Question. Would you rather have $100,000 today or a penny that doubles in value every day for 30 days? If you do the math, you should accept the penny that compounds over time. By day 30 that penny grows to $5,368,709! Sometimes I think downtown revitalization works the same way as a compounding penny. 

This year, the City’s Downtown Management team has worked closely with colleagues across many city departments, the Mayor’s Office, the District 3 and 6 Council Offices, the San Jose Downtown Association and various private property owners to improve downtown’s overall aesthetic. Our theory of change is this: When one property owner steps up and partners with the City or one of its partners to make improvements, we should expect for other property owners to step forward and do the same.  

More recently, we’ve started to see our theory of change come to fruition. Several property owners and tenants have stepped up to improve their storefronts and invest in enhancing the look and feel of downtown. A HUGE round of THANKS goes out to the following folks: 

Before, during, and after photos below show how relatively modest improvements can make a meaningful difference in the downtown experience. 

To be clear, there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead. There are many more downtown properties to be beautified and property owners to partner with. But it is important to acknowledge those who chose to invest in their buildings rather than allow them to deteriorate because when buildings begin to deteriorate, perception of a place deteriorates alongside them, and civic pride is eroded as well. 

So maybe the lesson here is that downtown revitalization works a lot like compound interest. A single new storefront improvement may not transform a city overnight, but when multiple property owners, small businesses, residents, nonprofits, and public agencies consistently invest in a place over time, those efforts begin to build on one another. Momentum grows. Confidence grows. Civic pride grows. Eventually, what once felt like a small individual improvement can compound into something much larger: an inspiring authentic urban core. This is Downtown San Jose.  

In Community, 
Michael Lomio 

36 S. Almaden Ave Before

36 S. Almaden Ave After

152 Post Street (Myth Lounge) Before

152 Post Street (Myth Lounge) After

27 S. First Street Before

27 S. First Street After

100 S. 2nd Street Before

100 S. 2nd Street During Remediation

100 S. 2nd Street After

Hines Pavilion at 150 S. First Street Before

Hines Pavilion at 150 S. First Street After