Mountain View Neighborhoods 2011

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Our Neighborhoods mountain view and los altos

Sylvan Park

The Crossings

Woodland Acres

Old Mountain View

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Our Neighborhoods mountain view | los altos

index MOUNTAIN VIEW...........7 Blossom Valley....................15 Castro City..........................13 The Crossings..................... 23 Cuernavaca........................ 25 Cuesta Park........................17 Gemello..............................11 Jackson Park.......................21

Vivian Wong

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sk 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 seventh guide to local neighborhoods in Mountain View and Los Altos, you’ll find 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 traffic 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

Veronica Weber

Vivian Wong

up a bottle of milk or loaf of bread on the way home from work? How far is the nearest fire station? And what would it cost to actually move in?

This year, fuller versions of the neighborhood profiles, along with maps, can be found on our website, 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 650-223-6511 (or e-mail her at cblitzer@paweekly.com). We’d love to hear from you.

Tom Gibboney

Publisher, Mountain View Voice

Martens Carmelita..............17 Monta Loma........................ 9 North Whisman...................15 Old Mountain View.............19 Rex Manor........................... 9 St. Francis Acres..................11 Shoreline West....................13 Sylvan Park........................ 25 Waverly Park.......................21 Whisman Station................ 23 Willowgate.........................19

LOS ALTOS....................27 Central Los Altos................ 33

staff

ON THE COVER: Christine Richards takes her dogs for placement only Higgins and Chin Chin for a walk on Loreto Street in

Publisher: Tom Gibboney Editors: Carol Blitzer and Karla Kane Designer: Linda Atilano Map designer: Bill Murray Researcher: Emma Trotter Vice President Sales and Marketing: Walter Kupiec Sales representatives: Connie Jo Cotton, Neal Fine, Rosemary Lewkowitz, Anna Mirsky, Irene Schwartz Home-sales data: Courtesy of J. Robert Taylor, Taylor Properties

Old Mountain View. Photo by Vivian Wong.

Photographs of Woodland Acres and Old Mountain View by Veronica Weber; The Crossings by Shawn Fender; Sylvan Park by Victorugo Gonzalez.

Country Club...................... 33 Loyola Corners................... 29 North Los Altos...................31 Old Los Altos..................... 29 Rancho...............................31 South Los Altos.................. 34 Woodland Acres/

450 Cambridge Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 964-6300 www.mv-voice.com

Copyright @2011 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

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The Highlands.................... 34 Additional copies of Mountain View/Los Altos Neighborhoods, as well as companion publications — Palo Alto Neighborhoods and Almanac Neighborhoods — are available at The Voice for $5 each.

All three publications are available online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com.

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WAVERLY PARK 85

multifamily and 4 percent mobile homes. More than 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.

FACTS

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2010-11 GENERAL OPERATING FUND BUDGET: $87 million POPULATION (2008): 73,847 HOUSEHOLDS (2008): 33,134 OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2008): 13,282 RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2008): 18,239 MEDIAN HOME-SELLING PRICE: $908,000 (single-family homes, December 2009 through November 2010) $549,500 (condominiums, December 2009 through November 2010) ESTIMATED MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2008): $88,637

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rom 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

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Monta Loma

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hen 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. They haven’t looked back.

Lots of homeowners in the neighborhood come for the location and stay for the community. Monta Loma is bounded by San Antonio Road, West Middlefield Road, Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway.

There’s a shopping center in one corner that provides a coffee shop, dry cleaning, bank, restaurants with a Fresh ‘n Easy grocery store coming soon. 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

FACTS

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, making his son the fourth generation to live there.

More than 500 people belong to an e-mail list started by the association, which was founded in 1977 as a beautification committee, Suverkropp said. The association now organizes several annual events that attract hundreds of people, and supports a strong Community Emergency Response Team, he said.

More and more families with young children seem to be moving into the neighborhood, 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.

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

Rex Manor/Mountain Shadows

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Swindell added that most residents either have kids in the house now or did when they were younger.

“There aren’t a lot of young single people around,” she said.

Rex Manor is still fairly social and diverse.

Neighbors gather for Sunday potlucks and a yearly block party and ice cream social.

There are a few small drawbacks to living in Rex Manor, though. Swindell’s commute — to Foster City, where she works as a program manager at a life-sciences company — can take up to an hour and a half on her way home, and sometimes residents take advantage of the neighborhood’s quiet, safe atmosphere.

“There’s a lot of speeding through the neighborhood,” she said. “I think it’s by residents. They know there’s no cops who go through.”

Despite these small annoyances, Gicale feels very fortunate to have inherited a house in Rex Manor.

“These houses cost a lot,” he said. “I think there are a lot of people who would enjoy our neighborhood, and I feel for them.”

— Emma Trotter

FACTS 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. LOCATION: Rex Manor: between Farley and Burgoyne streets, Central Expressway and West Middlefield Road; Mountain Shadows: between Burgoyne Street and Shoreline Boulevard, San Ramon and Montecito avenues NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Lawrence Shing, chair, Shings.rus@gmail.com 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $545,000 ($380,000-$932,500) HOMES SOLD: 17

Neighborhoods

ocated just off busy Central Expressway, Rex Manor — a quiet neighborhood with tree-lined streets and numerous parks — is the best of both worlds.

