SAN JOSE — Leah Toeniskoetter, president of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, is on a mission to restore San Jose’s economy and business climate to their pre-coronavirus heights. So Toeniskoetter has been busy listening to and meeting with a wide range of business and political leaders to help fashion her strategy to lead the chamber during delicate times for the Bay Area’s largest city. This news organization recently interviewed Toeniskoetter about her vision for San Jose and its struggling downtown.
Leah Toeniskoetter, San Jose Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer, August, 2024. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Q: How do you assess the current state of downtown San Jose?
A: Downtown San Jose is struggling. The changes from COVID and hybrid work have definitely shifted the office market, retail and commercial real estate in ways we don’t fully understand.
San Jose Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer Leah Toeniskoetter, August 2024. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Q: What are some of the areas of improvement that you see in downtown San Jose?
A: Foot traffic is coming back to the downtown in the later hours, but during the day, foot traffic is not coming back.
Q: How serious is the crime issue?
A: Public safety is a concern citywide. Crime, public safety and property damage are all seen as big issues.
Q: How are things in terms of the number of office workers in downtown San Jose?
A: People working in office buildings are what drives daytime foot traffic. With San Jose State University’s new student housing tower and when you get residential projects that open up and get people living in them, that will help with the foot traffic. More downtown residents would help if a supermarket wants to open downtown.
Q: Is it important for downtown San Jose to offer experiences instead of conventional retail?
A: Our downtown has a lot of unique venues. Those places will thrive. There are always interesting and new uses going into the downtown. The hard part, and the fun part, is trying to find them.
Q: How severe is the blight problem in downtown San Jose?
A: In the downtown, we have blighted buildings that have been there for years without anything being done about them, unfortunately. Every day, I look at blighted buildings — buildings that are burned down and covered with graffiti. This can’t be allowed to continue.
Q: You have been surveying and talking to business owners and merchants. How do they perceive the blight problems in San Jose?
A: The frustration level is way up there. People don’t understand why buildings can remain as blighted as they are for as long as they are. It’s hard to accept that. Blight degrades the feel of a place. It discourages people from walking in a neighborhood or to visit a business.
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Q: You have a hotel that’s been burned out for more than three years. You have an old church that is not being renovated as planned and was covered by a huge trash bag for years. Why is it so difficult for the city to stop this blight from being there for years?
A: I don’t know why it’s so hard. We are looking into it and we will continue to look into what is the problem. Blight takes away pride in our city.
Q: How important is San Jose State University to the downtown and the entire city?
A: I don’t think people know or appreciate how great San Jose State University is. We are exploring working with SJSU and their business school to bring their expertise to help us.
Q: What is the most surprising thing you have observed during your tenure as the head of the Chamber of Commerce?
A: One surprise is the excitement around our networking events. There seems to be a lack of opportunity for business people to network. We have been able to fill that void.
Q: What is the biggest challenge facing San Jose?
A: The cost of living, the price of everything is high — rents, just living here, groceries, construction materials, labor. It’s just really expensive to live here and to do business here.
Q: What is San Jose’s biggest opportunity?
A: San Jose needs to think bigger. We have to look for more opportunities when people go to venues like SAP Center, the Convention Center, Levi Stadium, and so forth. When people go to an event, we have to create things for people to do before and after. You want it to be more of an entertainment district sort of feel.
LEAH TOENISKOETTER
Company/Organization: San Jose Chamber of Commerce
Job: President & CEO
Age: 46
Birthplace: Santa Cruz, CA
Residence: San Jose
Education: Bachelor of Science, Science-Business. University of Notre Dame
Family: Mother, father, two sisters, brother, sister-in-law and nephew in addition to extended family across the U.S.
FIVE THINGS ABOUT LEAH TOENISKOETTER
1. Toeniskoetter served in the Peace Corps as a micro-enterprise development volunteer in Bolivia. She supported women in six villages to scale their small businesses to improve their income and autonomy.
2. Has not owned a television in 20 years, but she does have an iPad with Netflix and Peacock streaming apps.
3. Living in Rome, Sao Paolo, New York City and Detroit helped Toeniskoetter appreciate the diversity of culture and benefits of urbanism.
4. Toenisoetter is an avid cyclist, primarily on road and gravel. She used to race in California and followed the Tour de France through the Pyrenees. She has just signed up for organized rides with friends to keep a goal on the horizon.
5. Her most-used apps are podcasts, news, LinkedIn, Oura and Shazam.
