Strategic Focus : Silicon Valley's Urban Core

Key Milestones to Date:

• Formed a Creative Team to develop a vision for downtown San Jose in 2005
• Published Urban Design Principles and Vision Framework of Big Deals and Small Wonders in 2006
• Made 87 presentations to audience of over 3000 civic and business leaders in 2006 and 2007
• Secured unanimous support from San Jose City Council in March 2007.
• Formed multi-sector Catalyst Team to steward the implementation of the Downtown Vision in April 2008.
• Secured over $7M Redevelopment Agency Investment in Small Wonders in 2008-2013 budget plan.
• Co-created Small Wonders priority matrix with City of San Jose in Fall 2008.
• Created SoFA (South First Area) Streetscape Design and Activation plan with unanimous support of local retailers, building owners, arts leaders and City staff; invested over $500k in realization of plan.
• Advocated for Big Deal components of Downtown Vision:
  • Assisted with BART to San Jose Measure B passing in November, 2008
  • Informed design of Convention Center expansion in 2008
  • Hosted Destination Downtown with High Rise Housing Towers in December, 2008.
  • Supported San Pedro Square Plan in Winter, 2008.

For more information, please direct your inquiry to Erika Justis, Director of Creative Place at ejustis@1stact.org