In moving the offices of Republic Urban Properties from downtown San Jose to downtown Willow Glen, developer Michael Van Every is making his already short commute that much shorter. Van Every lives within walking distance of the mixed-use development at Lincoln Avenue and Willow Street that will house his new offices once construction is complete in late 2021 or early 2022.
Van Every and his wife lived in Willow Glen from 1995 to 2004 and moved back with their young son in 2015 after 10 years in San Jose’s Evergreen area.
“The purpose of being there the second time around is that we want to park our car on the weekends and not worry about doing anything but going down to the Avenue,” Van Every says.
Besides the practical aspects of the new office space, Van Every says he was motivated to make the move to help maintain Lincoln Avenue’s vibrancy as a business district. The developer is a third-generation San Josean who attended St. Christopher Elementary School in Willow Glen.
“We’ve been longtime Avenue supporters, back to my childhood,” he says. “It broke my heart that we haven’t had this site developed into something special.”
Van Every says his mixed-use development, which recently broke ground at 1096 Lincoln Ave., was inspired by the architectural design he saw on a trip to San Miguel de Allende, a city in Mexico that is known for Baroque Spanish architecture that dates back to the colonial era.
The two-story, 18,700-square-foot building will include an as-yet-to-be-named restaurant, which the developer says he envisions as a spot for date nights to family outings.
“It’s becoming clear it could also be a destination like The Table,” he says, referencing the popular restaurant on the opposite corner of Lincoln and Willow. “Everything works well in Willow Glen; we’re trying to find out what’s missing.”
As one of 13 business districts in San Jose, Van Every contends that Willow Glen is a destination in and of itself.
“Business districts give identity to cities,” he adds. “When you say ‘Willow Glen, San Jose,’ it connotes history and prosperity.”
While he’s concerned about the small businesses that are closing during the pandemic, Van Every says he expects Willow Glen not only to bounce back but to pick up the slack for other areas of San Jose whose economic recovery might not be as quick.
“I’m very, very confident that the Avenue will evolve,” he adds. “That’s why we’re leaving downtown.”
Besides supporting his local restaurants and retailers, Van Every is working with local artists and arts groups in cities where his company has major developments. In 2019 he hosted “Monday Night Live,” San Jose Stage Company’s annual fundraising show, and currently, more than 50 professional Bay Area artists have works on display in a COVID-safe Art Walk and Expo at Republic Square at Livermore.
In San Jose, Van Every says his goal is to help develop a city that has space for artists to make a living.
“Whatever I can do for the local arts community, my goal is to be a leader,” he adds.
