North First Street Corridor?
Posted by BSB Connect on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 @ 10:35 AM
The urban center of Downtown San Jose and the historical port of Alviso bookend San Jose's North First Street. Along that corridor, the satallite image from Google Earth reveals everything from dense, high-rise towers to sprawling tech campuses. Running parallel to this same corridor rests the Guadalupe Riverpark, an urban ecosystem that encourages a sustainable, active lifestyle within Downtown.
Adjacent is the San Jose Mineta International Airport. Did I list enough assets?
I asked some clients, both Bay Area natives and out-of-towner's, to give me their impression of the what a North First Street Corridor would look like. Answers were nearly as scattered as the identity of North First Street itself, BUT maybe that diversity is what precisely defines the character of the street? (your tweet inserted here) With light rail dashing down the center divide, the street is a "mixed use transit oriented development" in the making. So, two snapshots to consider for the North First Street transformation are maximizing the established infrastructure surrounding public transportation and potential repositioning of current real estate assets along the street. (or at least some defining)
This is not to suggest that the North First Street transformation evolve into a congested, business emphasized district liken to the Wilshire Corridor in Los Angeles; however, it is to imply that bay area developers and city planners cooperate in order to generate additional commerce and connectivity via this main artery of the city. We have the opportunity to take advantage of the already established infrastructure surrounding VTA light rail.
From a Real Estate perspective, by driving up and down the street it becomes apparent that assets are available and development is needed. What about a section specified for Residential? Expansion of the commercial district? Eco-passes available to business owners and residents? Retail life and energized traffic? Diverse hospitality?
All these components located 2-3 blocks appart from each other streamlining through a main artery into downtown forms an infectious urban planning element.
- Hunter Current, BSB Development