OUR NEIGHBORHOODS A XPERT E EIGHBORHOOD OUR · Mountain View is surrounded by Palo Alto, Los Altos...
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OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OLD MOUNTAIN VIEW SYLVAN PARK NORTH LOS ALTOS SOUTH LOS ALTOS MOUNTAIN VIEW AND LOS ALTOS PROFILES, MAPS AND VITAL FACTS OF FEATURED NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY WWW.MOUNTAINVIEWONLINE.COM
Transcript of OUR NEIGHBORHOODS A XPERT E EIGHBORHOOD OUR · Mountain View is surrounded by Palo Alto, Los Altos...
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
OLD MOUNTAIN VIEW SYLVAN PARK NORTH LOS ALTOS SOUTH LOS ALTOS
M O U N T A I N V I E W A N D L O S A L T O S
We have a passion for Waverly Park and the surrounding Mountain View-Los Altos community!
Sheri Hughes & Judy Bogard-Tanigami650-209-1608 or [email protected] or [email protected]
167 S. San Antonio Rd. Los Altos, CA 94022
GREW UP ON ST. GILES LANEDeeply rooted appreciated for our neighborhood
CURRENTLY LIVE ON KATRINA WAYWanted my family to experience the rich traditions and sense of community in our neighborhood
HAVE CHILDREN ATTENDING/ATTENDED NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS:Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School and Mountain View High School
First hand knowledge of the benefits of all our neighborhood schools.ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LEADERSHIP OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY: PTA President, School Site Council, Auditor, Historian, various district committees …In-depth understanding and appreciation for the importance of our schools
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS: MVEF, LAEF, Huff, Graham, Mountain View High, CSA, CSMA … Financially invested in the continued success of our school and community
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERT!AND
Contact us to put our experience and passion to work for you!
PROFILES, MAPS AND VITAL FACTS OF FEATURED NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITYW W W . M O U N T A I N V I E W O N L I N E . C O M
161 S. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
Your Neighborhood Specialists C O L D W E L LB A N K E R
650.917.7989www.ellenbarton.com
89650.917.798ll b
ELLEN BARTON JO BUCHANAN & STUART BOWEN
650.947.2219/650.949.8506www.BuchananAndBowen.com
BARBARA CHANG
650.947.2286www.BarbaraChang.com
KIM COPHER
650.917.7995www.justcallkim.com
TERRI COUTURE
650.917.5811www.terricouture.com
YVONNE GAU
650.949.8513www.yvonnegau.com
CHARLENE GEERS
VICKI GEERS
650.917.7983www.vickigeers.com
TERRIE MASUDA
650.917.7969www.terriemasuda.com
SHELLY POTVIN
650.917.7994www.shellypotvin.com
NARGIS SADRUDDIN
ELIZABETH THOMPSON
650.949.8508www.elizabeththompson.com
MIKE JAMESManaging Broker
MARY O’NEILL
DAVE LUEDTKE
650.917.7960www.daveluedtke.com
ENIS HALL
TINA KYRIAKIS
650.947.2260www.TinaIsMyAgent.com
We at Coldwell Banker have been the real estate leader for over a century. With that great honor comes great responsibility. That’s why we are committed to giving back. Through our invest-ments in green technology and work with local charitable organizations, we are helping to build a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.
This holiday season, we want to thank you for your trust, patronage and for helping us enrich and strengthen our community. From our homes to yours, we wish you every blessing of the holiday season and a New Year filled with prosperity, health and joy.
For exceptional care of your real estate needs, contact one of our local REALTORS® today.Proudly serving Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and surrounding communities.
Los Altos First Street110 First Street650.948.0456
Los Altos San Antonio161 S. San Antonio Road
650.941.7040
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©2008 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office Is Owned And Operated by NRT LLC.
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Ask longtime residents of Mountain View or Los Altos what makes their neighborhood special and they’ll easily
point to the subtle differences that exist — sometimes block to block. In this, our fi fth guide to local neighborhoods in Mountain View and Los Altos, you’ll fi nd snippets of history, descriptions of neighborhoods and reminiscences from residents who enjoy living here. We asked them what they liked, and what they’d like to see changed, whether it’s traffi c or big-box commercial ventures. Included in each neighborhood vignette is a fact box, designed to help people thinking about moving to the area. Where will the kids go to day care or school? Where can you pick up a bottle of milk or loaf of bread on the way home from work? How far is the nearest fi re station? And what would it cost to actually move in?
In addition to the neighborhoods included in this publication, you can view profi les of Mountain View neighborhoods — Castro City, The Crossings, Cuernavaca, Gemello, Jackson Park, Martens-Carmelita, North Whisman, Stierlin Estates and Waverly Park — and of Los Altos neighborhoods — Loyola Corners, Rancho and Woodland Acres/The Highlands at www.paloaltoonline.com/neighborhoods. If your area has been overlooked — or you’ve found something just plain wrong — please call Carol Blitzer, who edited this publication, at 650-326-8210, ext. 257 (or e-mail her at [email protected]). We’d love to hear from you.
Tom GibboneyPublisher, Mountain View Voice
Additional copies of Mountain View/Los Altos Neighborhoods are available at The Voice for $5 each. Companion publications — Palo Alto Neighborhoods and Almanac Neighborhoods — are available for $5 each from the Palo Alto Weekly, 703 High St., Palo Alto, CA 94301, or The Almanac, 3525 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park, CA 94025. All three publications are available online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.
Copyright @2009 by Embarcadero Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.
STAFF
MOUNTAIN VIEW | LOS ALTOS
OURUR NEIGHBORHOODSEIGHBORHOODS
655 West Evelyn Ave., Ste. #3Mountain View, CA 94042
650-964-6300 • www.mv-voice.com
PUBLISHER: Tom Gibboney
EDITOR: Carol BlitzerDESIGNERS: Joanne Lee and Laura DonMAP DESIGNERS: Bill Murray and Gail ThoresonRESEARCHER: Kelly TruongVICE PRESIDENT SALES AND MARKETING:Walter KupiecSALES REPRESENTATIVES: Judie Block, Kathryn Brottem, Connie Jo Cotton, Neal Fine, Rosemary LewkowitzON THE COVER: The Ruzon family — (from left) Samantha, Bonnie, Leslie, Luke and Timothy — moved to Rex Manor in 2003 and enjoy the neighborhood’s central location and city parks.Photo by Colleen Cummins.Photographs of Old Mountain View by Colleen Cummins; Sylvan Park by Victorugo Gonzalez; North Los Altos by Carien Veldpape-Heithoff; and South Los Altos by Colleen Cummins.HOME-SALES DATA: Courtesy of J. Robert Taylor, Taylor Properties, Palo Alto
INDEX MOUNTAIN VIEW ..........7
Blossom Valley ................ 9Cuesta Park................... 10Monta Loma ................. 12Old Mountain View ....... 14Rex Manor .................... 15St. Francis Acres ............ 16Shoreline West .............. 18Sylvan Park ................... 20Whisman Station ........... 22
LOS ALTOS ...................25
Central Los Altos ........... 26Country Club ................. 28North Los Altos ............. 30Old Los Altos ................. 32South Los Altos ............. 34
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EDUCATING THE GLOBAL CHILD
Our Mission is to nurture lifelong learners to become world citizens with a global perspective.
World Leader in Mandarin Bilingual Education
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MONTA LOMA REX MANOR
THE CROSSINGS
CASTRO CITY
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■ Blossom Valley
■ Castro City
■ The Crossings
■ Cuernavaca
■ Cuesta Park
■ Gemello
■ Jackson Park
■ Martens-Carmelita
■ Monta Loma
■ North Whisman
■ Old Mountain View
■ Rex Manor
■ St. Francis Acres
■ Shoreline West
■ Stierlin Estates
■ Sylvan Park
■ Waverly Park
■ Whisman Station
2008-2009 CITY OPERATING BUDGET:$89 million revenues; $88.4 million expendituresPOPULATION (2007): 73,262HOUSEHOLDS (2007): 33,362OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2005): 12,581RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2005): 19,434MEDIAN HOME-SELLING PRICE:$985,000 (single-family homes, December 2007 through November 2008)$595,000 (condominiums, December 2007 through November 2008)ESTIMATED MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2005): $82,648
FACTS
From an early stagecoach stop and agricultural center, Mountain View has grown since its incorporation
in 1902 to a thriving city of 73,000+ residents in the heart of Silicon Valley. Internationally known corporations make Mountain View their home, swelling the daytime population to more than 100,000.