“You’re close to everything,” said Frank Gicale, whose family moved to the neighborhood in 1959, four years before he was born. He cited such conveniences as Safeway and the light rail, and being able to bike to almost anything.

For all these nearby comforts, Rex Manor is still a restful place to start a family. Gicale works for the City of Mountain View and has always lived nearby. Today, he’s raising his own three children in the house where he grew up, left to him by his parents when they passed on.

“A lot of our neighbors are from the old days,” he said. “They knew my parents. We feel safe here.”

The neighborhood was built by William Blackfield in 1950. Some of the ranch-style homes have been remodeled, but many haven’t, said Amber Swindell, who moved to the neighborhood in 2009.

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Hobbledehoy Montessori Preschool, 2321 Jane Lane; Monta Loma Babysitting Co-op (part of Monta Loma Neighborhood Association); Kids@Home (run by a neighbor) FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 Rengstorff Ave. LOCATION: bounded by San Antonio Road, West Middlefield Road, Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Monta Loma Neighborhood Association, Wouter Suverkropp, president, wsuverkropp@yahoo.com, www.montaloma.org PARKS: Monta Loma Park, Thompson Avenue and Laura Lane; Thaddeus Park, West 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; Monta Loma Plaza, West Middlefield Road and Rengstorff Avenue; San Antonio Shopping Center MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $748,500 ($599,000-$876,000) HOMES SOLD: 30 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $317,450 ($240,000-$510,000) CONDOS SOLD (NEARBY): 4

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St. Francis Acres

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veryone seems to like everybody else in St. Francis Acres. At least according to Tom Pedersen, Kathy Lee and Virginia Phelps. They all agreed that their small neighborhood, bordered

by El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue, is a very tightly knit community and a great place to raise kids.

“We have McKelvey Park, which is right around the corner from us,” said Pedersen, whose two boys grew up playing baseball there. “Talk about convenience.” Many aspects of St. Francis Acres were and are convenient for Pedersen, who has lived on Todd Street since 1973. It is a short walk to downtown Mountain View and about five minutes from all major freeways.

“I love my neighborhood and so do my neighbors,” Lee, who lives on Ernestine Lane, said. “We watch out for one another.”

Lee said when her kids were growing up they always had plenty of other children to play with and would bounce from house to house. “They both received outstanding educations,” she added, testifying to the quality of the local public schools. Both her

FACTS

children are avid swimmers and spend lots of time at the nearby Eagle Park swimming pool.

In addition to having plenty of playmates, children attended a neighborhood-wide party at Halloween — a holiday her street likes to have fun with. There’s a big party every year.

Many streets in the neighborhood have had problems with commuters cutting through to get from El Camino Real to El Monte Avenue.

“Our street used to be the Indy 500,” Lee said, “But we put in speed bumps about five years ago.”

Phelps said Gilmore Street used to have the same problem until stop signs replaced the yield signs about 10 years ago. Phelps said that Gilmore has seen a high turnover rate in recent years, which she attributed to the housing bubble.

Overall, Pedersen, Lee and Phelps all love living in St. Francis Acres. “If you live and work in Silicon Valley you couldn’t do much better,” Phelps said, noting that especially on Gilmore Street, the homes are very reasonably priced for the area.

— Nick Veronin

Gemello

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FACTS to Gemello in 1978. Evilsizer, a Los Altos native, was first attracted by the quality of Excel workmanship and its proximity to her hometown. Thirty-two years later, she’s still there, one of a group of close-knit long-time residents.

“The neighborhood is very established with several of our neighbor’s living in their homes for 50-plus years,” she said. “We have excellent neighbors who you can always depend on. We are very happy in the neighborhood.”

The neighborhood park, Gemello Park on Solano Drive and Marich Way, is a focal point for families and small children, even if cars driving on Marich Way go too fast.

“People go too quickly on Marich near the park,” her neighbor and Gemello resident Mark Bubert said. “Everyone flies on that street.”

Bubert’s home is one of the many residences going through renovation, which he said is another shared neighborhood experience.

“A lot of people remodel at the same time, so I can go over to my neighbor and look at his kitchen and we can compare to what I’m doing,” he said.

— Angela Chen

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Childrens Learning Cottage, 675 Escuela Ave.; Mountain View KinderCare, 2065 W. El Camino Real; St. Paul Lutheran CDC, 1075 El Monte Ave.; Wonder World, 2015 Latham St. (nearby) FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave.; No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.

LOCATION: bounded by El Monte Avenue, Jardin Drive, Karen Way and El Camino Real PARK: Gemello Park, Marich Way and Solana Court POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St., Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): The Girls’ Middle School, 180 N. Rengstorff Ave.; Canterbury Christian School, 101 N El Monte Ave. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School SHOPPING: Downtown Mountain View, Downtown Los Altos, Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Gemello Village, Clarkwood Center, San Antonio Shopping Center MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $942,500 ($720,000-$1,350,000) HOMES SOLD: 10 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $719,750 ($390,000-$840,000) CONDOS SOLD: 6

Neighborhoods

emello, its residents say again and again, is an old-fashioned neighborhood. It has old-fashioned architecture, old-fashioned plants and, best of all, an old-fashioned feel with neighbors that know each other, like each other and even remodel with each other.

Gemello — the Mountain View neighborhood located between the Los Altos border, El Camino Real and El Monte Avenue — was once a winery owned by John Gemello.

