Sales pick up at downtown San Jose housing tower

SAN JOSE A downtown San Jose housing tower has sold nearly half its condominiums, a purchasing surge that has accompanied the official opening of an amenities area and pool deck at the residential complex. San Jose political and business leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark a key benchmark for the two towers at 188 West St. James St.: the completion of the property s amenities section. Downtown San Jose is emerging as the one true urban center for Silicon Valley, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said at the event. The two high-rises next to San Pedro Square have become a key piece of the downtown s economic landscape, business and political leaders believe. They are critical, said Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San Jose Downtown Association. More residential density and more people owning homes mean more people living downtown and increasing the vibrancy here. Machine Investment Group, principal owner of the towers, is seeking to sell all of the condominiums in the complex