moderne ...
, the Fairmont Hotel
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a Canadian-based operator of luxury hotels and resorts. Currently, Fairmont operates properties in 18 countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados, United Kingdom, Monaco, Germany, Switzerland, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, the...
, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph
Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (San Jose)
-External links:* *...
, the campus of San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is a 136 foot tall public library in Downtown San Jose, California, United States that opened on August 1, 2003. As of 2007, it is the largest library building in the western United States built in a single construction project with over 475,000 square feet ...
. HP Pavilion at San Jose, just west of Guadalupe Parkway, is also normally considered to be part of the downtown community.
Downtown also is home to several important network service provider
Network service provider
A network service provider is a business or organization that sells bandwidth or network access by providing direct backbone access to the Internet and usually access to its network access points...
s and Internet service providers, many of them located in Market Post Tower
Market Post Tower
Market Post Tower, also known as the Gold Building, is a 15 story, building in downtown San Jose, California. Built in 1985, Market Post Tower was designed to provide a mix of office and retail space. When first built, the building was controversial due to its glass exterior, which produced high...
. Although the cost of office and technical space is relatively high downtown, this is offset by the low cost of peering
Peering
In computer networking, peering is a voluntary interconnection of administratively separate Internet networks for the purpose of exchanging traffic between the customers of each network. The pure definition of peering is settlement-free or "sender keeps all," meaning that neither party pays the...
and internetworking
Internetworking
Internetworking is the practice of connecting a computer network with other networks through the use of gateways that provide a common method of routing information packets between the networks...
, an effect of proximity to other networking companies.
Many of the public areas of downtown San Jose are covered by a public, free, Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
network, including the areas surrounding Plaza de César Chávez
Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Plaza de César Chávez is a 2.2-acre park in Downtown San Jose, California, USA, named after César Chávez in 1993. It is surrounded by South Market Street, across which is The Tech Museum of Innovation, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Circle of Palms Plaza and the Fairmont San Jose Hotel...
and San Pedro Square
San Pedro Square
San Pedro Square is located between Santa Clara Avenue and Saint John Street in San Jose, California, USA. The oldest district in the city, San Pedro Square is home to two national historic landmarks, the Peralta Adobe and Fallon House. The Peralta Adobe was built in 1797 and is the oldest building...
. Downtown is also the hub of the VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is a special-purpose district responsible for public transit services, congestion management, specific highway improvement projects, and countywide transportation planning for Santa Clara County, California, United States...
's light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system, and the home of the main campus of San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. Many of the 19th century buildings in central downtown appear on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, in particular the area surrounding St. James Park.
Residential district
The residential areas of Downtown San Jose are now both inside the downtown core and surrounding the core. Downtown residents are known for their civic engagement, as evidenced by more than two dozen active neighborhood associations in the area. Despite widespread destruction caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, a number of neighborhoods still retain their original, pre-1906 housing stock. These neighborhoods include the South University, Naglee Park, Hensley Historic District, Reed Historic District and Vendome neighborhoods. Downtown San Jose's early 20th century housing is diverse and includes many smaller Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
homes along with a few fairly large gingerbread or Italianate-style Victorians, Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
, Mission
Mission Revival Style architecture
The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....
and California Bungalow
California Bungalow
California bungalows, known as Californian bungalows in Australia and are commonly called simply bungalows in America, are a form of residential structure that were widely popular across America and, to some extent, the world around the years 1910 to 1939.-Exterior features:Bungalows are 1 or 1½...
architecture in the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core.
As part of its apparent effort to stimulate economic growth and increase tax revenue within the downtown community, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency began encouraging builders to construct high-rise residential towers, and the agency offered subsidies and lifted the requirement to provide affordable units that were characteristic of other redevelopment projects throughout the city. The agency’s master plan has incorporated high-rise condominiums since 1980. In 2008, the city’s first high-rise project began selling units. Construction or planning has begun on at least seven additional high-rise projects. The agency states the high-rises will contribute to the creation of a more vibrant and well-to-do downtown culture.
The downtown residential area primarily consisted of Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
residents through the mid-twentieth century. A notable exception was the Northside Neighborhood, where ethnic minority groups were invited to establish their homes and live their lives freely. With a vibrant African-American community and a Chinatown that grew into today's Japantown
Japantown, San Jose, California
Japantown is the portion of San Jose, California bounded by First Street to the west, 8th street to the east, Empire Street to the south and Taylor Street to the north; it is just north of Downtown San Jose. Japantown originally formed around the existing "Heinlenville" Chinatown settlement...
, San Jose's Northside welcomed everyone and helped to form the inclusive, diverse and vibrant downtown San Jose community of today.
Education
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. SJSU is the founding campus of the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system and the oldest public university on the west coast of the United States. SJSU enrolls approximately 31,000 students.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is a 136 foot tall public library in Downtown San Jose, California, United States that opened on August 1, 2003. As of 2007, it is the largest library building in the western United States built in a single construction project with over 475,000 square feet ...
, shared by the city of San Jose and San Jose State University, is located on the campus of San Jose State University in downtown San Jose. The King Library represents the first collaboration of its kind between a university and a major U.S. city, and has won numerous awards including the Library Journal's
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
prestigious 2004 Library of the Year award, the publication’s highest honor. The library first opened its doors in 2003.