Today, Mountain View neighborhoods are as varied as the housing types, with 28 percent single-family, 11 percent townhouses, 57 percent multifamily
and 4 percent mobile homes. Nearly 42 percent are owner-occupied.
Encompassing 12 square miles, Mountain View is surrounded by Palo Alto, Los Altos and Sunnyvale. Highways 101, 85 and 237, as well as light rail and Caltrain, offer quick access to the rest of the Bay Area.
Mountain View’s diversified population enjoys superb recreation and arts facilities, including Shoreline Park and the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
MOUNTAINOUNTAIN VIEWIEW
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beAchieve Your Personal Best
SPONSORED BY THE BROTHERS OF HOLY CROSSwww.sfhs.com
SAINT FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL
ACADEMICSATHLETICSMUSICVISUALARTSPEECH&DEBATEDRAMABASKETBALLMATHSWIMMINGSOCCERRETREATSWORLDLANGUAGEPOETRYHISTORYFOOTBALLMINISTRYBASEBALLAMBASSADORSTENNISGOLFCLUBSACTIVITIESFIELDHOCKEYNEWSPAPERWRESTLINGCOMMUNITYSERVICEBANDCHESSCHOIRPHOTOGRAPHYFILMRADIOSOFTBALLYEARBOOKWATERPOLOSTANDUP!SPEAKUP!COMPUTERSVOLLEYBALLFORENSICSDIVINGGYMNASTICSTRACK&FIELDROBOTICSTEAMNATIONALHONORSOCIETYCHEERLEADERSCROSSCOUNTRYENVIRONMENTALSHAKESPEARESPIRITGROUP
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): St. Timothy’s Nursery School, 2094 Grant Road; Little Acorn School, 1667 Miramonte Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Springer Meadows Neighborhood Association, Carole Stepp, coordinator, [email protected]
PARKS: Varsity Park, Duke Way and Jefferson Drive; Cuesta Park, Cuesta Drive
POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): St. Joseph Catholic School, 1120 Miramonte Ave.; St. Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: (Eligibility for school districts depends on resident’s address) Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary School, Blach Middle School; Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive; Rancho Shopping Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,257,500 ($940,000-$1,950,000)
HOMES SOLD: 36
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W hen Bob Bouchet moved into his home on Fordham Way in August of 1953, he joined
an enthusiastic new community of young families in a brand-new tract housing development.
“We were all veterans just starting out working, all had small children, all had something in common,” said Bouchet.
Since that time he’s seen children grow and neighbors come and go, but today Blossom Valley echoes those early days, as a new generation of young families fills the tree-lined streets with kids and comes together to build community.
Blossom Valley is comprised of four smaller neighborhoods — Springer Meadows, Varsity Park, Blossom Valley Estates, and Gest Ranch — which are nestled on either side of Cuesta Drive, between Springer Road and Miramonte Avenue. The neighborhoods, built on orchard land in the 1950s, are loosely defined by themed street names.
Cuesta Drive is probably the most con-crete community divider, however, with its busy traffic deterring children from mingling across neighborhoods.
While there isn’t one official neigh-borhood association, smaller groups and informal activities bring residents together.
“On Tulane Drive, we have a little group of people who participate in Summer Happy Hour,” said Lilly Yi, who moved to Varsity Park in 2004. “We each take turns hosting our neighbors in our front yards with hors d’oeuvres, and pizza for the kids. The kids get to play. The adults get to relax, talk with each other and catch up.”
The Springer Meadows Neighborhood Association, one of the larger groups, sprung up around a mothers’ group Carole Stepp formed after moving to Meadow Lane in 1997.
“In the past we’ve had events like block parties, Halloween street closings and Christmas caroling,” Stepp said.
Residents agree that Blossom Valley is a quiet, safe place that has remained largely free of strife, but there are a few issues on the horizon.
“All the streets have always had a con-sistent issue of traffic flow,” said Stepp. There are two things that may exacerbate this issue. The first is a new housing development that could reroute Marilyn Drive and increase traffic flow on some streets. The second is an upcoming redis-tricting of Los Altos schools.
Patricia, a mother of two, moved to her Blossom Valley Estates home in 1995 primarily because of the schools. “I walk my child to school a block and a half away across no major intersections. This partic-ular area has attendance to the Los Altos school district. Our elementary school and middle school are both in the top 10 per-cent of the entire state,” she said.
But now she says the redistricting may end up changing neighborhood traffic flow, as well as sending some local kids to school a mile out of their way. But, she said, these problems are small in the larger scheme of things.
“This really is a neighborhood,” Patricia said. “You do not just live next door to someone, you have neighbors.”
— Dan Shilstone
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Little Acorn Preschool, 1667 Miramonte Ave.; St. Timothy’s Preschool, 2094 Grant Road; YMCA Kid’s Place, 525 Hans Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA), Mary Dateo, 650-968-5465, [email protected]
PARKS: Bubb Park, Barbara Avenue and Montalto Drive; Cuesta Park, 615 Cuesta Drive
POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: St. Joseph, 1120 Miramonte Ave.; St. Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: Grant Park Plaza, Grant Road at El Camino Real; Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive; Downtown Mountain View
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $982,500 ($750,000-$1,269,000)
HOMES SOLD: 18
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $813,000 ($548,888-$880,000)
CONDOS SOLD: 3
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Before Pam Miller moved to the Cuesta Park neighborhood in 1998, she and her husband were exploring
the 25-acre park from which the neighbor-hood takes its name. “We didn’t realize how big it really was, and we thought it would be wonderful to live nearby.”
“It’s a great resource for the whole city,” Mary Dateo, president of the Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association and a resident since 1997, said. She pointed to the park’s recently redone children’s play area as an attraction.
“There’s a great sense of peace going into the park and enjoying the old oak trees and the mountains,” she said.
But the neighborhood is the happy home to all kinds of people, according to Mountain View former vice mayor Greg Perry, who moved to his Boranda Avenue home in 2005. As well as newer houses and a few apartments housing young professionals and budding families, there are many older homes with residents who have lived in the neighborhood for decades. “And everyone’s been very wel-coming,” Perry said.
The Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association was organized in 2001 to extend just such a sense of welcome to the whole neighborhood.
“We have an annual family picnic in summer or early fall,” said Miller, treasurer of the neighborhood association. “We’ve had a couple of safety fairs, several garden tours and holiday activities in December. We try to have these small events and big events throughout the year, so everybody can have fun and get involved.”
“Since the association came into being, I’ve really seen people getting more involved in the neighborhood. It brings us together on issues,” said Miller. An ongoing concern has been the future of the Cuesta Park Annex. The annex is an undeveloped remnant of the Bubb family orchards that covered much of the area from 1850 to 1950. A recent city council vote dismissed proposals to build playing fields in the annex, and preserved the land for future use as a historical site that may include a small heritage orchard to com-memorate the city’s agricultural roots.
Although residents do occasionally come together on issues such as the annex, the residents seem to be largely at peace.
“There’s a lot of bicycling and walking,” said Miller. “A lot of people walking their
dogs through the neighborhood, on their way to the park and the annex. It’s pretty quiet. Part of that is because there’s not a lot of through streets. There were traffic issues, but the city has been very respon-sive to neighbors’ concerns.”
“I’ve always been very thankful for what we have,” said Glenn Murata, who’s lived on Nilda Avenue since 2002. “I once had a tree branch that fell down, must’ve been 20 feet long, and the street sweeper stopped by and asked if I wanted it cleaned up. And it was gone within the hour. It’s the little things, things I hadn’t expected I’d need, but found out that I did. And I appreciate them.”
— Dan Shilstone
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Hobbledehoy Montessori Preschool, 2321 Jane Lane; Monta Loma Babysitting Co-op (part of Monta Loma Neighborhood Association)
FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 Rengstorff Ave.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Monta Loma Neighborhood Association, Wouter Suverkropp, president, [email protected], www.montaloma.org
PARKS: Monta Loma Park, Thompson Avenue and Laura Lane; Thaddeus Park, Middlefield Road and Independence Drive
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: The Girls’ Middle School, 180 N. Rengstorff Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Monta Loma Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Central Expressway and Rengstorff Avenue; Middlefield Road and Rengstorff Avenue; San Antonio Shopping Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $849,500 ($745,000-$1,035,000)
HOMES SOLD: 22
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $777,000
CONDOS SOLD: 1
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When Janice Heiler and her husband faced retirement, they considered leaving their
home in the Monta Loma neighborhood of Mountain View.
