Tech Companies Eyeing Small Coastal Community In San Jose
ALVISO (KPIX 5) -- Tech companies looking to expand are now eyeing Alviso, a small coastal enclave of San Jose, but residents of the area have mixed feelings about the prospective changes.
Alviso is a small, flood-prone, close-knit community located where San Jose meets the south end of the San Francisco Bay.
Both Alviso and North San Jose are facing a rising tide of change as tech companies have come flooding in.
Google has occupied warehouses and Microsoft, HP, Polycom and other companies have purchased land in the area as well.
"I think one of the big issues out here is trying to maintain the character of what's here," said Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese.
Exactly how the investment from tech companies will affect Alviso is unclear, but some longtime residents are eyeing the new arrivals with unease. They note that much of the newly constructed office space remains empty, with no one renting it.
"All they ever do around here is keep building. And then they knock it down and build something else. Unfortunately, what they're building on top of is open space," explained San Jose resident Louis Ruiz.
Supervisor Cortese says he believes that Alviso can preserve its past while navigating the flood of tech money that might represent the future.
"People need to make it a priority to let their leaders know that they don't want to see, in the name of progress, high-rise buildings cover up this kind of beauty."
Thousands attended the annual Day on the Bay at the Alviso Marina County Park on Sunday morning.
Cortese first became involved with the Day on the Bay event when he was on the San Jose City Council. This is the ninth year that the event has been sponsored by the county.