San Jose celebrates the opening of 2nd pedestrian mall downtown

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- One block of Post Street in downtown San Jose is officially closed off to cars but open to welcoming more people.

On Wednesday evening, Mayor Matt Mahan and other officials celebrated the city council's vote to create downtown's second pedestrian mall.

"We've sometimes been overshadowed by our big neighbor to the north when it comes to nightlife and activation, but the era of San Jose being the less cool cousin to the south is over," Mahan said.

Post Street is a hidden gem that's starting to sparkle more with new businesses.

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Most San Mateo restaurant owners are happy having two city blocks a pedestrian-only experience, but some people don't like the closure.

George Gonzalez owns the restaurant called The Club on Post Street. This closure allows him to build outdoor seating.

"So when we heard the news right away my mind was like what are we doing, how are we going to capitalize on this just to make it more approachable from the outside of the streets," Gonzalez said.

The hope is Post Street can be a public space for more entertainment and gatherings like San Pedro Square, which became a permanent pedestrian-only walkway in January of last year.

With the Super Bowl, March Madness and World Cup matches slated for the South Bay in the next year, Gonzalez says he's gearing up.

"We have a couple business owners that we all get together once a month and we try to bounce around to different restaurants to support them one and two to get ideas going," Gonzalez said.

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Across the street is Velvet House, a women's boutique owned by George's wife Dayna Moya Gonzalez.

"To be born and raised in the city and not have one but two businesses here is just a dream come true for us," she said.

Post Street was closed weekly from Thursday-Sundays and Dayna Moya Gonzalez said it's during that time there's more community.

For decades Post Street has been known to be the city's LGBTQ+ district and community leaders plan to continue making it a welcoming space for all.

Nathan Svoboda is the President of Project MORE Foundation.

"We have great visions, and I promise you in the coming years ahead this will be a delightful, exciting, vibrant, colorful, clean place that everybody will want to come to," Svoboda said.