In the 1950s, it was sold to San Franciscobased Meadow Development Company, which promptly starting building three-bedroom, one-bath Blackfield and Excel villages.

Charles Channing is a relative newcomer to the area, having moved to Gemello from the East Coast in 2001. He and his wife Samantha, a Bay Area native, chose the area precisely for its old-fashioned charm. “We loved the older area,” he said. “It’s got older trees and plants and smaller, older homes.

Plus, it’s got a nice and quiet feel. Everyone knows everyone else in the neighborhood.

It’s a good place to raise kids.”

In contrast, Jeanne Evilsizer moved

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.

LOCATION: bordered by El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue PARKS: McKelvey Park, Park Drive and Miramonte Ave.; Eagle Park, Shoreline Blvd. and High School Way. 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, El Monte Shopping Center (El Monte Avenue near Marich Way), Clarkwood Center (El Camino Real) MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,086,000 ($939,000-$2,475,000) HOMES SOLD: 21

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Maddux Dr., Palo Alto

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Oak Ave., Redwood City

11th Ave., Menlo Park

Castro City

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n a neighborhood synonymous with Mountain View’s earliest history, change is easy to see.

Once an enclave of cottage houses, today Castro City features a growing number of newly built, narrow, two-story homes squeezed onto tiny lots in the six-squareblock area located across the street from Rengstorff Park.

“It’s been a plus because the houses that were coming down were really old and in need of some serious reconditioning,” said Chris Burley, who moved to the area in 2000.

Yet the upgrading of residences carries a price — greater density and a threat to premium street-parking outside older houses stuck with one-car garages.

“Depending on what time you walk through the neighborhood, before 8 or after 5, our streets are lined with cars,” said Burley, who works from home for a data-processing firm.

The area’s namesake is Mariano Castro, whose Spanish rancho included most of the land that Mountain View occupies. Two years after the 1906 quake, a land speculator divided up the area with the hope of turning it into a

FACTS CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Oak Tree Nursery School, 2100 University Ave.; Wonder World, 2015 Latham St. (nearby) FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave. LOCATION: bounded by South Rengstorff Avenue, University Avenue, College Street and Leland Avenue PARKS: Castro Park, Toft Avenue at Latham Street; Rengstorff Park and pool, Rengstorff Avenue at Crisanto Avenue POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mountain View Whisman School District — Mariano Castro Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School SHOPPING: Mi Pueblo Food Center, 40 S. Rengstorff Ave. at Leland Avenue; Walgreens, 112 N. Rengstorff Ave. at Central Expressway MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $656,500 ($399,000-$805,000) HOMES SOLD: 4 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $425,000 ($290,000-$750,000) CONDOS SOLD (NEARBY): 11

country suburb for Stanford professors and San Francisco vacationers, using such street names as University and Fair Oaks avenues.

Instead, real estate men moved cannery shacks from Campbell over to Castro City, and Latino fruit pickers and other laborers settled in the bargain neighborhood, where homes sold in 1941 for $150, according to a Palo Alto Times article.

Surrounded by farms, the unincorporated nook developed its own civic identity and eventually was annexed to Mountain View.

“I enjoy the neighborhood for the compactness of it,” Jim Early, a contractor who moved in the late 1980s to College Avenue, said. “There’s still some form of community that you don’t find in a lot of neighborhoods these days. We still all know one another. Our houses get watched over.”

Early added that access to San Antonio was recently restricted because the neighborhood behind Castro City put up a one-way gate.

“We’re a little disappointed that one neighborhood feels like they can shut another one out,” Burley said.

— Todd R. Brown

Shoreline West

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dog park this year.

Recently residents have grown closer together with a series of monthly potluck dinners.

Mike Groethe, the head of the Shoreline West Neighborhood Association, helped start the potlucks the summer of 2008 with Michelle Oppenheimer. “It’s been probably one of the best things we’ve ever done,” he said, adding that it’s a hard-working neighborhood and people can use the time to socialize.

— Kathy Schrenk

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.

LOCATION: bounded by Shoreline Boulevard, El Camino Real, Escuela Avenue and Villa Street NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Shoreline West Association of Neighbors (SWAN), Mike Groethe, groethe13@yahoo.com 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $835,000 ($545,000-$1,230,000) HOMES SOLD: 14 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $380,000 ($200,000-$530,000) CONDOS SOLD: 7

Neighborhoods

Veronica Weber

ometimes whimsical and sometimes regal, the eclectic houses near downtown obviously predate cookiecutter subdivisions and the subtlety and straight lines of the Eichler era.

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, including one owned by Mountain View’s first mayor.

The neighborhood association was inactive for years but now has a website with information for residents. Neighbors have been active in establishing a

FACTS

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Blossom Valley

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t still feels the same way as when I was a kid,” said Chris DeMassa, who moved back in 1997 to the Blossom Valley neighborhood where he grew up.

“It’s neat to see it the same as it was then, seeing my kids go to Springer just like I did,” he said of the “special, magical place.”

Blossom Valley was built on orchard land in the 1950s. Many houses are from that era, but properties are kept up and remodeling remains energetic. Four smaller neighborhoods make up Blossom Valley — Springer Meadows, Varsity Park, Blossom Valley Estates and Gest Ranch. The neighborhood is bordered by Springer Road and Miramonte Avenue and is effectively cut in half by Cuesta Drive.

