How's Downtown San Jose these days? (Morgan Hill, Monterey: crime, bus, light rail)

[Moddedintegra56]

maybe you just missed it, because on 280, you can REALLY see downtown san jose. from when it gets close to the 87 interchange if you are driving 280 north

the visibility is so much better of downtown san jose, in comparison to seeing downtown fresno from the 99. from the 99 you really have to look for it. because of the way the highway/free is graded. kinda dips or descends so its hard to see anything .

i can really see it though when i hope on to the 180.

the 99 is just right at the edge of town so it doesn't help do any justice for fresno/clovis. unless the city ever develops west of the 99 and the areas visible from the 99 which only seems to be hubs for trucks and industrial/commercial warehouses. its really hard to see how big fresno/clovis is unless you hop onto the 180, 41, 168. unfortunately for many who dont. it always leaves a bad impression because all they see is wahts on 99. downtown fresno should look/feel different once all the projects are done. esp when the high speed rail station is in place.

downtown san jose to get back on topic, has it's days. during events like sharks games, or holiday christmas in the park things, the city is a live and vibrant. but in many days on the weekdays there are many times it is surprisingly quiet an dead. im just speaking nightlife. obviously during lunch wok week there are many who work in the area. but it still seems as if downtown san jose is still not the #1 choice for night life entertainment on a regular basis for the residents unless there really is reason to be.

[the topper]

Originally Posted by 559valleyboy

I have been to downtown San Jose plenty of times. The last time I was there, there was a big racing event which was televised on national TV. There had to had been thousands of people in attendance as the track wove thru downtown. That picture of downtown San Jose from 280 on the above post looks familiar to when I recently traveled. Downtown San Jose looks a lot bigger at street level than it does from the freeway imo, so thats probably why I thought I missed it.

You won't recognize it now since they have added tons of new towers, high rise residential.

[marcopolo666]

Originally Posted by the topper

How's Downtown San Jose doing these days? Is it thriving or getting weaker?

Still sucks. Unless you are into Hockey or want to see last year's (or decade's) plays/musicals from NYC, you might as well go elsewhere. Or if there is something at the conv center that interests you.

Parking sucks. Better restaurants fairly close by. Much better choice in movies elsewhere (is there still a movie-plex in downtown?). Better places to go for a leisurely walk (where you don't have to put up with the homeless like you do anywhere near guadalupe river walk). Better shopping (unless the *only* "name brand" store in the area happens to be downtown - that is rarely true).

Just pass on downtown - go elsewhere.

[the topper]

Originally Posted by Moddedintegra56

maybe you just missed it, because on 280, you can REALLY see downtown san jose. from when it gets close to the 87 interchange if you are driving 280 north

the visibility is so much better of downtown san jose, in comparison to seeing downtown fresno from the 99. from the 99 you really have to look for it. because of the way the highway/free is graded. kinda dips or descends so its hard to see anything .

i can really see it though when i hope on to the 180.

the 99 is just right at the edge of town so it doesn't help do any justice for fresno/clovis. unless the city ever develops west of the 99 and the areas visible from the 99 which only seems to be hubs for trucks and industrial/commercial warehouses. its really hard to see how big fresno/clovis is unless you hop onto the 180, 41, 168. unfortunately for many who dont. it always leaves a bad impression because all they see is wahts on 99. downtown fresno should look/feel different once all the projects are done. esp when the high speed rail station is in place.

downtown san jose to get back on topic, has it's days. during events like sharks games, or holiday christmas in the park things, the city is a live and vibrant. but in many days on the weekdays there are many times it is surprisingly quiet an dead. im just speaking nightlife. obviously during lunch wok week there are many who work in the area. but it still seems as if downtown san jose is still not the #1 choice for night life entertainment on a regular basis for the residents unless there really is reason to be.

People in the valley don't go out during weeknights since they have to get up the next day and go to work.

[lokra]

Originally Posted by the topper

You won't recognize it now since they have added tons of new towers, high rise residential.

It will be interesting to see what a difference in downtown with all these new folks who eventually move into these high rises make on downtown. There is a lot of building going on right now.

[Californiaguy2007]

Yup,it's the same with Bakersfield...You pass by on Highway 99 and you don't really get the feel of how large Bakersfield is and you also don't see the nicer parts of Bakersfield as well,but despite that Bakersfield is still smaller than either Fresno or San Jose,but the city is growing outwards.

San Jose has enormous potential,the same goes with so many other areas around the Bay Area.

Originally Posted by Moddedintegra56

like in the fresno wouldnt you say? most passer bys to fresno will be on 99. the very reason why people who dont go explore the fresno area will think its a small city because the 99 is on the edge and you dont see much. its not until you hop on the 180 or 41 from 99 and you drive past downtown do you start to see the vastness the city is and see the downtown from a distance.

i would say similarly to san jose, driving down the 101 i mean theres really not much you dont see the downtown. 280 you get a little view, but to really see it you would have to go on the 87.

[cardinal2007]

Downtown is actually doing pretty well these days. I moved to San Jose in 2010, and the downtown was struggling relative to today. Since then 2 apartment towers have been built, a lot of the vacant space has been taken over, but there is still plenty of vacant space in several areas, the most notable change is in the San Pedro Square area, the San Pedro Square Market was built around that time, since then they expanded to a second building, and now have plans to expand across the street. A new apartment tower has been built across another street, and there is 2 condo towers being constructed there right now.

Generally there seems to be more people and businesses. There are a lot of ambitious plans for new towers, but I don't know which will actually break ground, I think I remember reading something like 15 towers are proposed for downtown now, but only 2 have been under construction at the same time since I moved here.

[the topper]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

Downtown is actually doing pretty well these days. I moved to San Jose in 2010, and the downtown was struggling relative to today. Since then 2 apartment towers have been built, a lot of the vacant space has been taken over, but there is still plenty of vacant space in several areas, the most notable change is in the San Pedro Square area, the San Pedro Square Market was built around that time, since then they expanded to a second building, and now have plans to expand across the street. A new apartment tower has been built across another street, and there is 2 condo towers being constructed there right now.

Generally there seems to be more people and businesses. There are a lot of ambitious plans for new towers, but I don't know which will actually break ground, I think I remember reading something like 15 towers are proposed for downtown now, but only 2 have been under construction at the same time since I moved here.

Where did you move from back in 2010?

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by the topper

Where did you move from back in 2010?

I moved around the Bay Area a bit, moved to Stanford in 2004, Belmont in 2007, then Foster City in 2010 for a while before moving to San Jose.

[treedroppings]

Oughta try Downtown Morgan Hill! Lots of food fun in a square mile