Downtown San José is a walkable, transit-rich, culturally dynamic urban center. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s still grappling with low daytime foot traffic and high vacancies in office and commercial buildings. Filling empty ground-floor spaces is a critical first step in a long-term economic revitalization strategy. SPUR offers five strategies to capitalize on the opportunity these spaces offer for local artists, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses and provides 13 recommendations to implement them.
Some key takeaways: Ground-floor commercial vacancies and low daytime foot traffic can make downtown areas feel less safe and inviting, leading to fewer visitors and less support for local businesses. Removing leasing barriers, improving urban design, and leveraging arts and culture to promote temporary activations and more permanent creative placemaking would create activity to draw visitors. They, in turn, would support existing businesses and attract more long-term tenants, generating revenue that can be reinvested in the public realm and public. SPUR’s recommendations for establishing this virtuous cycle of investment and economic activity focus on near-term policy and program interventions that can be implemented within one to two years, quickly improving conditions for residents, visitors, employees, small business owners, artists, and all San Joséans.