SAN JOSE — A Bay Area entrepreneur is poised to open a live events and music venue that he believes could be a prime building block for a vibrant new “entertainment district” in downtown San Jose.
Pete Be Center at 439 South First Street, a venue being prepped by local restaurant owner and entrepreneur Pete Be, could evolve into a hub for entertainment at 439 South First Street in San Jose’s SoFA district.
Pete Be, the owner of Pete Be Center, stands inside the entertainment, events and music venue at 439 South First Street in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
The main floor and music stage of Pete Be Center, an entertainment, music and events venue at 439 South First Street in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
“We want downtown San Jose to be a major social destination for Northern California seven days a week,” Be said. “There is not enough to do downtown right now. There is a void downtown.”
Pete Be Center has applied for a conditional use permit to enable the entertainment venue to operate late at night until 3 a.m., documents on file with San Jose city planners show. This venue is taking over the space where Uproar Brewing once operated.
Exterior of Pete Be Center, a live events and music venue at 439 South First Street in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
Performance stage inside Pete Be Center, a music, live events and entertainment venue at 439 South First Street in downtown San Jose’s SoFA district. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
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“These are the kinds of venues you see in a true big-city downtown,” said Bob Staedler, principal executive with Silicon Valley Synergy, a land-use consultancy. “This is going to be a huge success.”
Pete Be Center is in discussions with several live entertainment promoters.
Live Nation, Bobby Dee Presents, Another Planet Entertainment and Ineffable Live are all being eyed by Be to bring an array of live performances, concerts and music artists to the downtown San Jose venue, he said.
“I want this to be a venue that will be the start of an entertainment district in downtown San Jose,” Be said. “We want to activate this area seven days a week.”
Gary Dillabough, a South Bay Real estate executive and entrepreneur, has previously floated the concept of creating a big entertainment district in downtown San Jose.
Be envisions more than performances inside the venue, which totals about 11,000 square feet, including a mezzanine section.
“We’re going to have block parties on the sidewalk and street outside,” Be said. “We are going to have cultural events, not just music.”
One example: Colombian culture, food, music, artwork and artifacts could become a regular event every few months.
Be also wants to feature cultures from other South American and Central American countries including Mexico and Peru. Italian and other European cultures would also be included.
“We want to create more vibrancy in downtown San Jose,” Be said. “We want to use the venue not just at night but also on weekday afternoons when nothing is happening here.”
San Jose loses out on live performance bookings all too often, in Be’s view.
Too many artists and events go to San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Sacramento rather than San Jose, he added.
“San Jose is being treated like a tier 2 or tier 3 destination,” Be said. “We want San Jose to be a tier 1 destination. We want to bring 1,500 to 2,000 people for events at this venue regularly.”
The venue could also host corporate events and private parties. Pete Be Center could receive its final San Jose city permits by the end of November. If that happens, Be hopes his venue will host Christmas and New Year’s parties.
Sometime during the April-through-June second quarter of 2025, Be anticipates the cultural events could gear up.
Pete Be Center also might become the site of some tech product launches, including for artificial intelligence firms.
“We need a lively and vibrant downtown,” Be said. “Rising tides raise all ships.”