SJ more in common with SF or Oak? Your thoughts?

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by fashionguy

Hmm. I know some locals would say something like this. Locals exaggerate the differences because they are too familiar with each neighborhood they don't look through an objective angle.

Or maybe they know the differences because they know what they're talking about, because they live there. This alleged "objective angle" and "average person" stuff sounds like lazy people judging towns from freeways.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Or maybe they know the differences because they know what they're talking about, because they live there. This alleged "objective angle" and "average person" stuff sounds like lazy people judging towns from freeways.

I am actually surprised the person keeps responding, anyone who has even driven through San Jose other than the freeways can tell that the city varies a lot by neighborhood, it covers a lot of land and is very diverse economically, and also ethnically. Anyway, Cupertino does not have anything like the older homes in San Jose, or Santana Row, or Downtown San Jose, or hell even East San Jose, it is way too much of 1960s-1980s suburbs to resemble any of that. Santa Clara also has that issue, except the town was around earlier, so it does have some older homes, but seriously fails to have any places to go except for strip malls near Rivermark, AMC Mercado, and half the Valley Fair Mall. At least Sunnyvale still has 1 block of it's downtown left.

Some people really need to get out more.

[funtimessf]

San Jose isn't like Oakland at all. Oakland is much "grittier" than San Jose. There is much, much higher crime in Oakland - for example you are 6 times more likely to be the victim of a violent crime in Oakland than San Jose.

I would say San Jose is more similar to SF in that it is a major employment center like SF. And the racial makeup of San Jose is closer to SF (White, Asian, Hispanic) than Oakland (Black, White, Hispanic). But that's about it. As others mentioned, it is much more spread out with a SoCal feel than either Oakland or SF.

[krudmonk]

Do you guys know Oakland as it nears Alameda/San Leandro/Hayward, or just closer to Berkeley/Emeryville/Piedmont? Crime stats aside, East Oakland is a broad expanse of the city with older bungalows and corner stores amidst industrial lots and warehouses with train tracks cutting through. It's not a world away from a lot of SJ in pretty much every direction from downtown.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

I am actually surprised the person keeps responding, anyone who has even driven through San Jose other than the freeways can tell that the city varies a lot by neighborhood, it covers a lot of land and is very diverse economically, and also ethnically. Anyway, Cupertino does not have anything like the older homes in San Jose, or Santana Row, or Downtown San Jose, or hell even East San Jose, it is way too much of 1960s-1980s suburbs to resemble any of that. Santa Clara also has that issue, except the town was around earlier, so it does have some older homes, but seriously fails to have any places to go except for strip malls near Rivermark, AMC Mercado, and half the Valley Fair Mall. At least Sunnyvale still has 1 block of it's downtown left.

Some people really need to get out more.

Before you say that Cupertino has no old homes, take a drive down Foothill Blvd.

[LexusNexus]

Originally Posted by blue bird

Actually, San Jose has more in common with Fresno. It's a large Fresno. It's downtown is nice but not vibrant. I was impressed with its downtown, the way it looks, when I finally checked out San Jose this past Summer as I went on West Coast trip; however, as nice its downtown is, it's dead and not much of center of even San Jose. People go to Santana Row or Campbell for the region's actions. Fresno has similar shopping/entertainment to Santana Row which is called "Tower District". It's an older, historic and smaller version of Santana Row, but it's still a lot of fun to hang there. Anyway, San Jose is similar to Fresno, not Oakland or San Francisco at all.

I agree. I see no comparison to either Oakland or San Francisco. Fresno is a far, far better choice.

[LexusNexus]

Originally Posted by fashionguy

Oakland has some resemblance with certain parts of San Francisco. San Jose is more like copying and pasting Santa Clara 10 times, with some slight differences between different neighborhoods. It has no resemblance to either SF or Oakland. In the South Bay, most likely you wouldn't recognize whether you are in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, or Cupertino. They all look very much alike.

I agree. SJ has little to nothing in common with SF or Oak.

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by LexusNexus

I agree. I see no comparison to either Oakland or San Francisco. Fresno is a far, far better choice.

Fresno is more affluent, safer, more educated, cleaner, and more diverse than S.F or Oakland?

Well, I guess San Jose is more like Fresno, then...

[ebrooks]

Originally Posted by fashionguy

Oakland has some resemblance with certain parts of San Francisco. San Jose is more like copying and pasting Santa Clara 10 times, with some slight differences between different neighborhoods. It has no resemblance to either SF or Oakland. In the South Bay, most likely you wouldn't recognize whether you are in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, or Cupertino. They all look very much alike.

"Oakland has some resemblance with certain parts of San Francisco." Certain parts of Oakland--like Grand Ave and Lakeshore Ave. There has been some movement from SF to Oakland into these areas and other Oakland areas like College Ave close to the BART station. All about rents I guess. Like the movement from the Bay Area into Midtown Sacramento.