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Tree sculpture key to San Jose convention center’s renovations

maag-oct13-McEnry-San-Jose-Convention-Center
Courtesy McEntry San Jose Convention Center 

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The interactive Idea Tree sculpture welcomes guests into the newly renovated McEnry San Jose Convention Center. The sculpture by South Korean artist Soo-in Yang features horns that transform a speaker’s comments into different sounds.

The sculpture is a prominent aspect of the convention center’s $130 million remodeling project, which opened to the public October 10. Already the Airports Council International North America has held their convention their to draw more than 1,700 attendees.

The 1989 center boosted its total square footage from 425,000 to 550,000. A new 35,000-square-foot grand ballroom replaced the city’s old main library for 13,000 more square feet of ballroom space. Renovated kitchens also added to the dining capacity of the center.

To soften the stark concrete interior, workers added new paint, carpeting and reclaimed wood. Additional shaded trees and leveled ground also allow outdoor events for the first time.

The site is expected to receive a Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from their LED lighting and concrete recycled from the old library.

For more information, read the San Jose Mercury News article or visit www.sanjose.org.