Then, a new member of the household came along, and all those plans changed.
“Once we started getting out more walking the dog, we started meeting neighbors and didn’t want to move,” Heiler said. That was 10 years ago, and they haven’t looked back.
Lots of homeowners in the neighborhood come for the location and stay for the commu-nity. Monta Loma is defined by San Antonio Road, Middlefield Road, Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway. There’s a shopping center in one corner that provides a coffee shop, dry cleaning, movie rental, restaurants and in 2009 a Fresh ‘n Easy grocery store. Just across the freeway is Google’s campus, which has brought in some new neighbors in recent years, said Wouter Suverkropp, president of the Monta Loma Neighborhood Association.
The homes were built in the post-World War II boom, mostly by Joseph Eichler. A number of the homes have been passed down through generations and stayed in families since they were built. Suverkropp and his family are in that category; his wife’s parents owned their house when she was young.
“There are almost no two-story homes in Monta Loma, and as a result you can always see the sky and the hills,” Suverkropp said. “People walk a lot around here, just for a stroll to the park, to see a neighbor, admire front gardens or to go to the stores. Many new homeowners tell us that Monta Loma feels like an ‘old-style’ neighborhood, ‘like it used to be’, and we’re proud of that.”
About 500 people belong to an e-mail
list started by the association, which was founded about 15 years ago as a beautification committee, Suverkropp said. The association now organizes several annual events that attract hundreds of people, and it recruited neighbors for Community Emergency Response Team training sessions, he said.
The association represents the neighbor-hood to the city as well, said Suverkropp. It’s been especially active with the coming development of nearly 500 condos and single-family homes on the neighbor-hood’s edge. Home builder Toll Brothers plans to build the houses on the 27-acre Mayfield Mall site, which used to be owned by Hewlett-Packard.
The neighborhood association’s e-mail list helps residents keep up to date on big issues like the Mayfield project, and also provides practical help with day-to-day needs. When
Heiler’s baby grandson was coming for a visit, she sent a message to the list asking to borrow a high chair and a stroller, and she got responses from four different people.
More and more families with young chil-dren seem to be moving into the neighbor-hood, said Marilyn Gildea, who has lived in Monta Loma since 2002. She likes the neighborhood for its diversity and the fact that generations stay on through the years. She also appreciates the city council candi-dates’ forums the neighborhood association holds each election year.
Heiler especially appreciates the safe feeling of the neighborhood. She walks her dog before sunrise and feels completely safe no matter the time of day. “Anywhere I am in this neighborhood I feel like I’m in my backyard.”
— Kathy Schrenk
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Pat’s track record of over 60 sales in Monta Loma are proof of her passion for the neighborhood. Her knowledge of the local
market, combined with 30 years of real estate experience, give her the skills her clients value in choosing a real estate professional.
Pat strives to create one beautiful home after another when she presents each of her listings to the market, so that when they go on the market, they sell fast and at a good price, creating value to her clients as well as the whole neighborhood.
Pat continues to maintain the largest market share of Monta Loma listings, consistently bringing in top market prices.
Pat Jordan Knows Monta Loma!
Pat lives and works in Monta Loma and has full knowledge of how to maximize her client’s return. For the best representation possible in selling your home, call Pat. You will always be thankful you did.
424 DELL AVENUE
List Price: ........................... $829,000Sale Price: ........................$815,000
SOLD
128 PALMER AVENUE
List Price: ........................... $949,000Sale Price: .................... $1,028,000
SOLD
2412 LAURA LANE
List Price: ...........................$849,000Sale Price: ....................... $855,000
SOLD
541 VICTORY AVENUE
List Price: ........................... $899,000Sale Price: ....................... $845,000
SOLD
201 THOMPSON SQUARE
List Price: ........................... $879,000
2402 THADDEUS DR
List Price: ........................... $935,000Sale Price: .................... $1,035,000
SOLD
Pat Jordan’s 2008 Monta Loma Sales and Listings
Pat Jordan, CRB, CRSColdwell Banker Residential Brokerage245 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 793-4274email: [email protected]
w w w.montalomaexper t .com w w w.patjordan.com
SALE PENDING
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: YMCA Kids’ Place at Landels School, 115 W. Dana St.
FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association, Noam Livnat, [email protected]; omvna.org
PARKS: Dana Park, West Dana Street at Oak Street; Eagle Park & Pool, S. Shoreline Boulevard at Church Street; Pioneer Park, Church and Castro streets; Mercy-Bush Park, Mercy and Bush streets; Fairmont Park, Fairmont Avenue and Bush Street; Landels Park, West Dana Street near Calderon Avenue
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Landels Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: Downtown Mountain View, Grant Park Plaza
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $959,900 ($825,000-$1,443,000)
HOMES SOLD: 27
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $804,975 ($553,000-$1,040,000)
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The streets that crisscross the Old Mountain View neighborhood and nearby downtown were first carved
nearly 150 years ago at the close of the Civil War. The arrival of the railroad in the mid 1860s spurred the developments, which grew south from Evelyn Avenue and now comprise the heart of the city.
Though few 19th-century structures remain, the neighborhood prominently features architecture from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. This good-old-days aesthetic has been maintained even as the surrounding community has grown to foster some of Silicon Valley’s technology giants, most notably Google, which is headquartered in Mountain View.
Steven Lacy, who works for Google, likes his Old Mountain View home for many reasons. For one, he is able to bike to work along the Stevens Creek Trail. Lacy also enjoys taking his son to nearby Mercy-Bush Park, one of six parks located within the neighborhood, which is bounded by El Camino Real, Shoreline Boulevard, Evelyn Avenue and Highways 87/237.
“It’s like the neighborhood’s backyard,” he said of Mercy-Bush, where he and his family go about five times a week. While there, not only does his son enjoy playing with other children, Lacy and his wife get a chance to socialize with the accompanying adults.
Lacy, who has lived in Old Mountain View since 1999, likes the aesthetic of the neighborhood. “Every house is different,” he explained. He did note that traffic can be a concern on Dana Street, where commuters are heading to and from the freeway.
Many choose the neighborhood for its proximity to downtown Mountain View.
“It’s the perfect distance from down-town,” said Aaron Grossman, treasurer of the Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association (OMVNA), who moved into the area in 1995.
Although the bustling Castro Street bisects the neighborhood, the highly active neighborhood association works to make sure that businesses do not push into the surrounding residential areas, even as it encourages growth of retail that serves the community. Walking down Castro from one end of the neighborhood to the other, one will find City Hall, a multitude of restaurants and coffee shops, as well as the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
Bruce Karney, OMVNA vice chair, has lived in Old Mountain View since 1987. He and his association work with the city
council to ensure that the neighborhood maintains a balanced diversity. Karney said the association also holds community events such as ice cream socials, which are highly attended — the past two bringing in about 400 residents.
And, while the community takes pride in the aesthetic of its classic architecture, the highly modern is not discouraged. In September 2008 Shannon Madison’s home on Eldora Drive earned the second high-est green rating for a home in the Bay Area from Berkeley-based Build It Green. The ultra green home is not the only acclaimed house in the neighborhood. Last year a home on the corner of Bush Street and Yosemite Avenue, which is decked out every Halloween, was recognized by Fearnet.com as the best haunted house in the country.
— Nick Veronin
LANDELSPARK
EAGLEPARK
PARK PARK
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CAST
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LVD
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GrahamMiddle
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W. DANA ST.
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EL CAMINO REAL
EL CAMINO REAL
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WASHINGTON ST.
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SOLDLD MOUNTAIN OUNTAIN VIEWIEW
CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOLS: YMCA of the East Bay/Mountain View Child Development Center, 750B San Pierre Way; YMCA — Theuerkauf,1625 San Luis Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Jo Anne Yee, chair, [email protected]
PARKS: Rex Manor Park, Farley Street and Central Expressway; Stevenson Park, San Luis Avenue and San Pierre Way
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Theuerkauf Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Bailey Plaza, Shoreline Boulevard; strip shopping at 112 Rengstorff Ave. and 580 Rengstorff Ave.