DeMassa says that along with people who have been in the neighborhood for 30 or 40 years, there are plenty of new families as well.

The large front yards and the broad, clean streets make it easy to run into neighbors. “There are 14 kids in a four-

FACTS

house area. All the kids grow up together, even the older ones,” he said.

Claudia Osterheld moved in with her family in 1996 to be a part of a familyoriented neighborhood. “It was a nice community with nice schools. It was friendly,” she said. Get-togethers such as play dates and block parties are common and Varsity Park and Springer Meadows have neighborhood associations.

Osterheld loves the conveniences. “I like to go to downtown Mountain View and downtown Los Altos. It’s half way between them,” she said. There are also plenty of places to take the kids.

“The hospital is close too, not that you’d want to go there,” she said.

Even with the changes new construction brings, the appeal of Blossom Valley hasn’t changed since the time when DeMassa was going to Springer Elementary.

“It’s stayed the same. It’s always been a friendly, safe neighborhood,” he said.

—John Squire

North Whisman

L

FACTS

“Our biggest concern is the growth development,” said Peggy Prendergast, who has lived on Flynn Avenue since 2005.

She emphasized that while she didn’t want to see large complexes added to the neighborhood, she understood the appeal of North Whisman’s proximity to so many major highways. “I really believe this is an up-andcoming area because of the location.”

Neighbors agree that another one of the main draws to North Whisman is its diversity.

“There’s a good mix, a good diversity,” Prendergast said. She pointed to her complex, and listed each family and their country of origin: the Philippines, Equador, China, Algeria, Japan, India, Bulgaria.

“I like Mountain View because it seems to be a little bit more diverse,” said Lisa Moore, who moved to North Whisman 16 years ago from Palo Alto.

“It’s been a nice, peaceful neighborhood.

I’ve got a good friend across the street, another around the corner,” she said. “People feed each others’ animals. It’s small stuff like that.”

— Kelsey Mesher

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St.; Kiddie Academy, 205 E. Middlefield Road; NASA Ames Child Care Center, Mail Stop N-270-1 Moffett Field FIRE STATION: No. 4, 229 N. Whisman Road LOCATION: bounded by Walker Drive, Leong Drive, Evandale Avenue, Easy Street NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: North Whisman Neighborhood Association, Jessica Gandhi, 650-969-2429; jessicasgandhi@yahoo.com PARKS: Whisman Park, Easy Street and Middlefield Road; Devonshire Park, 62 Devonshire Ave. POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PRIVATE SCHOOLS: German International School of Silicon Valley, 310 Easy St. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Huff, Landels or Monta Loma elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Strip mall on Leong Drive; retail centers on Middlefield Road and Whisman Road MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $688,400 ($315,000-$854,000) HOMES SOLD: 10 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $407,000 ($178,000-$692,000) CONDOS SOLD: 19

Neighborhoods

isa Burns knew the first day she moved into her house on Walker Drive that she had found a home in North Whisman. With boxes packed into her garage, she closed the door and left to run some errands.

“What I didn’t know is that the door bounced back up,” Burns said, “leaving all my earthly possessions in full view for whoever might want to come take them.”

When she returned, however, she found her neighbor, Frank, waiting to assure her he had been keeping an eye on her garage.

“Your garage door is malfunctioning,” he told her, “but I think we can fix it.”

And he did.

“It’s just been like that the whole time I’ve been there,” Burns recalled. She speaks from experience — since she’s been in the same house for nearly 22 years.

Bordered by Evandale Avenue, Whisman Road, Middlefield Road and Moffett Boulevard to the north, North Whisman encompasses a visible dichotomy of business complexes, and an eclectic range of town houses, apartments, single-family homes and condos.

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY) : Children’s House of Los Altos, 770 Berry Ave.; Little Acorn School, 1667 Miramonte Ave.; St. Timothy’s Nursery School, 2094 Grant Road FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive LOCATION: between Springer road and Miramonte Avenue, Marilyn and Lincoln drives.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Eastern Varsity Park Neighborhood Association, Lilly Yi, coordinator, lilly_yi@yahoo.com 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, 1855 Miramonte Ave. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: (Eligibility for school districts depends on resident’s address) Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Whistman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View high schools SHOPPING: Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue and Cuesta Drive; Rancho Shopping Center, Foothill Expressway and Springer Road; Grant Road Plaza Shopping Center, Grant Road and Phyllis Avenue MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,300,000 ($908,000-$1,950,089) HOMES SOLD: 37

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Martens-Carmelita

T

hough it’s just a few blocks off El Camino Real, Martens-Carmelita neighborhood has a rustic, rural feel that sets it apart from other areas in Mountain View. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the 1950s, when many of the homes were built.

Countless varieties of trees and shrubberies line the streets, which don’t have sidewalks. And every few houses, there’s a cluster of brightly painted mailboxes. This touch only increases the warm neighborly feel, according to Shirley Luna, who lives on Carmelita Drive with her husband.

“You really know your neighbors who are in that little group,” she said.

That’s not to say nothing’s changed in 60 years. Since Luna moved to the neighborhood in 1989, there’s always been one rebuilding project or another. Families today tend to add on behind their houses, cutting into the long backyard areas. But the country feel remains, in Luna’s opinion.

“It hasn’t changed a lot,” she said. “It’s still a very nice neighborhood.”

