San Jose is the 10th largest city in the United States by population (980,000) and the 48th largest city in the United States by size (176.5 square miles). It is the largest of the three major cities in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area in Northern California (the 5th largest metro area in the United States). It is about 40 miles South of San Francisco and Oakland. As such, its downtown could be expected to be more impressive than it actually is. However it is still a pleasant downtown, largely composed of contemporary mid-sized architecture and scattered historic buildings. Several human-scaled pedestrian alleys and streetscapes served by light rail form its spine, a few multiple-block parks provide green spaces, and a small developed creek corridor lines one side. Building heights are limited due to the nearby airport's flight path, and the downtown's ability to expand is mostly limited by existing development features on all sides, so its potential to become more impressive lies in careful infill of the remaining 20% (my 'guesstimate') of land currently occupied by parking lots or vacant lots.
This thread will focus on streetscapes, historic buildings, and mid-to-late 20th century buildings. Part 2 will focus on contemporary buildings and the Guadalupe River Park, and can be seen here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...37#post6564137
Skyline:
This photograph is taken from the top of San Jose City Hall, featured in Part 2:
St. James Park:
This historic park occupies 2 city blocks near the North end of downtown.
San Carlos Street:
Almaden Boulevard:
South 1st Street:
1st and 2nd Streets:
The area's light rail line runs South on 1st Street and North on 2nd Street through most of downtown's busiest pedestrian area.
Market Street:
San Jose Museum of Art:
The older building of this complex was built in 1892 as the post office for the city. It was joined by a modern building in 1991, pictured later.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, 1877:
More historic buildings:
San Jose Center for the Performing Arts:
This was opened in 1972, designed by Taliesin Associated Architects.
Mid-to-late 20th century office buildings:
For a city that grew rapidly in the 1950's and 60's, there are surprisingly few international style office buildings, but there are more from the 70's and 80's evolving into the postmodern era that extended into the 90's.
Plaza de Cesar Chavez area:
A two-block park occupies an oval where Market Street splits around its perimeter. A few pedestrian plazas/alleys connect it to the busy 1st and 2nd streets featured earlier. The San Jose Museum of Art's 1991 addition and the two separate towers of the Fairmont Hotel delineate the two plazas/alleys on one side of the park.
The Tech Museum of Innovation:
This museum is across the street from Plaza de Cesar Chavez and is one of a pair of museums in the city designed by Ricardo Legoretta, this one opening in 1998.
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose:
This museum from 1990 was also designed by Ricardo Legoretta and is located in the Guadalupe River Park with its own light rail stop.
San Jose Repertory Theater:
This hunk of junk from 1997 is unfortunately located on a prime site on one side of a pedestrian alley between the busy 1st and 2nd street corridors in the heart of downtown.
All photographs taken in 2013 (except a few from 2007) by geomorph.