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $712,000 ($630,000-$898,000)
HOMES SOLD: 13
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $625,000 ($490,000-$670,000)
CONDOS SOLD: 7
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R ex Manor, built by William Blackfield on 74 acres off Central Expressway (then Alma) in 1950,
is a classic post-World War II suburb. On identical lots (50 feet by 115 feet), the two- and three-bedroom homes featured 24 dif-ferent exteriors, one-and-a-half-car garages, tiled bathrooms and kitchens with metal furnishings. They sold for $6,975 to $7,575.
On quiet tree-lined roads, many of the homes still look like the originals. “My daughter was already going to school there and we fell in love with the house,” Lesley Ruzon said of her move to Rex Manor in 2005. She says she likes the area because “there’s great schools, great parks and it’s close to downtown.”
The area is only minutes from down-town and situated in the Mountain View-Whisman school district. There are several parks and shopping places to enjoy as well.
The neighborhood seems to be mostly occupied by original owners “and they’re all very nice,” said Ruzon.
Rex Manor Park, an 80-foot strip along Farley and near Beatrice, raised concerns about becoming a noise nuisance factor when it was proposed in 1952. These days, toddlers and children are often seen playing in the sand with parents and caretakers enjoying the afternoon on a nearby park bench.
Rex Manor does have a slight age gap right now. “There aren’t many families with young kids so because of that it’s harder to get to know the neighbors,” said Ruzon.
On the other hand, the Mountain Shadows neighborhood, which is some-times confused with Rex Manor, has plenty of younger families. The main differences in the houses between the
two neighborhoods are that the homes in Mountain Shadows are larger and newer, said Diane Carver who said she has lived in the area since 1966. These homes were built in 1964 and later.
Homes range from three to five bed-rooms, have two-car garages and some are two stories, Carver said.
Vaquero Drive, Ormonde Drive, San Clemente Way, San Pierre Way, San Luis Avenue and San Marcos Circle all define Mountain Shadows, according to Carver.
In 2006, both neighborhoods joined the same neighborhood association.
Jane Schaeffer and her husband have lived in Rex Manor for the last 40 years. Schaeffer says she has “no complaints” about the neighborhood although she does think that “some of the sidewalks should be taken care of.”
Schaeffer has watched younger families, like Ruzon and her family, gradually move to the area with small children. “We’re in our upper 60s and 70s. There’s a whole new younger generation moving in and that’s great,” Schaeffer said.
Ruzon does think that on San Pierre Way, close to the elementary school, the speeding is an issue. “They don’t seem to slow down for the kids,” she said.
Now, Rex Manor is bordered with beau-tiful, large trees and perfected lawns. Old houses are beautifully maintained along with the updated, some with quaint picket fences. The edges of the sidewalks are land-scaped, along with the roundabouts, added in the 1990s on Farley Street, to slow down the cars while children are bicycling up and down the streets.
— Nicole Baldocchi
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FACTSREXEX MANORANOR/MT. SHADOWSHADOWS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Mountain View KinderCare, 2065 W. El Camino Real; St. Paul Lutheran CDC, 1075 El Monte Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.
PARKS: McKelvey Park, Park Drive and Miramonte Ave.
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte, St. Joseph Catholic School, 1120 Miramonte Ave., St. Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS:Los Altos School District — Almond Elementary School, Egan Junior High School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Downtown Mountain View, Longs Shopping Center, Gemello Village, Clarkwood Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,055,000 ($808,000-$2,000,000)
HOMES SOLD: 11
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A time of crisis is sometimes a bet-ter testament of a neighborhood than remodeled doors and spar-
kly bay windows.When the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
disrupted power in St. Francis Acres, Dudley and Carla Kenworthy huddled outside with 20 other Gilmore Street neighbors. The group cooked spaghetti on camping stoves and watched the news on Dudley’s portable nine-inch TV.
“It was a great gift that everybody came out and came together and felt safe,” Carla said.
Besides Gilmore Street, this patch of Mountain View is bordered by El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue. A mile from the active downtown, St. Francis Acres continues to be a popu-lar pit stop for first-time homeowners. Demonstrating suburbia’s circle of life, the neighborhood mainly consists of young families and empty-nesters.
Pre-WWII, however, St. Francis Acres was mostly prune orchards. Rosalie Mattevi remembers cutting down five lots’ worth of prune trees with her husband, Al. In 1952, they were the first to arrive on Lloyd Way and snapped up lot 32 from the McElroy Lumber Company. Her father, a seasoned builder, constructed their home at a cost of $12,000. Today, the house is worth more than $1 million. However, the widow has no plans to leave the home with so many neighborly memories attached.
“It’s changed because of so many new families and children moving in. It (the neighborhood) is starting all over again,” she said, adding “the neighbors call me the mayor (of ) the street.”
While her husband joined other men five doors down for regular poker parties, Mattevi
would linger with the wives on a neighbor’s porch. The ladies would “hold court, sit there and talk, and drink a glass of port.”
She still keeps in touch with families who have come and gone. “I’m still get-ting Christmas cards from the people who moved,” Mattevi said.
The proximity to the Los Altos School District has also made houses here a hot commodity. Hilary Burcell, a resident since September 2004, had no idea about the school district’s high-ranking for academics. She and her husband were sur-prised by the numerous inquiries they get about their house, even by non-Realtors.
Although near El Camino, traffic noise has never been a big issue. However, there are concerns about drivers using their quieter streets to cut back and forth between Mountain View and El Monte avenues. Mattevi said residents are cau-
tious during rush hour. A few streets have speed bumps but residents are interested in working with the city to find other ways to handle traffic.
Children populate the streets, especially during summer. Both kids and adults on Gilmore Street look forward to the annual Fourth of July block party, a tradition since 1988. The city permits the street to be blocked off. Highlights include a pot-luck, piñata and children’s bike parade.
“We’ve had a lot of great memories with that block party,” said Carla, who shares party-planning duties with other neighbors. “It’s just been a great neighborhood to have raised our kids in. We bought our house in 1979. It was just going to be a ‘starter house’ for us. Many times we thought of moving, but every time we’ve just remodeled.”
— Terry Tang
ERNESTINE LN.
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Where would you
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Meet Elizabeth Thompson, yourSt. Francis Acres specialist and neighbor. ~ established St. Francis Acres as a recognized neighborhood in Mountain View ~ publishes “St. Francis Acres Times” to bring her community together.
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“Professional, reliable, energetic, knowledgeable, and lots of fun - that’s Elizabeth. So much is involved in selling a home and she took care of everything with ease. From marketing to staging, personally sweeping the fl oors, hiring contractors, and ensuring everything was perfect for our open houses, we couldn’t have asked for more! Elizabeth made it easy and helped us successfully sell our home in less than a week for more than our asking price. Thank you!!” Joanne and Rob
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Meet Elizabeth Thompson, your St. Francis Acres specialist and neighbor. Elizabeth understands that your house is a “home” and very often your life savings.
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Castro Preschool, 505 Escuela Ave.; Childrens Learning Cottage, 675 Escuela Ave.; Wonder World, 2015 Latham St. (nearby)
FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Shoreline West Association of Neighbors (SWAN), swanmv.org, Mike Groethe, [email protected]
PARKS: Castro School Park, Toft Avenue and Latham Street; Eagle Park and Pool, S. Shoreline Boulevard at Church Street
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Castro Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Downtown Mountain View; California Street Market, 1595 California St.; Escuela Avenue at El Camino Real
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $920,000 ($790,000-$1,535,888)
HOMES SOLD: 17
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $419,000 ($276,000-$625,000)
CONDOS SOLD: 12
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Sometimes whimsical and sometimes regal, the eclectic houses near down-town obviously predate cookie-cutter
subdivisions and the subtlety and straight lines of the Eichler era.
The neighborhood’s grid of quiet, tree-lined streets with a cozy, walkable feel evoke times past. It boasts several shops and markets, so the car doesn’t utterly dominate. The diversity of the neighborhood speaks of California’s past and future of strong Latino influences.
