Not long after major sporting events drew massive crowds to downtown San Jose and San Francisco, a survey ranked the two cities near the bottom of a national list for vibrancy.
However, local leaders and business experts say the data is outdated and does not reflect a recent surge in money, music and partying.
According to a 2025 survey of local residents by Gensler Research, San Jose ranked 29th out of 34 major cities in vibrancy, with San Francisco performing similarly poorly.
On an average day, downtown San Jose can still feel quiet. Several storefronts remain empty, and the popular restaurant chain Sushi Confidential recently announced plans to leave San Pedro Square.
“I don’t even go out downtown, really, myself,” one resident noted.
But the survey was conducted before the Bay Area experienced a banner six months of major events, which included the Super Bowl, the World Cup and a massive Dom Dolla music festival.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is turning a corner and learning lessons about how to consistently bring people back to the urban core.
“I actually think we’re making huge progress,” Mahan said. “I think we’re proving what’s possibly when we intentionally program the downtown around sports, entertainment, and cultural experiences.”
Successful strategies have included hosting more festivals and creating entertainment zones that allow patrons to carry drinks between bars instead of discarding them at the door.
“You see all the festivals, the entertainment zones allowing drinks to pass between bars instead of dumping them at the door, and that’s been wildly successful,” Mahan added.
These efforts are crucial for the survival of local businesses. Mark Ritchie of Ritchie Commercial Real Estate noted that a healthy downtown relies on a mix of daytime workers and active locals.
“We have corporate around here, we have so many businesses that are restaurants and everything else and people just walking that live locally,” Ritchie said.
The ongoing challenge reflects a broader shift in urban planning. Because many downtowns were originally built at a time when retail was a primary draw, rather than online shopping, they must now pivot to thrive on restaurants, bars and large-scale events.
While the city continues to adapt, some residents are already brainstorming creative ways to boost the area’s appeal and bring in new crowds.
“I’d say maybe a big surf park right in the middle of downtown would be great,” San Jose resident Melissa Hartman said.