|
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER AT-A-GLANCE
____
|
San Jose Identity Initiative - The Story Behind the Mark
____
 |
|
For many years, one of the challenges faced by OED's business development team has been the need to explain San Jose before we could present the advantages of our city as a place to live, work and do business.
Considering that it's the 10th largest city in the United States, San Jose doesn't necessarily evoke a strong mental image. The name of any of the other of the 10 largest cities elicits an immediate impression, for instance, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas. Even down to #39 (Atlanta) or #49 (New Orleans), you can easily access a clear image of the place, its buildings, atmosphere, and even spirit. But not for San Jose.
Encouraged by then-Vice Mayor Herrera, OED started to work on defining and communicating the identity of San Jose, in order to be able to promote the city more effectively. In 2016, the City Council put up $125,000 that was matched by the Knight Foundation for a two-year identity development effort. After a national search, OED contracted with Native Digital, a branding and marketing firm, to help with the identity initiative.
|
San Jose is #3 Best City for Women Entrepreneurs
____
According to a study just released by MagnifiyMoney, a financial product comparison website, San Francisco, Austin, and San Jose, Calif. are the top three cities for women business owners.The West Coast seems to foster woman entrepreneurs, with six of the top 10 metro areas in its survey of the top U.S. metropolitan areas.
To come up with its results, MagnifyMoney looked at both mean and median business income for self-employed women in each area. A wide range indicated a larger gap in potential earnings.
The report noted that San Jose is a similarly ideal place for women entrepreneurs. The city has one of the highest average business incomes for women, at $30,344 per year.
San Jose also has higher rates of women who are self-employed (41.1%) as well as incorporated businesses owned by women (32.2%).
We have profiled a selection of women business founders, and our recent blogpost recaps their success in fields not usually considered "woman's work."
|
Downtown San Jose Report - Mid-Year 2018
Recently, OED's Downtown Manager Blage Zelalich presented an update on Downtown to a committee of the City Council. Her
presentation can be viewed
, and highlights are presented in a blogpost.
A vibrant city center is eclectic, interesting and inviting; has strong commercial and residential development; is socially, economically and ethnically diverse; is easily accessible from, a variety of transit; has a healthy mix of land uses; and attracts a variety of talent.
Downtown San Jose is Silicon Valley's city center, its only true urban environment. To this end, the City is committed to thoughtful but aggressive growth and planning efforts Downtown. The elements presented include statistics and data on demographics, development plans, significant real estate transactions, rehab projects, the Diridon/Google planning process, transit plans, urban living, arts & entertainment, and public realm activities. For all the details, read the full blogpost.
.
|
Silicon Valley Manufacturing Roundtable
Meets Manufacture: San Jose
____
Take a second-generation San Jose tool manufacturer. Add in a tech-entrepreneur-turned-whiskey-distiller. Throw in a medical-equipment maker. Include a Stanford lecturer.
That's the recipe for last month's installment of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Roundtable, a (roughly) quarterly event that brings together the region's manufacturing leaders for wide-ranging conversations about issues affecting the industry.
|
|
|
Panel discussion at SVMR 2018. From left, moderator Donovan Lazaro/OED; Brad Mountz/Mountz; Noreen King/Evolve; Virag Saksena/10th St. Distillery |
The consensus: Local manufacturing continues to evolve and thrive as successful companies respond to market opportunities and trends.
For more information, contact Donovan Lazaro, Business Development Officer, OED.
|
 |
New Traffic Measuring Method Could Benefit Infill Development in San Jose
____
Guest Blogpost by Ramses Madou
Interim Division Manager, Planning, Policy & Sustainability
Department of Transportation, City of San Jose
The City of San Jose has recently changed the way it measures the impact of vehicle traffic spurred by development. The new metric, called vehicle miles traveled (VMT), supports denser development that promotes travel by foot, bike, or transit.
In 2013, the State of California passed
Senate Bill 743 (SB 743), which says that jurisdictions can no longer use automobile delay at intersections - commonly measured by "level of service" - when doing transportation analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The suggested replacement for level of service, VMT, is widely seen as a more holistic metric that can better support smart growth.
The City began crafting new policy to implement this change in January 2017. After months of research, analysis, modeling, and community outreach, the City Council voted to approve a new
Transportation Analysis Policy in February. VMT is now the law of the land when it comes to CEQA traffic impact analysis in San Jose.
VMT is a significant shift in the way the City thinks about transportation. Instead of continuing to plan for more and more auto traffic, using streets and freeways that are already at or nearing capacity, the City is instead focused on developing safe and inviting pedestrian, bicycle, and transit networks to meet new travel demand.
For more information, contact Colin Heyne, Communications, DOT
|
| DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE TOUR |
Real Estate Opportunities on View, Sept. 20, 2018
____
Reservations are being accepted for three-hour tour of Downtown San Jose's most interesting real estate opportunities, 1:30-4:30 pm, Thursday, Sept. 20. The roughly biennial tour will showcase some recent Downtown success stories, reveal investment opportunities and review projects under construction. Hoge Fenton is the primary sponsor in partnership with Colliers International, supported by City of San Jose, San Jose Downtown Association and Silicon Valley Organization.
 Traditionally a sell-out event, the tour appeals to investors, property owners, brokers, developers, builders, retailers and businesses and individuals interested in the development of San Jose's Downtown.
Attendees will board chartered buses for an engaging, narrated tour of commercial and residential projects of interest in downtown and the immediate surrounding areas, disembarking for visits at the historic Bank of Italy Building, Coleman Highline and the 808 West residential development on West San Carlos Street.
The event will end with a reception and cocktail hour at The District on San Pedro Street. To register, visit the
Eventbrite site. For more information, contact
Blage Zelalich, Downtown Manager, OED.
.
|
$70 Million Tax Credit Funds Available to California Businesses
____
The California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is now
$70 million in tax credit funds are available during application periods in 2018 and 2019. The incentive program is intended to offset some of the costs associated with expanding or locating a new business operation in California, providing a tax incentive that can be applied against future taxes on earnings.
What is important about the program is that it open to businesses of all sizes, with incentives ranging from $20,000 to more than $10 million.
For more information, contact Donovan Lazaro, Business Development Officer, OED
.
|
|