People tend to stay put after they move here, residents say. The neighborhood has a wide variety of ages and ethnic backgrounds, Michelle Decamara said. “It’s just a good mix.”
In the 1990s, the neighborhood broke off from the “Old Mountain View” neighborhood to the east and formed its own association. Its goal at first was to make sure the historic houses in the neighborhood were preserved. Today one of those houses, owned by Mountain View’s first mayor, is being restored.
The neighborhood association was inac-tive for years but now has a website with information for residents. And recently residents have grown closer together with a series of monthly potluck dinners.
Decamara hosted one of the potlucks and said it has really made a difference in the neighborhood. People are greeting their neighbors in more than just a cursory way and chatting on the sidewalk. “Now we’re starting to get out and talk to people and not just do the wave,” she said.
About 15 people have attended the first few potlucks, she said, adding she hopes the crowds grow and the new tradition continues.
Decamara grew up in Los Altos and said there was more of a neighborly feel there 30 years ago, and that feel is making a come-back in her new neighborhood.
Mike Groethe, the head of the Shoreline West Neighborhood Association, started the potlucks just this summer. “It’s been probably one of the best things we’ve ever done,” he said. He has lived in the neighborhood since 1972.
The association conducts a little bit of business at the potlucks, but mostly it’s just a chance for neighbors to visit. The more residents get to know each other, they say, the more safe and secure they feel in their neighborhood.
There isn’t much turnover in Shoreline West, which makes getting to know neighbors easier, said Rich Yamane. He has lived there since 1988 and likes
the variety of neighbors. A young fam-ily lives next door and there’s a retired couple across the street, he said.
Like many in the neighborhood, Yamane moved there because it’s close to downtown and other amenities. Over the years, though, he’s grown to love the neighborhood itself. It’s warm and com-fortable, he said, thanks in no small part to the variety of housing styles and the age of the homes. “Newer homes are nice but they’re kind of cold and stamped,” he said.
Yamane is glad he’s here and he doesn’t plan to leave. “I was looking for a fairly inexpensive single–family dwelling,” he said of that move two decades ago. “The neighborhood itself wasn’t a huge factor but I think I kind of got lucky there.”
— Kathy Schrenk
EAGLEPARK
CASTROPARK
STORFFPARK
JACKSPA
PIONEER PARK
BLVD.
EL CAMINO REAL
CAS
CastroElementary
EL MO
NTE AV.
AV.
VILLA ST.
SHO
REL
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WRIGHT AV.
CALIFORNIA ST.
ORNIA ST.
LATHAM ST.
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WASHING
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS:Kids Korner Christian Child Care Center, 250 E. Dana St.; Western MontessoriDay School, 323 Moorpark Way; YMCA — Slater, 325 Gladys Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 4, 229 N. Whisman Road
PARKS: Sylvan Park, Sylvan Avenue and DeVoto Street
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: St. Stephan Lutheran School, 320 Moorpark Way
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Slater Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: Lucky grocery store across El Camino Real
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,165,000 ($625,000-$1,950,000)
HOMES SOLD: 9MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $478,000
CONDOS SOLD: 1
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Across section of large two-story houses, low-rise apartment com-plexes and small townhouses turn
up in unexpected corners all over Sylvan Park, the easternmost stop on Mountain View’s map.
Residents describe Sylvan as a thriving neighborhood with its share of tranquil lanes, friendly neighbors and a cherished park.
“It’s a great neighborhood,” said Lori Henderson, who along with her husband Bob has lived on Hedgerow Street since 1983. “Very compact, kind of into itself so much so that many people don’t even know it exists. We live in a cul-de-sac so we don’t have any cars coming down here.”
Cozy side streets shoot right and left from Sylvan Avenue, the neighborhood’s main artery. Denizens such as Henderson are proud of Sylvan Park’s private outlook and regard it as the real charm that drew them here to raise children and eventually welcome newcomers to this close-knit community.
Henderson’s neighbor Bob Olson and his wife moved to Sylvan from next-door Sunnyvale in 1995 looking for a bigger home. The house they live in today was the last on the list at the time of their hunt. “It was an affordable area but the real beauty of this neighborhood was that it was out of the way. It was like a hidden secret in the middle of Silicon Valley.” Olson rated it as the best neighbor-hood he’s lived in — one that bonds over monthly potlucks and similar gatherings.
Glen and Linda Eckols of Glenborough Drive echo similar sentiments. “We have children from two doors down who come and play. People stop and talk about the garden. This place looked a little bit like the
neighborhood Beaver Cleaver would deliver newspapers to,” said Glen who previously lived in San Jose and found his dream home overlooking Sylvan Park in 1993.
Linda, who retired as principal of Loyola School in Los Altos in 2007, feels right at home in a neighborhood with a mix of young families and empty nesters. “As you look towards your later life, you think you’ll just move out of the Silicon Valley area. But where we live is such a thriving community that to think of moving somewhere else, I just don’t think that’s where I want to be.”
On a typical Sunday afternoon, you can find garage doors pulled up, a stereo play-ing in the background and a car wash in progress. But the real excitement is found in the nine-acre grassy Sylvan Park. Dubbed the perfect picnic spot, visitors
say Sylvan has the right balance of sun-shine, shade and sports.
Casual strollers, joggers, bookworms, vol-leyball teams and dog walkers rarely leave it alone. Sylvan Park boasts four tennis courts where players from Mountain View and Sunnyvale regularly practice and compete.
Located on the intersection of Sylvan Avenue and El Camino Real is Camino Medical Group’s new 250,000-square-foot medical facility, which opened doors in 2007. On the old Emporium site, the three-story building has drawn admira-tion for its 15-foot glass sculpture instal-lation designed by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. “We’re very proud of it. It is a wonderful addition and a plus to the community,” said the Eckols.
— Zunaira Durrani
LANDELSPARK
SYLVANPARK
1.
Stevens
RAINBOW DR.
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LandelsElementary
W. DANA ST.
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CENTRALEXPR
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EL CAMINO R
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Kiddie Academy, 205 E. Middlefield Road; Kids Korner Christian Child Care Center, 250 E. Dana St.; German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St.; Yew Chung International School, 310 Easy St.
FIRE STATION: No. 4, 229 N. Whisman Road
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Michael Jones, manager, Community Management Services, 650-961-2630, ext. 120
PARKS: Magnolia Park, Magnolia Lane and Whisman Park Drive; Chetwood Park, Chetwood Drive and Whisman Station Drive
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Landels Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: El Camino Real, Downtown Mountain View
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $953,310 ($886,545-$1,000,000)
HOMES SOLD: 8
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $691,500 ($630,000-$761,400)
CONDOS SOLD: 18 NEI
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It is difficult not to know when you are entering the Whisman Station neigh-borhood. After all, at just about every
entrance, a large stucco and metal relief announces the name of this community of prim habitations.
Yet, despite its clean streets, well-manicured parks and convenient access to public transportation, this alcove of Mountain View is scarcely known by those not living within its boundaries.
One Whisman Station resident wouldn’t have it any other way.
Elizabeth McBride described her neighborhood as an “enclave unto itself,” and identified this aspect of Whisman Station as a key to the level of safety she feels living there. She said she never worries about dubious characters wandering through her secluded neighborhood, which is bounded by Highway 237, Central Expressway and Whisman Road.
“We just don’t have crime here,” she said.The area takes its name from the Valley
Transit Authority Light Rail station within its borders — a huge convenience, which is only slightly offset by a few concerns about noise and safety.
“The Light Rail isn’t something like Caltrain going by,” McBride said, noting that she does not fear for her toddler’s safety. “The noise is minimal,” she added, noting that it runs less frequently on weekends and does not run at night.
James Lundblad originally moved into Whisman Station in 1999 and relocated within the neighborhood in 2006. He said that highways 85 and 237 do produce some low-level background noise, but not much. More noticeable is a freight
train he hears about once a day and some of the military aircraft that land at nearby Moffett Field, a sound he finds “interesting more than annoying.”
Lundblad could only offer one caveat for those thinking about moving to the area. In the ’70s circuit boards were manufactured on the land using carcinogenic solvents. He said, however, that the Environmental Protection Agency runs frequent tests in the area and he does not worry about potential contamination.
