Japantown Community Congress of San Jose
(organization website link)
The City Corporation Yard Reuse Project
The City of San Jose through the San Jose Redevelopment Agency will be
selling the property between 6th & 7th and Jackson & Taylor Streets.
We're back into conversation about this project!
Nov 30th will be a Community Meeting. Please check back for time and place
or call 408.298.4303.
December 2007 NEWS
Williams & Dame Corp Yard Development City of San Jose/SJ Redevelopment
Agency
- Demolition - Jan 08
- Archeological study - Feb 08
- EIR process begun. Study will be shared for community input
- Plans for Development: LEEDS certified green building with green rooftops, latest technologies as can be incorporated.
- High density housing, possibly mixed between condo/market rate for purchase and rental
- Residential parking
- Public parking (street parking)
- Urban Plaza
- 30,000 sq ft of retail
- Amenity - (currently under
discussion)
rehearsal space, studios and offices for San Jose Taiko, publicly rentable spaces, (in collaboration with SJRA/City of San Jose needs assessment work with national consultant in performance spaces.)
General project timeline
(see illustration below)
Contact: Kathy at
sanjosejtown@sbcglobal.net
Dedication! - yes that's what it took but take a look at the first of the Ikoi no Ba and the 3-Japantown monument in front of the Issei Memorial Building 535 N. 5th Street.
The community was pleased to welcome guests including:
Mayor of the City of San Jose Ron Gonzales, Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez and
family, Councilmembers Linda LeZotte and husband, Nancy Pyle, Chuck Reed,
Forest Williams and wife Dorothy, SCC Supervisor Pete McHugh and Congressman
Mike Honda, Project Manager Kip Harkness (SJRA) and Eva Klinger (SJRA-JCCsj
liaison).
(photo of artist Lou Quintance and Japantown artist
Ken Matsumoto putting the 3-Japantown sculpture in place)
-
.What are Ikoi no Ba? click here to find out
Update: Five themes for the five sites on Fifth Street have been determined after many conversations, committee meetings and discussion. They are: Heritage, Community, Commerce, History and Culture. Design themes revolve around natural elements; rock, wood and plant. Special design elements are projected for each separate site. Tiles for one, photo lithograph for another, artifact from Japantown's agricultural past for another and others to be decided. -
What is the Fifth & Jackson Landmark? click here to find out
Update: CMG architects presented a great overview of the last half year of community meetings at the last Town Hall, Feb 5h, 2005.
Click here for some architect's drawings of the proposed landmark
Click here for the Concept Statement (why it is what it is)
Call 408 298-4303 for more information.
Architectural firm, CMG was hired after two days of interviews with 4 out of the 11 applicants, reviewed by the Landmark Committee. Chris Guillard, principal of CMG will be working with the committee and RDA. Keep checking this website for more information and updates.
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Cultural Preservation? click here to find out
A final report has been created which includes individual reports from all three Japantowns. This report will be shared with each of the Japantown City partners and will be presented to the California State Librarian's office. It will then be distributed to all the California State legislators. -
Historic District Survey
(click above to find out more!)
The Japantown Historic Context and Reconnaissance Level Survey was completed in September 2004 and formally accepted by the Historic Landmarks Commission in November 2004 and the San Jose City Council in January 2005. The report was conducted by historic resource consultants Carey & Co. Inc. under the direction of the San Jose Planning Department and a survey committee composed of members of the Japantown Community Congress, Japantown Business Association, Historic Landmarks Commission, and the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. Funding for the project came from a federal grant, local grant and city funding.
-
Historic District Survey Phase II completed. (Nov 1, 2006 presented to the San Jose City Historic Landmark Commission).
See Japantown News for more information
Japantown Community Congress of San Jose (JCCsj)
Background
JCCsj is the recognized community organization
in partnership with the City of San Jose for work on SB307 and Prop 40
capital improvement projects which are the 'Ikoi no Ba' the Fifth and
Jackson Landmark and the Historical Markers.
The Japantown Community Congress of San Jose
(JCCsj) is a 501(c)3 public benefit charitable institution formed from
the guidelines and requirements of SB307, California State Legislation for
the pilot project of historical and cultural preservation of the last three
remaining Japantowns in the United States. The JCCsj board is comprised of
organizations and individuals with interest and concern for the historic and
cultural preservation of Japantown and the development of the Japantown
district, venues, businesses and residences. Members of the JCCsj also
represent San Jose Japantown in the Preservation committee of the California
Japanese American Leadership Council.
The JCCsj meets every 4th Tuesday night of
the month.
Executive Board meets every 2nd Wednesday.
Current concerns of the JCCsj and
subcommittees are:
Directional Signs and Landmarks, rest spaces, - allocation funds from Prop
40, Historic District Survey (grant monies from the Planning Department of
the City of San Jose in collaboration with Courtney Damkroger, City of San
Jose Historic Preservation Officer), RFP 5th & Jackson Landmark.
The JCCsj is happy to be partnering
with the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose by City Council of San
Jose Resolution passed October 14th, 2003 Our RDA point person is Ms. Eva
Klinger.
Kip Harkness remains project leader for the Corporation Yard project.
Many thanks go to Laura Lam, Julie
Amato and Ric Soto-Lopez and everyone who have helped get to this point!
For info email:
sanjosejtown@sbcglobal.net
or call JBA office
408.298-4303
SB307
draft report-San Jose portion