Bringing Big Ideas to Life in San Jose
December 12, 2019For San Jose, 2019 has been a year of planning for the big ideas launched in 2018. The year was filled with the policy analysis, planning processes and community dialogue needed to realize those visions, with some notable milestones.
We Are the Bay
November 20, 2019As part of the SPUR Regional Strategy, we sent photographer Ryan Young out to meet his neighbors. Over the course of a week, Young traveled 2,000 miles north, south, east and west to capture images of residents in the Bay Area's many and varied communities.
It Takes a Village
November 19, 2019San Jose’s 2040 general plan proposed “urban villages” as a key strategy for sustainable growth. These higher-density, mixed-use urban places would concentrate new offices, stores and housing in locations accessible by transit, foot or bike. But only a handful of the 60 designated urban villages have projects underway. SPUR recommends strategies to remove barriers and successfully implement San Jose’s urban village vision.
Don’t Dismiss Transportation Pilot Projects: We Need More Wild Ideas
November 15, 2019When cities and transit agencies pilot new kinds of services, the early ridership numbers are not always strong, leading many to dismiss the new ideas — and the agencies for trying them. But this skepticism undermines the purpose of pilots: to test new ways to get people out of their cars. Rather than pooh-poohing pilots, we should embrace them as a chance to learn.
A New Vision for Coyote Valley
November 14, 2019San Jose’s Coyote Valley is a paradox: Just 20 minutes south of downtown, miles of farmland and open space provide natural habitat for rare and endangered species. For a decade, locals have debated whether to preserve the land or build manufacturing space and grow jobs. Last week, San Jose City Council settled the debate, agreeing to purchase and preserve more than 900 acres.