San Jose is actually larger than San Francisco? (Stockton, Alameda: apartment, rent)

[John McClane]

San Jose is probably the only city on the planet that has over 1 million people within it's city limits, that does not have a downtown full of skyscrapers.

When your downtown is not flooded with skyscrapers, you do not get that big city feel.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by John McClane

San Jose is probably the only city on the planet that has over 1 million people within it's city limits, that does not have a downtown full of skyscrapers.

The airplanes would hit 'em. Without Al Quaeda.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by John McClane

San Jose is probably the only city on the planet that has over 1 million people within it's city limits, that does not have a downtown full of skyscrapers.

When your downtown is not flooded with skyscrapers, you do not get that big city feel.

I'm not sure about that. I know San Diego and Phoenix both have over 1M and have skyscrapers, but I don't think their downtowns are that big, are they??

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

The airplanes would hit 'em. Without Al Quaeda.

It's really stupid. It's nice in some ways that the airport is so close to downtown - just get on Coleman, it turns into Market and you're there in five minutes - but it causes so many problems. It snarls up traffic on three different freeways during peak times, it limits growth in downtown, and it limits the airport's hours of operation because of the curfew, which in turn severely limits its possibilities as a cargo airport. It would make sense on paper to relocate the airport at the mouth of the bay, like how SFO is, but the greenies would rightly flip out.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

It would make sense on paper to relocate the airport at the mouth of the bay, like how SFO is, but the greenies would rightly flip out.

Blame Sunnyvale, the epitome of South Bay negative stigmas. They blocked Moffett from becoming the new SJC.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Blame Sunnyvale, the epitome of South Bay negative stigmas. They blocked Moffett from becoming the new SJC.

Well, that's a little -too- far away. What about all that unused land that Tesla passed on in Alviso?

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Well, that's a little -too- far away. What about all that unused land that Tesla passed on in Alviso?

I think the existing runway was a big incentive. Starting from scratch is not as easy a sell. Now with fancy upgrades to SJC, it's not happening for a long time.

Also, it may be far from DTSJ but it's still within the heart of SV industry.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

One other problem is SJC already has marginal separation of planes climbing out from planes on final to SFO. Moffett's worse. They way they handled it back when Moffett was an active base was to restrict the SFO traffic and turn it from down wind to final further up the Peninsula than is typical today, but that would not work today. The current SFO approach control is based on noise limitations which did not exist prior to the 90s. Ramping up Moffett would be a real challenge now.

[spotandangel]

You'll find most of the big-name concerts in and around San Jose compared to San Francisco. The entertainment scene has been shifting southward since the 1980s. There's an abundance live theater and movies. And almost all of the area amusment parks are in San Jose's county of Santa Clara.

[sandy7]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

I'll be posting a thread on this later this summer. It will be a multi installment essay. Looking forward to it.

Sneak preview of the title: "San Francisco and the Bay Area: The World's Oddest Megacity."

Did you start this one yet? I'd love to take a look