Couples with young children have been

FACTS

another constant. As Luna’s kids — at one point there were five in the house — grew up, young couples with new babies moved in.

“You don’t realize how many kids are in the neighborhood,” Luna said. “Then all the sudden they go running for the ice cream truck.”

Just down the street, Luna’s neighbor Lisa Clifford is one of those young moms. She has three children age 6 and under.

“We wanted a home in this same place but with a larger back lot,” she said. The family has renovated most of the house, including landscaping the backyard so the kids have more room to play.

Clifford is originally from Ireland, and many of her neighbors also represent diverse countries and cultures, including Vietnamese, Filipino and Indian families.

“It’s very Californian,” Clifford said, “with the melting pot.”

Luna likes the neighborhood because it’s within walking distance of her church, the library, shopping and the school her kids attended.

“If I don’t want to use my car, I don’t have to for those errands,” she said.

— Emma Trotter

Cuesta Park

W

FACTS

Neighborhood gatherings abound in this Mountain View locality, and many of them take place in the sprawling 25-acre park bearing the neighborhood’s name, Cuesta Park.

The park plays host to summer concerts, fall picnics, wildflower planting, and every May it’s the location of the Mountain View chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Pam Lehner, Cuesta Park resident since 1972, plays a crucial part in this event as the Cancer Center Concierge at El Camino Hospital. “I love that it’s in our neighborhood,” she said.

The neighbors of Cuesta Park help her throughout the year by dropping off donations of items that she can take to the Cancer Center patients including hand-knitted hats.

“We really watch out for one another,” Lehner said of her Cuesta Park neighbors.

The same can be said for the entire community of Cuesta Park, as Kim Merry puts it, “it’s like Mayberry RFD.” — Kimberly Ewertz

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Little Acorn Preschool, 1667 Miramonte Ave.; St. Timothy’s Preschool, 2094 Grant Road; YMCA Kids Place, 525 Hans Ave. FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive LOCATION: bounded by El Camino Real, Grant Road, Cuesta Drive, Miramonte Avenue, Castro Street NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA), vice president and acting President, Russ Jones, 650-961-9682 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $940,000 ($655,000-$1,325,000) HOMES SOLD: 33 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $758,000 ($440,000-$908,000) CONDOS SOLD: 7

Neighborhoods

ith its eclectic mix of old-style cottages, apartment complexes and new single-family homes, the Cuesta Park neighborhood feels like a 1950s-era suburb.

And, the people of Cuesta Park exemplify the traditions of the era it resembles. Genuine kindness and respect for each other and their neighbors is an everyday occurrence.

In 2001 Sarah Donahue discovered Cuesta Park in her search to find a neighborhood that provided good schools and pleasant people.

“I’ve found that in spades,” Donahue said.

“I was thrilled to rediscover that there were people who know their neighbors, and they talk to each other.”

A key component to the sense of community that resounds in the Cuesta Park neighborhood is the Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association or CPNA. Kim Merry, a resident since 1964 and previous neighborhood association president, credits the creation of the CPNA to the neighborhood’s struggle to keep the Cuesta Park Annex, an additional 12 acres of underdeveloped land, in its natural state.

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Baby World, 1715 Grant Road; Montecito School, 1468 Grant Road; St. Timothy’s Preschool, 2094 Grant Road; YMCA — Huff Kids’ Place, 253 Martens Ave. FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive LOCATION: Martens Avenue and Carmelita Drive and nearby streets NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Martens-Carmelita Neighborhood Association, Robin Iwai, 650-961-8257, robin.iwai@yahoo.com PARKS: Huff Park, Martens Avenue POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): St. Simon Catholic School, 1840 Grant Road, Los Altos PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Huff 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; Mountain View Center, El Camino at Grant Road MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,370,000 ($1,148,000-$1,720,000) HOMES SOLD: 5

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Neighborhoods

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Willowgate

N

ewlyweds John and Annie Mena moved to a home they built themselves at 155 Santa Clara Ave. to start a family and life together. More than 60 years later, Annie, who is 86, still resides in the same charming house, though her husband has passed away and she has seen many a neighbor come and go.

“I’m the first one that built here and I’m the last one here,” she says of her tiny street off Willowgate.

“It’s a little secret area,” says Margaret Poor, who lives with her husband Graham and two children one house over from Mena. The family moved next door six years ago, and occupies another house the Menas built — the same house where Mena’s mother lived for a number of years.

Poor says the best thing about the neighborhood is its location. She walks to the Caltrain station for Sunday’s farmers market, and takes her kids on the train to Menlo Park, Burlingame or San Francisco.

She often bikes with her son to Landels Elementary, and can even tote her daughter to preschool on Steven’s Creek Trail.

FACTS

“It’s representative of Mountain View,” she adds, “because there are houses, townhomes, condominiums, apartments...We’d like to stay here forever, we really like it.”

Another draw to the area is the popular Willowgate Community Garden, which has been around longer than the city keeps track of and has a waitlist of more than 100 people. Prospective gardeners must wait three to four years to gain access to one of the 84 plots in the garden, which flourishes with everything from flowers and tomatoes to kiwi plants.

Fritz Bernhard has lived in a townhouse complex only a block away on Horizon Avenue with his wife, Nancy, since 1981.

Bernhard’s 52-unit complex was built in the 1970s. Tucked behind the homes is a spacious garden-like common area with a pool. The upkeep is done by the residents, which also fosters a sense of community.

