How lame is San Jose? (San Diego, Sacramento: neighborhood, vs., shopping center)

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by Majin

SJ is cleaner and safer because it's a suburb. Sacramento is a really old, grity, and an actual city. I like to live in actual cities, so I prefer some old grit and density.

Completely disagree about DT DJ vs DT Sac. DT SJ in terms of square might be larger than Sac but Sac has more density and more height. It might look empty if you zoom out of the skyline because our tall buildings are spread out but on the ground level it's much denser.

Here are some examples of what a real city looks like:















Nice dense urban grit.

And I completely disagree abouot SJ nightlife vs Sac nightlife. The grid in sac is in a class of it's own in NorCal, and certainly surpasses SJ easily. We have densly populated locations in the grid thats crazy pretty much every weekend without any events going on. On Second Saturday it's absolute insanity.

I can show you the same grit and density in East Side San Jose and the eastern sections of Downtown, like Santa Clara Street. A ride through the area is enough. Will try to post pics later.

Plus yeah, you can get your sub urban style living. But to deny SJ's downtown is better than Sac's is just that...... denial.

Nightlife? I know about Second Saturday. Sac city needs a gimmick for its nightlife, San Jose looks like that every weekend.

Suburb? Most of Sacramento is suburban living, especially the new suburban living... Tons of houses built, and one large power center everyone drives too, North Natomas anyone?

San Jose is way more important than Sac culturally too. SJ is the epicenter for the Northern CA mexican-American culture. Biggest Cinco De Mayo in NorCal is held here, not Sac. Also hugely important to the Vietnamese-American community, Asian Indian, and a host of other cultures. And if it isn't here, it is in very nearby cities in the area. We have the draw of being in the Bay Area, a huge metro, unlike tiny Sac metro.

You can't get everything SJ area has to offer in Sac. Sure Sac is pretty nice for its area, as it should be. It is the alpha dog of its small metro, and I give it credit for that.


Leave you with a shot of SJ. Other nice ones were posted above.
Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, enjoying music in the park.

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by Ludachris

Having been born in raised in and around San Jose, I grew pretty tired of it. My wife and I moved away to Denver 5 years ago, and I must say, Denver has a much more attractive downtown area than San Jose. But San Jose has milder weather and more jobs. You compromise a little no matter where you go. I always wished they'd do more with SJ, but I don't care now. We don't plan on moving back there. It seemed nice enough growing up there, but it's quite different now. We're actually moving to Roseville, a suburb of Sacramento. I can't say I feel downtown Sacramento is as nice or inviting as downtown Denver, but it's not bad and I think we'll enjoy it. And I haven't walked around downtown Sacramento in several years, so I'm sure my memories of the city aren't all that accurate. It's probably nicer than I remember (at least I hope so). SJ hasn't changed all that much, and I can't say I'm a big fan of the city - as Majin said, it seems more like a massive suburb than a big city. But that's just my opinion.

When did you grow up in SJ, and when did you leave? San Jose changed a lot over the past decade and a half. It was an overgrown suburb of SF to start with. But has definitely carved its own character. Comparing 1996 to 2011 is like night and day, for the city. I'm sure Sacramento has experienced similar changes, if not more over the past decade. The city has changed a lot, most notably downtown, economy, people.

[jeffredo]

Originally Posted by vdy1985

San Jose is way more important than Sac culturally too. SJ is the epicenter for the Northern CA mexican-American culture. Biggest Cinco De Mayo in NorCal is held here, not Sac. Also hugely important to the Vietnamese-American community, Asian Indian, and a host of other cultures.

Oh please. Sacramento is known as the most diverse city in the US with large populations of Hispanics, Asians (all kinds), Slavics (Russians and Ukrainians) and an actually African-American community that rivals the others. You can't say that about San Jose. Blacks are almost an afterthought there.

Welcome to America's Most Diverse City - TIME

I drove a friend from Costa Mesa around San Jose a few years ago. He hadn't ever been there before and remarked "This looks just like Orange County - I hate it.".

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by jeffredo

Oh please. Sacramento is known as the most diverse city in the US with large populations of Hispanics, Asians (all kinds), Slavics (Russians and Ukrainians) and an actually African-American community that rivals the others. You can't say that about San Jose. Blacks are almost an afterthought there.

Welcome to America's Most Diverse City - TIME

I drove a friend from Costa Mesa around San Jose a few years ago. He hadn't ever been there before and remarked "This looks just like Orange County - I hate it.".

Both are diverse. But like I said, it is more important for many cultures, and if its not SJ, its a nearby city/suburb.

[durf]

Ludachris, I was in Dt. Denver last summer, Other than being a one street downtown(16th St.) and Lower Downtown, Dt. Denver resembles alot like Oakland before Mayor Jerry Bown. San Jose has the best downtown IMO! Alot has changed in the last 5 years with these highrise condos gone up. Now, there's a safeway at Tower 88 on San Fernando/Second St. which Denver would love to have in its downtown. How about that Target on Coleman in downtown? Denver yearns for that, too.

As for Sacramento, Downtown Denver creams it. Don't even think about comparing it with Dt. San Jose, except when you go on a time machine back to 1987.

[Evergreen7276]

Since when is Coleman considered downtown? I don't think people come downtown to go to Safeway durf.

[.highnlite]

Huh,

SJ is the epicenter for the Northern CA mexican-American culture. Biggest Cinco De Mayo in NorCal is held here, not Sac

Cinco De Mayo is a North American celebration, it ain't much for Mexico or Mexicans. A lot of Americans think it is Mexican independence day, but it ain't.

[durf]

Evergreen, the redevelopment agency, city of San Jose and downtown association includes all the areas up to Taylor St. and West to the rail track of Caltrain. Nope, mostly downtowners uses Safeway which Downtowners of Denver would love to have. San Jose is ahead!

[Evergreen7276]

Sorry Coleman isn't even close to downtown. Stop making stuff up.

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Huh,

Cinco De Mayo is a North American celebration, it ain't much for Mexico or Mexicans. A lot of Americans think it is Mexican independence day, but it ain't.

That's why I said Mexican-American culture. Check out SJ on Cinco De Mayo and you will see what I mean.