Elizabeth Gogelewski moved to Whisman Station in 2001. She said that she has been concerned about the safety of the Light Rail from time to time, but adds that she once saw the train come to a complete stop in order to let a dog get off the tracks.
One slight pitfall of the neighborhood is the lack of nearby shopping. A 7-Eleven
and a coffee shop down the street are the only conveniences within easy walking distance. However, more than one resident pointed out that for large grocery trips a car is usually necessary anyhow.
There are tradeoffs that come with Whisman Station’s removal from convenient shopping — mainly easy access to major freeways or the Light Rail.
McBride, who takes Highway 101 to work, is equally thrilled with its access and the fact that “it’s far enough away where you don’t have noise.”
There are also several parks located within the neighborhood, some equipped with jungle gyms. “We absolutely love having the parks nearby,” McBride said, adding in conclusion, “It’s a really friendly neighborhood.”
— Nick Veronin
1. MAGNOLIA PARK2. CHETWOOD PARK
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The Power of Two!
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496 First St. Suite 200 • Los Altos 94022
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24 INTERO REAL ESTATE SERVICES � 496 FIRST ST. SUITE #200, LOS ALTOS, CA 94022 � 650.947.4700
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■ Central Los Altos
■ Country Club
■ Loyola Corners
■ North Los Altos
■ Old Los Altos
■ Rancho
■ South Los Altos
■ Woodland Acres /
The Highlands
2008-2009 CITY OPERATING BUDGET: $28.9 million revenues; $27.7 million expendituresPOPULATION (2005): 27,999HOUSEHOLDS (2000): 10,462OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2000): 8,954RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2000) 1,508
MEDIAN HOME-SELLING PRICE:$1,875,000 (single-family homes, December 2007 through November 2008); $866,500 (condominiums, December 2007 through November 2008)ESTIMATED MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2005):$143,832
What once was a brief stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad evolved after World War II
to a tree-lined city providing a quiet housing enclave for Silicon Valley. Since incorporation in 1952, Los Altos has grown to a community of mostly single-family homes, rather than apricot and plum orchards, a winery and ranch land.
Today, Los Altos encompasses seven square miles, stretching from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale and Cupertino, sandwiched
between Mountain View and Los Altos Hills. Highways have replaced local railroad service, with easy access via Highway 85 and Interstate 280 to nearby metro centers.
Known for its excellent schools and neighborhoods replete with mature trees, Los Altos supports seven commercial areas serving its close to 30,000 residents. And for those still yearning for apricot orchards, a weekly farmers’ market offers a chance for neighbors to interact while shopping for local produce and flowers. N
FACTS
LOSOS ALTOSLTOS
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Stretching from Grant Road north to El Monte Avenue and from east of Foothill Expressway to the Mountain
View zig-zag border, Central Los Altos is a charming, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that’s smack in the middle of everything.
That central location means people like Carol and David Casas and their two children can walk downtown to run errands, and the kids can easily reach their nearby schools.
While most of the homes were built during the 1950s — or earlier as summer getaways from San Francisco — “people continue to remodel, expand and build completely new homes. The constant reinvestment into our housing stock is a great indicator of the desirability of our community,” said David, who’s served on the Los Altos City Council since 2003.
The Casas family moved in 1997 — from just 14 blocks away — drawn by the schools and nearby friends. “It’s very eclectic, very cottage-y; it has a warm neighborhood feel, and there are lots of kids,” Carol said.
Disappointed at first by the quality of the parks, David joined the Parks, Arts & Recreation Commission, then volunteered at the schools and was later elected to the school board and council.
“We have very active parents,” Carol said of her community. “People jump on board pretty quickly.”
Relative newcomers are Scott Chan and Vicki Moore Chan, who moved with their family in 2002, after living in Mountain View for 20 years. An avid bicy-
clist, Scott Chan quickly got involved on both the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the Traffic Commission. One of his first projects was starting a pro-gram to encourage kids at Oak Elementary School to walk and ride regularly.
The Chans left a 1950s tract development for an older, more piecemeal neighborhood where he built a new house on a larger lot.
Neighbors in Central Los Altos get together on a regular basis; Chan mentioned an annual party at Heritage Oaks Park, as well as summer block parties at several cul de sacs.
“It’s a very walkable neighborhood. You see a lot of kids on bikes, grandmas out
walking their grandkids in strollers. We love it. We do get to know our neighbors; we’re good friends with a lot of them,” he said.
In addition to the block parties near the Casas family — some with dancing ’til 10 p.m. with a D.J. and kids’ games — Carol said the neighbors do a potluck before the annual Festival of Lights Parade, meeting at the Clock Tower on the Sunday after Thanksgiving — “rain, shine or cold.”
Whether it’s the schools, the larger lots or civic participation, David Casas said, “What draws people is a sense of community; what keeps them are the lasting relationships they form.”
— Carol Blitzer
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SCENTRALENTRAL LOSOS ALTOSLTOS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: CCLC School Age at Covington Elementary, 201 Covington Road; Children’s House of Los Altos, 770 Berry Ave.; St. Simon’s Catholic Church Extended Day Care Center, 1840 Grant Road; St. Timothy’s Nursery School, 2094 Grant Road
FIRE STATION: No. 15, 10 Almond Ave.; Loyola station, No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave.
LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road; Woodland, 1975 Grant Road
PARKS: Heritage Oaks Park, Portland at Miramonte Avenue; Marymeade Park, Fremont Avenue at Grant Road; McKenzie Park, 707 Fremont Ave.; Rosita Park, 401 Rosita Ave.
POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave.; Rancho, 1150 Riverside Drive; Main, 100 First St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte Ave.; Pinewood School, 327 and 477 Fremont Ave.; St. Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave.; St. Simon Catholic School, 1840 Grant Road
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Covington, Loyola, Oak or Springer elementary schools, Blach or Egan intermediate schools; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View high schools
SHOPPING: Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive; Downtown Los Altos; Rancho Shopping Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,800,000 ($965,000-$3,900,000)
HOMES SOLD: 65
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• EDUCATIONMake sure you learn everything you can
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To whom are you selling? From whom are
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1000 El Camino Real, Suite 150
Menlo Park, CA 94025
And Siobhan O’Sullivan leads the way!
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sure everything goes smoothly on your path to buying or selling a home. Taking the first step is easy
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Negotiating the Best Possible Price for Buyers!Strategizing to get the Highest Possible Price for Sellers!
800 El Camino, Suite 300Menlo Park, CA 94025
650.776.5445
• EDUCATIONMake sure you learn everything you can
about what’s happening in the market.
To whom are you selling? From whom are
you buying? What’s going on in the
neighborhood? The more you know, the
stronger your position will be. Siobhan
O’Sullivan knows the Mid-Peninsula!
• PREPARATIONIn today’s competitive market, you’ve got to
be able to move − fast. Making sure you
know how much house you can afford and
having your home ready to sell before you
start looking are essential to your future
success. Siobhan O’Sullivan will make
sure you’re ready!
• NEGOTIATIONEverything, as they say, is negotiable. Not
only the price, but the length of escrow,
allowances for repairs, owner rent-backs,
and much more. Success means
asking for what you want − and knowing
what to ask. Siobhan O’Sullivan will get
you the best possible deal!
And Siobhan O’Sullivan leads the way!
Knowledgable, prepared and driven to get the best results possible, Siobhan O’Sullivan will make
sure everything goes smoothly on your path to buying or selling a home. Taking the first step is easy
- call Siobhan at 650-752-0839 today!
Member of the International President’s Circle for sales excellence.
Negotiating the Best Possible Price for Buyers!Strategizing to get the Highest Possible Price for Sellers!
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With 100-year-old oak trees shading large properties and lining streets with no sidewalks,
the Country Club neighborhood maintains a rural flavor next to its more suburban neighbors. Built on unincorporated Santa Clara County land bounded by Magdalena Avenue, Foothill Expressway, Permanente Creek and Interstate 280, the neighborhood is neither a part of Los Altos nor Los Altos Hills.
Country Club stands apart, so neighbors have to stand together. The sentiment is Richard Blanchard’s. A Mora Drive resident since 1978, he is the current president of the San Antonio Hills Homeowners’ Association, which has looked after the interests of Country Club (as well as the unincorporated community east of I-280) since 1947.
