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Council approves Levitt Pavilion tri‑party agreement for Saint James Park and adds $5 million for construction
Summary
The council authorized a long‑term tri‑party agreement to bring a Levitt Pavilion to Saint James Park, approved a $5 million appropriation from district funds toward construction and authorized negotiating contracts that will let the Friends of Levitt and the Levitt Foundation proceed with fundraising and operations planning.
The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Feb. 4 to authorize a tri‑party framework between the city, the national Levitt Foundation and the local Friends of Levitt Pavilion to develop a free outdoor concert venue at Saint James Park.
Under the agreement the city has committed $15 million of previously approved park funds toward construction, the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation has pledged $1.1 million in early operational support (seed funding for programming during the venue’s first years), and the local nonprofit Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose has agreed to raise the remaining $5 million needed for the capital buildout. Council approved a one‑time appropriation of an additional $5 million from District 3 park funds toward construction.
Staff said the full master plan for Saint James Park is larger than the pavilion project; the council approved the tri‑party arrangement and directed staff to finalize related agreements and return with any required ordinance amendments. The pavilion is planned as a professionally equipped outdoor stage and lawn designed to host at least 50 free concerts annually; the Levitt model requires local fundraising to reach a construction threshold before ground can be broken.
Speakers from the Levitt Foundation and Friends of Levitt said the national organization offers technical assistance, programming support and a peer network of existing Levitt sites, and that the local board has shown success with smaller “pop‑up” concert series and is hiring professional fundraising staff to lead the capital campaign. Council members said they support the plan as a tool to activate a long‑underused downtown park and to attract residents and visitors.
Council also discussed neighborhood concerns raised during public comment, including restroom capacity, noise management and provisions for people experiencing homelessness near the park. Staff said those issues will be addressed in the final design, permit and operations plans; the pavilion agreement includes provisions for shared maintenance responsibilities, event‑specific cost recovery and community use. The council vote authorizes the city manager to negotiate and execute the tri‑party agreement and related documents, including up to a 20‑year term for facility operation in the charter park.
