Last time I went to downtown SJ it certainly did seem depressed. I just wanted to see what was going on so I took an Uber down there. At St. James Park I saw some drunks fighting, and cops trying to separate them. Nearby was an encampment of several tents. South of there on 2nd I thought I might find a cafe or deli or something, but all I found were vacant lots and empty storefronts, and more derelicts staggering around. Keep in mind this was at noon on a weekday, not the middle of the night.
South of Santa Clara on 2nd I saw more empty buildings, a Chinese mini mart, more drunks, a large surface parking lot (mostly empty) adjoining a rail line.
I thought I could get back to Mountain View on VTA, since I was walking along that streetcar line anyway, but it was going to take 80 minutes so I had to call a car to escape.
San Jose appeared to be a prosperous American city without any prosperity to speak of.
South of Santa Clara on 2nd I saw more empty buildings, a Chinese mini mart, more drunks, a large surface parking lot (mostly empty) adjoining a rail line.
I thought I could get back to Mountain View on VTA, since I was walking along that streetcar line anyway, but it was going to take 80 minutes so I had to call a car to escape.
San Jose appeared to be a prosperous American city without any prosperity to speak of.