“You have more contact with the people,” Bernhard says, “and you have control over what you want to do and when you want to do it.”

— Kelsey Mesher

Old Mountain View

S

FACTS

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, former chair of OMVNA, has lived in Old Mountain View since 1987.

The association works 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 highest green rating for a home in the Bay Area from Berkeley-based Build It Green.

— Nick Veronin

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: YMCA Kids’ Place at Landels School, 115 W. Dana St. FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.

LOCATION: bounded by El Camino Real, Shoreline Boulevard, Evelyn Avenue and Highways 87/237 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association, Laura Lewis, chair@omvna.org; 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $885,000 ($699,000-$1,500,000) HOMES SOLD: 27 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $714,500 ($517,000-$975,000) CONDOS SOLD: 16

Neighborhoods

tephen Lacy 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.

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 downtown,” said Aaron Grossman, former treasurer of the Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association (OMVNA), who moved into the neighborhood in 1995.

Although the bustling Castro Street bisects the neighborhood, the highly active neighborhood association works to make

COMMUNITY GARDEN: $39 for plot permit, 650-903-6331, or e-mail recreation@mountainview.gov to join the wait list for a plot FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.

LOCATION: bordered by Central Expressway, West Moffett, Moffett and Highway 85 PARK: Jackson Park, Jackson Street and Stierlin Road POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Landels or Monta Loma elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Moffett Boulevard, Downtown Mountain View, Sunday farmers market at Caltrain parking lot (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. year round) MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $865,000 ($844,000-$875,000) HOMES SOLD: 3 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $625,000 ($567,000-$678,000) CONDOS SOLD: 6

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Jackson Park parents come together and have so much fun,” she added, speaking of the area’s highly diverse population.

Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Mexican immigrants have all brought colorful flourishes of their respective cultures to the neighborhood. JapaneseAmericans hold the annual Obon festival to honor the memory of their ancestors at the nearby Buddhist Temple on Stierlin Road. Across the street from the temple is the Portuguese Hall, and six weeks after Easter the Portuguese Holy Ghost Parade celebrates spring with the ringing of marching-band brass.

“The good thing, as far as having kids here, is that they meet people from all different backgrounds and all different income levels,” Linda Klippel said, seconding Proscia’s comment.

“Best of all,” she said, “we’re pretty much all walking distance to Safeway, and walking or bicycling distance to Castro Street.”

— Nick Veronin

Waverly Park

B

FACTS

when I was growing up,” Diamond said. “A back-to-basics, fundamentals-of-raising-afamily kind of neighborhood.”

Practicality is another reason Diamond enjoys Waverly Park. Easy freeway access means that her reverse commute to South San Jose only takes 25 minutes. There is also plenty of shopping close by, including a Nob Hill and Safeway just minutes away. The lively Castro Street is also a relatively short drive from her cul-de-sac.

“It’s just a great neighborhood for kids and families,” Ann Martin said of Waverly Park, where she has lived since 1994.

“There’s a bunch of neighbors that hang out together, and they’re always watching out for each other’s kids.”

Her daughter’s school is about a mile away, and like Diamond’s route to Cooper Park, Martin doesn’t have to take any main streets, except Grant Road, to drop her daughter off.

“The kids can’t get away with anything, because the neighbors are always watching, family-friendly,” Martin said.

— Nick Veronin

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: El Camino YMCA, 2400 Grant Road; Mountain View Parent Nursery School, 1299 Bryant Ave.; Primary Plus, 333 Eunice Ave.; St. Timothy’s Nursery School, 2094 Grant Road; YMCA Way to Grow Full-Day Preschool, 1501 Oak Ave., Los Altos (nearby) FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive LOCATION: bounded by Grant Road, Highway 85 and Sleeper and Bryant avenues PARKS: Cooper Park, Chesley Avenue at Yorkton 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 — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive; Grant Park Plaza; Nob Hill Shopping Center, Grant Road; Downtown Mountain View MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,275,000 ($970,000-$1,800,000) HOMES SOLD: 30

Neighborhoods

rian Toby has lived in Waverly Park since 1988 and likes the community for its stability and because, as he puts it, “everybody knows everybody.” The neighborhood celebrates the Fourth of July each year with a big party, which he said is always well-attended and fun for the whole family.

At the heart of the neighborhood — which is bounded by Grant Road, Highway 85 and Sleeper and Bryant avenues — lies Cooper Park, where Toby remembers enjoying many afternoons with his children before they flew the coop.

Though Toby may be an empty nester, he says that there’s been a “real turn around recently, and we’ve got a whole new group of people with young kids” moving in.

Camille Diamond, who moved to Waverly Park from Los Altos in 2006, loves the fact that there is a park within walking distance of her home. An added bonus for her, is that she feels comfortable letting her seventhgrader walk there on his own, since there are no major streets he would have to cross.

“It’s just the kind of neighborhood we had

FIRE STATION: No. 1, 251 S. Shoreline Blvd.

LOCATION: bounded by Shoreline Boulevard, Stierlin Road, Windmill Park Lane, Central Avenue, Moffett Boulevard and Central Expressway PARK: Jackson Park, Jackson Street and Stierlin Road POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Monta Loma or Theuerkauf elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Moffett Boulevard, Downtown Mountain View, Bailey Plaza MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $850,000 HOMES SOLD: 1

Hardy Wilson

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hen Marion Proscia moved to California from rural Massachusetts in 1972 she was expecting much of what she had been used to.