“Because we don’t have a city government, we have to rely on each other to solve problems and issues. The county can be a little overwhelming,” said Blanchard. “We try to work with neighbors and get them in touch with the right people.”
Country Club is a quiet and private community. “The houses are separate enough that you can live without seeing your neighbor very often,” said Ted Brown, who moved to Country Club Drive with his wife of two years in 1964. “Over the years, though, you come to know the neighbors quite well.”
In Country Club, your neighbors are your neighbors for the long haul, Blanchard said. “People tend to age in place here. Once they move in, they don’t move out too often.”
But when homes do open up these days, the buyers are young, upwardly mobile couples looking to raise new families in this old community. With the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and the Los Altos Golf and Country Club from which the neighborhood takes its name, there is plenty of local outdoor recreation for kids and adults alike.
And one street is a spooky haven for kids on Halloween. “You can’t drive down Arbor on Halloween night,” Brown said. “In fact, when our kids first went down there, I had built a barbecue that was on wheels, and I took it out with a big tiki torch and we would go down that street with beverages and have a nice party.”
“On Halloween we must have 500 children that come to the street,” said Laurie Richard, who’s lived on Arbor
Avenue since 1973. “We have a lady who’s 95 who lives at the end of the street, and we have people with children that are 1 and 2 years old, so it’s a very eclectic and wonderful neighborhood. It’s the best street in Los Altos.”
As for the neighborhood’s future, the question of annexation to Los Altos or Los Altos Hills always looms on the horizon. “Every once in a while the issue of annexation comes up,” said Brown. “But annexation is kind of like the 300-pound gorilla, and it’s hard for people to digest whether that’s good, bad or indifferent.”
For now, though, the community still stands apart, together.
— Dan Shilstone
HERITAGEOAKSPARK
MCKENZIE PARK
MCKENZIE PARKLOS ALTOSGOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Loyola Elementary
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SCOUNTRYOUNTRY CLUBLUB
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Los Altos Christian Preschool, 625 Magdalena Ave.; Los Altos United Methodist Children’s Center, 655 Magdalena Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave.
LIBRARY: Woodland, 1975 Grant Road
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Richard Blanchard, president, San Antonio Hills Inc. Homeowners Association, 650-948-3073, www.sanantoniohills.com
PARK (NEARBY): Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, Cristo Rey Drive
POST OFFICE: Loyola Corners, 1525 Miramonte Ave.
PRIVATE SCHOOL: Los Altos Christian School, 625 Magdalena Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Loyola Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School
SHOPPING: Loyola Corners, Miramonte Avenue and Rancho Shopping Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $2,200,000 ($1,500,000-$3,100,000)
HOMES SOLD: 17
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Vicki Geers
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Armond King grew up in Los Altos and he and his wife Marjorie live in the Cherry Avenue home built
in 1913 they purchased from his parents in 1968, right in the heart of North Los Altos, roughly bounded by Foothill Expressway, El Monte Road, El Camino Real and Adobe Creek. King remembers the orchards that once covered the 10 acres — five on each side of the street — that once belonged to his grandparents.
His grandfather’s story, along with the rest of the area’s history, can be found at the Los Altos History Museum, located next to the library on S. San Antonio Road. The grounds include the J. Gilbert Smith House, originally built in 1905 and restored to replicate a 1930s farmhouse, complete with surrounding apricot orchards.
Recently, North Los Altos has experi-enced a major building boom as people tear down the older homes. “There are seven new houses on my side of the street in the last three years,” King said. “This is not a tract home area. They’re all different,” he said, pointing to the Georgian-style home next door to his Craftsman style.
Dalice Whatley feels that she has the best of both worlds with her condo in a new building on Second Street.
“I’m on a beautiful tree-lined street and I have a two-minute walk to work,” she said. Whatley is the owner of V Space Design and DWD Limited & Interiors in Los Altos. Living close to the freeway also provides easy access to her clients.
Whatley appreciates the community spirit and activities. “There’s a Friday
movie night in the summer on Main Street,” she said. “The street is closed to traffic and folding chairs are arranged fac-ing a big screen.”
Alan and Linda Cyron and their four school-age children have lived in their circa 1970 ranch-style home on Pine Lane since 2001. Alan said he’s resided in several U.S. cities and finds their current “unique little haven” his favorite by far.
“There’s a wonderful mix of families and empty nesters,” he said. “Everyone walks and children play in the front yard, so it’s easy to meet people. The residents at Pilgrim Haven senior community across the street are very much part of the neighborhood.”
The Cyrons live within easy walk-ing distance of Santa Rita School. “The
schools are critical in the Los Altos experi-ence,” he said, “and there’s a lot of parent volunteerism.”
The Cyron family participates in the annual Festival of Lights, a parade with floats and marching bands that takes place on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. “The streets are packed,” he said. The Pet Parade and the Arts and Wine Festival are also family favorites.
Armond King remembers the good old days when Los Altos was truly rural. However, the neighborhood still manages to maintain what Cyron describes as a “sleepy town feel,” despite being at the cen-ter of Silicon Valley.
— Susan Golovin
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SNORTHORTH LOSOS ALTOSLTOS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Children’s Corner, 97 Hillview Ave.; Children’s Creative Learning Center, 700 Los Altos Ave.; Los Altos Parents Preschool, 199 Almond Ave.; Tiny Tots Preschool, 647 S. San Antonio Road
FIRE STATION: No. 15, 10 Almond Ave.
LIBRARY: 13 S. San Antonio Road
PARKS: Village Park, Edith Avenue at San Antonio Road; Shoup Park, 400 University Ave.; Lincoln Park, University at Lincoln Avenue
POST OFFICE: 100 First St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Los Altos Christian School, 625 Magdalena Ave.; Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte Ave.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Santa Rita or Almond elementary schools, Egan Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: Downtown Los Altos, Los Altos Village Court and San Antonio Center
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,910,000 ($1,065,000-$4,050,000)
HOMES SOLD: 83
MEDIAN 2008 CONDO PRICE: $859,500 ($485,000-$1,075,000)
CONDOS SOLD: 32
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Maddux Dr, Palo Alto Ashby Dr, Palo Alto
Alley Wy, Mountain View Greer Rd, Palo Alto
Flower Dr, Folsom N. Whisman Rd, Mountain View
Lund Te, Sunnyvale Fordham St, E Palo Alto
Merrill St, Menlo Park Hollyburne Dr, Menlo Park
ROD CREASON
BROKER ASSOCIATE, e-PROCell: [email protected]
I’ve been busy in your
neighborhood!If you are
thinking of Buying or
Selling, call me!
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Irene and Barry Grenier consider themselves the “current stewards” of their Craftsman-style home on
Orange Avenue, which was built as a model to entice people to settle in the area advertised as “the loveliest place on the Peninsula.”
The town fathers exhorted people to take the railroad (the route was eventual-ly replaced by Foothill Expressway) to the area laid out by the Altos Land Company in 1907, defined by El Monte Avenue, Edith Avenue and Foothill Expressway, including University and all the streets over to Foothill.
“We’ve seen pictures of similar homes in Sears Catalogs from the turn of the century,” Irene Grenier said. “When we purchased the home 25 years ago we decided to restore it to the original.” This entailed numerous field trips to Berkeley salvage yards.
Grenier, who feels that “a deck can never hold a candle to a front porch,” in many ways embodies the spirit of the neighborhood, the original “vil-lage.” There are no structures above two stories, and the area is zoned for one-quarter-acre lots. The houses, nestled amongst mature foliage, are visible from the sidewalk and run the full gamut from Spanish to saltbox.
Indeed, one feels transported to Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” There are Sunday afternoon Old Town Band concerts in nearby Shoup Park — also the site of free Shakespeare plays and Veterans’ Day and Fourth of July celebrations, as well as fly fishing in Adobe Creek. The level streets draw hundreds at Halloween and there is an annual Labor Day “Alley Party,” which transforms the service lane running behind
the homes into a neighborhood festival site complete with Karaoke.
John and Jane Reed also live on Orange Avenue. Jane, a former mayor of Los Altos, said they downsized to their “not charming,” 1940s home in 1997, but soon modernized it Craftsman-style.
“People come from all over to walk in the neighborhood because it’s the old-est neighborhood in Los Altos, and it has beautiful trees and sidewalks,” she said, agreeing with Grenier that the area encourages walking since everything is within easy access. “There’s a real toler-ance here,” she said, in response to how the neighborhood copes with not only the foot traffic, but also the traffic generated by the three nearby churches.
