If you thought the plan to create a Silicon Valley landmark would have limited appeal outside the Bay Area, think again. Urban Confluence Silicon Valley’s global “ideas competition” for a new, regional attraction in downtown San Jose — akin to the “bean” in Chicago or the Gateway Arch in St. Louis — received 960 entries from 72 countries.
“We are elated over the massive amount of interest in our design competition,” said Jon Ball, a retired construction executive who helped launch the idea and chairs the Urban Confluence’s board. “With the state of the world today, what could be more relevant than connecting people? Today, we are one step closer to creating an outdoor space that brings our community together in this critical natural setting.”
That setting, by the way, is the Arena Green area of the Guadalupe River Park, at the confluence of the Guadalupe River and Los Gatos Creek, just steps away from SAP Center and not far from where Google plans its mega campus.
A panel of community members is meeting this weekend to pare down the submissions to 50, which will be posted online and available for public comment starting July 24. A jury of 14 people including architects, artists and designers and environmentalists will narrow the selections down to three in August. Those finalists will be given the chance to refine their project with a team of designers, engineers and urban planners.
The jury will then select a winner next year, and construction on the winning design is expected to start in 2022, with the landmark — whatever it turns out to be — gifted to the city upon completion. You can get updates and check out the submissions when they’re posted at www.urbanconfluencesiliconvalley.org.
WALKING THROUGH HISTORY: You might remember that the inspiration for Urban Confluence Silicon Valley’s project is San Jose’s original landmark, the 237-foot San Jose Light Tower that stood downtown from 1881 until 1915 and remains an enduring icon of the city. A scaled-down replica of the tower was erected at History Park in San Jose and is one of the stars of the twice-weekly guided tours that History San Jose has launched at the outdoor museum in Kelley Park.
On Tuesday and Thursdays at 10 a.m., groups of up to 10 people can take part in a one-hour, docent-led tour of the 32 original or replica homes, businesses and other buildings on the 14-acre site. Everything’s strictly outdoors still — all the galleries and historic houses remain closed to the public — and masks and physical distancing are required. The tours are $12 for adults, $6 for kids 6-15 and free for children 5 and under. Get tickets at Eventbrite.com by searching for “History Park.”
Of course, those who already know their way around the park are welcome to visit on their own Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
SAN JOSE GAY CLUB CLOSES: The Watergarden, San Jose’s only gay bathhouse, announced this week it was permanently closing after 43 years in business on The Alameda because of the COVID-19 crisis. “Due to the ongoing closures of businesses, and unknown dates for a possible return to normal, we are not able to reopen,” management announced on its website and Facebook page. “Already being closed for months on end has resulted in grave financial losses.”
The club, housed in a nondescript building that included an outdoor pool and spa, opened in 1977 and survived the initial years of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. In its article on the closing, the Bay Area Reporter noted that South Bay health officials had partnered with the club over the years to provide HIV testing and prevention services to its patrons.
THE SHOW GOES ON: Tabard Theatre’s production of “Looking Over the President’s Shoulder” only had one performance before Santa Clara County’s shelter-in-place order closed the downtown San Jose venue in March. But the show, starring fan favorite James Creer as White House butler Alonzo Fields, is coming back for 11 live-stream performances starting July 24.
Mind you, these are not broadcasts of a pre-recorded show. Each one will be live, with Creer’s performance captured by multiple cameras. It’s an innovative idea, and having a one-man show like James Still’s historical play is the perfect vehicle in these socially distant times. Tickets are available for $32-$35 at www.tabardtheatre.org/tickets or by calling 408-679-2330.
FLYING TRIBUTE: Last week, I shared the story behind the Rutan Long-EZ on the roof of the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. The kit plane was built — but never flown — by Edwin “Skip” Morton and his son, Kyle Morton, when they lived in Campbell. Skip, a U.S. Air Force veteran, died in June and his family made plans to scatter his ashes at sea last weekend in Monterey Bay.
They met at Moss Landing, where an Air Force color guard performed the honors, and then motored out to sea about a mile where his ashes were scattered and each person tossed a farewell lei into the water. But just as the last flowers were drifting away from the boat, four jets flew overhead in the “missing man” formation, an aerial salute for a fallen pilot.
The boat’s captain asked how the family arranged it, but none of them had. Carla Befera, Morton’s sister, said she didn’t know if someone had read her brother’s story and connected the dots or if it was just coincidence. “At any rate it felt like a magical farewell to my big brother, and we are all very grateful,” she said.