“I thought I was coming out to the wide open West,” she chuckled. Proscia and her husband managed to avoid the hustle and bustle of the emerging Silicon Valley by taking to the hills for a time.

But now that their children have flown the coop and have kids of their own, the couple has moved to the more populated Jackson Park neighborhood in Mountain View, which they chose for its general centrality and the nearby park, from which the area derives its name.

“We chose the house very specifically because we anticipated our children and our 10 grandchildren would enjoy the park on their visits,” Proscia said of Jackson Park — an easy walk from anywhere in the small neighborhood, which is bounded

by Shoreline Boulevard, Stierlin Road, Windmill Park Lane, Central Avenue, Moffett Boulevard and Central Expressway.

“It’s nice to see the children of all races and

FACTS

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Whisman Station

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t is difficult not to know when you are entering the Whisman Station neighborhood. After all, at just about every entrance, a large stucco and metal relief announces the name of this community of 700 prim habitations.

Yet, despite its clean streets, wellmanicured parks and convenient access to public transportation, this alcove of Mountain View is scarcely known by those not living within its boundaries.

But Whisman Station residents wouldn’t have it any other way. They seldom worry about dubious characters wandering through the secluded neighborhood, which is bounded by Highway 237, Central Expressway and Whisman Road.

That makes it a great place for kids, according to James Lundblad.

“My main impression of this neighborhood is that it generates children,” he said. “Anytime I go to the park, there are just so many kids.”

The area takes its name from the Valley Transit Authority Light Rail station within its borders — a huge convenience, which is

FACTS

only slightly offset by a few concerns about noise and safety.

Lundblad, who has three kids, originally moved into a townhome in Whisman Station in 1999 and relocated to a singlefamily home in 2006. He said that highways 85 and 237 do produce some lowlevel background noise, but not much. More noticeable is the sound produced by some of the military aircraft that land at nearby Moffett Field, a sound he finds “interesting more than annoying” and “pretty rare.”

Elizabeth Gogolewski 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.

There are tradeoffs that come with Whisman Station’s distance from convenient shopping — mainly easy access to major freeways or the Light Rail.

Plus, there are also several parks located within the neighborhood, some equipped with jungle gyms.

— Nick Veronin

The Crossings

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FACTS

carefully considered architecture. He gets plenty of natural light and feels that a lot has been done with a limited space.

“A plus is the train and a minus is the train,” Edwards said of the nearby station, adding that it can be noisy at times, but that it is easy to tune out after a while.

Another drawback for older residents thinking of moving into The Crossings is the floor plan, he said. “All of the buildings are three stories, so they have built in ThighMasters,” which could be a challenge for less mobile residents.

While the nearest freeway is about 10 minutes away, Edwards said that in many cases Central Expressway is just as viable an option for commuters.

Another bonus for residents with a passion for performance is the Community School of Music and Arts located just down the street.

“I think it has quite a bit to offer,” Edwards said, in summation of the neighborhood. “But I think it especially has something to offer to young professionals” with families.

— Nick Veronin

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Hobbledehoy Montessori Preschool, 2321 Jane Lane FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave. LOCATION: between San Antonio Road, Showers Drive and California Street NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Separate associations for condominiums, townhouses, row houses and single-family homes; all run by Nagi Chami, CEO of Tri-State Enterprises; 650-210-0085 PARKS: Concord Circle and Sondgroth Way, Beacon Street and Laurel Way; nearby: Klein Park, Monta Loma Park POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, 450 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Covington Elementary School, Egan Junior High School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School SHOPPING: San Antonio Shopping Center, strip shopping on California Street MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $840,000 ($800,000-$950,000) HOMES SOLD: 6 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $610,000 ($550,000-$813,000) CONDOS SOLD: 7

Neighborhoods

ne familiar with the Talking Heads might be given pause and reason to recall the lyrics of “Don’t Worry About the Government,” while walking from the San Antonio Caltrain station through the adjacent Mountain View community known as The Crossings.

“My building has every convenience,” the bright pastel yellows of the uniform homes seem to sing out. “It’s gonna make life easy for me.”

The neighborhood is nestled between San Antonio Road, Showers Drive and California Street, and its proximity to Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Target and even See’s Candy lend credence to the song.

“I think that probably does sum it up,” Karen Cullen chuckles when asked about her neighborhood’s connection with the Talking Heads. She said that her house seems a bit small at times — especially with a 10-year-old and his friends running around. “But we like living here because of all those conveniences.”

Paul Edwards moved to The Crossings from Cupertino in 2005. He said one of the things he likes most about his home is its

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 LOCATION: Central Expressway, Ferguson Drive, streets off Kent Drive, Snyder Lane, 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $820,000 ($755,000-$940,000) HOMES SOLD: 7 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $632,500 ($530,000-$723,000) CONDOS SOLD: 2

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Sylvan Park

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n outsider wouldn’t know the neighborhood was so conveniently located and social from wandering down the peaceful streets of Sylvan Park.† Located nearby 280, 101 and 85 freeways, as well as shopping centers, the winding side streets off of Sylvan Avenue boast one- and two two-story homes, two well-kept senior mobile mobile-home parks, and a few apartment complexes, all centered on a spacious park.

