COUNCIL AGENDA: 05/13/2025
FILE: 25-500
ITEM: 10.2
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND
CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Mayor Matt Mahan
Councilmember Salas
Councilmember Mulcahy
Councilmember Candelas
Councilmember Casey
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: May 9, 2025
Approved: Date: 05/09/2025
SUBJECT: File No. ST25-002 – Street Renaming of Street Segments West St. John Street, North Almaden Boulevard, and Santa Teresa Street, to “Sharks Way” RECOMMENDATION:
1. Direct staff to initiate the process to rename the segment of N. Almaden Boulevard, between W. Julian Street and the current W. St. John Street to “Little Italy Way.”
2. Approve staff’s recommendation to rename W. St. John Street to “Sharks Way,” contingent upon the renaming of N. Almaden Boulevard to “Little Italy Way.”
BACKGROUND
We fully support renaming segments of W. St. John Street, N. Almaden Boulevard, and Santa Teresa Street to “Sharks Way” to create a unified corridor that links San Pedro Square to the SAP Center through Little Italy. This effort strengthens the connection of three iconic destinations in our city and celebrates the San Jose Sharks, a beloved civic institution. At the same time, we recognize the cultural and historical importance of the Little Italy district, which the community has actively revitalized and serves as a premiere gateway into the west side of downtown.
To enhance a clear, cohesive identity across these three distinct and adjacent neighborhoods, we recommend first renaming N. Almaden Boulevard between W. Julian Street and the current W.
St. John Street to “Little Italy Way” before proceeding with the Sharks Way designation. This
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: 05/13/2025
ITEM: 10.2
will improve geographic and cultural continuity, honor the contributions of the Italian American community, and preserve the unique characteristics of each district while stitching them together.
The signers of this memorandum have not had, and will not have, any private conversation with any other member of the City Council, or that member’s staff, concerning any action discussed in the memorandum, and that each signer’s staff members have not had, and have been instructed not to have, any such conversation with any other member of the City Council or that member's staff.