Newcomers Crysta and Michael Krames and their three young children moved onto University Avenue in 2005. The home, as many on this street, has a
history tied to a town founder. It was pre-viously owned by Mabel Eschenbruecher who was married to the son of the first Los Altos Postmaster and founder of the first business, a hardware store.
“We’re more urbanites than subur-banites,” said Crysta Krames, who feels that the slower pace of the area is com-pensated for by the highly rated schools, family-oriented atmosphere, diversity of architecture and proximity to downtown. She particularly appreciates the nearby Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, main-tained by the city, which hosts archery camps and a nature center.
“A lot of young families are moving to Los Altos because they prefer a small-town atmosphere, and in turn, (they are) mak-ing it a more progressive place,” Krames said.
— Susan GolovinS.
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Creative Learning Center, 25890 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills (nearby)
FIRE STATION: No. 15, 10 Almond Ave.
LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road
PARKS: Village Park, Edith Avenue at San Antonio Road; Shoup Park, 400 University Ave.; Lincoln Park, University at Lincoln Avenue
POST OFFICE: Main, 100 First St.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Covington Elementary School, Egan Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School; Bullis Charter School
SHOPPING: The Village (the triangle bordered by Edith, San Antonio and Foothill)
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,700,000 ($1,401,000-$3,999,950)
HOMES SOLD: 13
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161 South San Antonio Rd.Los Altos, Ca 94022
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Jo Buchanan, [email protected]
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Larger lots and the prospect of more privacy were big draws to Lynette Lee Eng, when she and her
family moved to South Los Altos from Sunnyvale in 1995.
Sandwiched between Grant Road and the Sunnyvale border at Stevens Creek, Homestead Road and the Waverly Park neighborhood of Mountain View, South Los Altos is an enclave of ranch-style homes mostly built in the mid-’50s, with a few Eichlers tucked in on Fallen Leaf Lane and Christine and Clay drives.
Many South Los Altos children attend school in the Los Altos district, but some are assigned to the Cupertino district. Eng’s son is enrolled in the Mandarin Immersion program there. “It’s nice to have alternative education offered,” she said.
Although there is no formal neighborhood association, many neighbors got to know each other when the city of Los Altos acquired land for Grant Park. “An informal group originated through Friends of Grant; we all still remain in touch,” she said.
Today the park houses a community center, which is used for after-school programs and Boy Scouts. Eng would like to see a room allotted for seniors to use.
Other ways the community connects are through Neighborhood Watch groups and through an e-mail newsletter. “The e-mail communication has really helped keep the community informed,” she added.
Since 2006, the neighbors have organized an early-evening summer concert at Grant Park, featuring a variety of bands. “We make sure we catered to everyone’s taste,” Eng said, adding that in
2007 they brought back California Beach Party and added Scion, a jazz band.
Eng was so interested in the Grant Park process that she volunteered to serve on the Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission. “I felt it was important that (the city council) heard from members of our side of town,” she said.
Megan Satterlee, who was elected to the Los Altos City Council in 2007 after serving on the planning commission, moved to South Los Altos from Sunnyvale in 2003. She had served on Sunnyvale’s planning commission for five years before that.
She too was drawn to the larger lots. “We just found a house we like,” she said.
“My neighbor had started a neighborhood women’s group, so I was immediately integrated by joining,”
Satterlee said, noting that her group has the full gamut of ages, original residents with grandchildren to newcomers with small children.
While campaigning, she walked all around Los Altos and heard directly what her neighbors are interested in: “use of Grant Park, safe routes to school, pedestrian access to Trader Joe’s and Starbucks,” she said.
She has found the neighborhood very friendly. “It’s very walkable, to Starbucks, or Trader Joe’s, or the park. There are lots of trees, it’s close to the freeway — I have no complaints.”
Eng agrees that the renovated Foothill Crossing shopping center is a real plus. “It’s nice because it’s within walking distance. It really brings people out.”
— Carol Blitzer
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CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: CCLC Preschool, 2310 Homestead Road; Mountain View Parents Nursery School, 1299 Bryant Ave., Mtn. View; St. Simon’s Catholic Church Extended Day Care Center, 1840 Grant Road; YMCA — Way to Grow Full-Day Preschool, 1501 Oak Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave.
LIBRARY: Woodland, 1975 Grant Road
PARKS: Grant Park, 1575 Holt Ave.; (nearby) Marymeade Park, Fremont Avenue at Grant Road
POST OFFICE: Loyola Corners, 1525 Miramonte Ave.
PRIVATE SCHOOL: St. Simon Catholic School, 1840 Grant Road
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Oak Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School; or Cupertino Union School District — Montclaire Elementary School, Cupertino Middle School; Fremont Union High School District — Homestead High School
SHOPPING: Foothill Crossing, Homestead Road; Greenhaven Plaza, Grant Road
MEDIAN 2008 HOME PRICE: $1,600,000 ($1,183,700-$2,495,000)
HOMES SOLD: 33
161 S. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
Your Neighborhood Specialists C O L D W E L LB A N K E R
650.917.7989www.ellenbarton.com
89650.917.798ll b
ELLEN BARTON JO BUCHANAN & STUART BOWEN
650.947.2219/650.949.8506www.BuchananAndBowen.com
BARBARA CHANG
650.947.2286www.BarbaraChang.com
KIM COPHER
650.917.7995www.justcallkim.com
TERRI COUTURE
650.917.5811www.terricouture.com
YVONNE GAU
650.949.8513www.yvonnegau.com
CHARLENE GEERS
VICKI GEERS
650.917.7983www.vickigeers.com
TERRIE MASUDA
650.917.7969www.terriemasuda.com
SHELLY POTVIN
650.917.7994www.shellypotvin.com
NARGIS SADRUDDIN
ELIZABETH THOMPSON
650.949.8508www.elizabeththompson.com
MIKE JAMESManaging Broker
MARY O’NEILL
DAVE LUEDTKE
650.917.7960www.daveluedtke.com
ENIS HALL
TINA KYRIAKIS
650.947.2260www.TinaIsMyAgent.com
We at Coldwell Banker have been the real estate leader for over a century. With that great honor comes great responsibility. That’s why we are committed to giving back. Through our invest-ments in green technology and work with local charitable organizations, we are helping to build a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.
This holiday season, we want to thank you for your trust, patronage and for helping us enrich and strengthen our community. From our homes to yours, we wish you every blessing of the holiday season and a New Year filled with prosperity, health and joy.
For exceptional care of your real estate needs, contact one of our local REALTORS® today.Proudly serving Los Altos, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and surrounding communities.
Los Altos First Street110 First Street650.948.0456
Los Altos San Antonio161 S. San Antonio Road
650.941.7040
CaliforniaMoves.com
©2008 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office Is Owned And Operated by NRT LLC.
C O M M I T T E D T O G I V I N G B A C K
Adopt-
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
OLD MOUNTAIN VIEW SYLVAN PARK NORTH LOS ALTOS SOUTH LOS ALTOS
M O U N T A I N V I E W A N D L O S A L T O S
We have a passion for Waverly Park and the surrounding Mountain View-Los Altos community!
Sheri Hughes & Judy Bogard-Tanigami650-209-1608 or [email protected] or [email protected]
167 S. San Antonio Rd. Los Altos, CA 94022
GREW UP ON ST. GILES LANEDeeply rooted appreciated for our neighborhood
CURRENTLY LIVE ON KATRINA WAYWanted my family to experience the rich traditions and sense of community in our neighborhood
HAVE CHILDREN ATTENDING/ATTENDED NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS:Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School and Mountain View High School
First hand knowledge of the benefits of all our neighborhood schools.ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LEADERSHIP OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY: PTA President, School Site Council, Auditor, Historian, various district committees …In-depth understanding and appreciation for the importance of our schools
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS: MVEF, LAEF, Huff, Graham, Mountain View High, CSA, CSMA … Financially invested in the continued success of our school and community
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERT!AND
Contact us to put our experience and passion to work for you!
PROFILES, MAPS AND VITAL FACTS OF FEATURED NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITYW W W . M O U N T A I N V I E W O N L I N E . C O M