“There is an outback feel, but a connection to where you need to go quickly,” said Linda Holroyd, who moved to the neighborhood in 1999. “[(The neighborhood has] ) unique homes with high ceilings, a rustic, homey feel and also an Eichler feel” with big windows and lighting,” she said.

Neighborhood traditions include an annual Fourth of July parade in the park and a potluck every six weeks, which a different neighbor hosts each time.

“Every Thanksgiving I send e-mail saying how grateful I am to have everyone as my neighbors and give the potluck schedule,” said Holroyd, who launched the potluck

FACTS

tradition five years ago with her husband.

In December, there is a Christmas caroling event in which the neighbors meet at one house and serenade each other with carols at a Christmas-caroling event every December.

The neighborhood uses both traditional ways of bonding and technology to get together. They use Yahoo! groups to exchange events and security information. “[“(Our involvement] ) improves the quality of life and also boosts the value of our houses,” she said.

“I wanted to be in a neighborhood that wasn’t commercial,” said Marty Brewer, who has lived in Sunset Estates senior mobile mobile-home park for almost 15 years. “Driving down Sylvan Avenue, I would not have known there was even a mobile mobile-home park there.”

Brewer said Sunset Estates is very convenient, with freeways and shopping close by.

“It’s a small park with only 144 spaces and people are really friendly,” she said.

— Sally Schilling

Cuernavaca

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FACTS

“I loved everything about Cuernavaca,” she said. “I feel like it’s a private area for us to live, yet I’m still close to the community.”

There is no typical resident of Cuernavaca, both neighbors said. Cowan estimated that more than 20 languages are spoken at home in the 170-unit neighborhood. Over the years, he said, the neighborhood has attracted more and more younger residents.

Finucane agreed.

The Cuernavaca Homeowners Association — Cowan’s served on the board of directors twice — recently switched property management companies. The caretaker, though, has been with the community since before Cowan moved there, and is well-loved by residents.

“He really keeps this place going,” Cowan said.

Property management expenses come out of neighborhood dues, which are currently set at $205 a month. They’ve gone up just $25 since Cowan arrived, he said, calling the board “responsible.”

— Emma Trotter

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Western Montessori Day School, 323 Moorpark Way; St. Timothy’s Nursery School, 2094 Grant Road; YMCA — Huff Kids’ Place, 253 Martens Ave. FIRE STATION: No. 2, 160 Cuesta Drive LOCATION: off Crestview Drive, near El Camino Real and the Sunnyvale border NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Matthew Duncan, president, Cuernavaca Homeowners Association; CMS property management, 510-7912630 and 408-559-1977; www.cuernavacahoa.com PARKS: Green belt on the property POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): St. Stephen Lutheran School, 320 Moorpark Way PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mtn. View-Whisman School District — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Americana Shopping Center — Lucky Stores MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $932,000 ($875,000-$980,000) CONDOS SOLD: 9

Neighborhoods

tep inside Cuernavaca’s main gate and the first thing you’ll see is the planned community’s clubhouse, which includes tennis courts, a pool, a workout room and a “tot lot” for the neighborhood’s children. For many residents, this is paradise.

“It’s like a resort,” said Steve Cowan, who lives on Elena Privada with his wife Suzanne.

The clubhouse, a social hub for the neighborhood, is the site of about three or four all-neighborhood parties a year.

A recent party, in September, was a Mexican Fiesta, catered by a resident who is the head chef at a nearby restaurant. About 85 neighbors enjoyed music, “Cuernavaca punch” and a short walk home.

That party was planned by Julie Finucane, who lives on Cuernavaca Circulo with her two kids.

“I am the activities committee,” she laughed.

Finucane, who moved to the neighborhood in 2006 from Los Altos, knew she wanted to live in a townhouse for closeness to neighbors in case of emergency.

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Kids Korner Christian Child Care Center, 250 E. Dana St.; Western Montessori Day School, 323 Moorpark Way; YMCA — Slater, 325 Gladys Ave. FIRE STATION: No. 4, 229 N. Whisman Road LOCATION: bounded by West El Camino Real, Highway 85, Highway 237 and the Sunnyvale border PARKS: Sylvan Park, Sylvan Avenue and DeVoto Street POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St. PRIVATE SCHOOLS: St. Stephen Lutheran School, 320 Moorpark Way 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: Americana Shopping Center — Lucky Stores MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $960,000 ($838,000-$1,340,000) HOMES SOLD: 11

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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.

FACTS 2010-11 CITY OPERATING BUDGET: $27.7 million revenues; $27.4 million expenditures POPULATION (2008): 29,596 HOUSEHOLDS (2008): 11,278 OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2008): 9,267 RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING (2008): 1,646 MEDIAN HOME-SELLING PRICE: $1,475,000 (single-family homes, December 2009 through November 2010) $765,000 (condominiums, December 2009 through November 2010) ESTIMATED MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2008): $161,970

Neighborhoods

hat 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

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Old Los Altos

— Kate Daly

Loyola Corners

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FACTS

She likes the old standbys such as Tom’s Depot, a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch that is decorated with photos of the way things used to be back in the ‘50s.

Businesses may have changed over the years, but there is still a healthy range of services including a gas station, liquor store, kids’ art classes and photo developing.

Ron Labetich and his wife have lived on Manor Way for 39 years. He reminisces about the old Safeway at Loyola Corners, and he liked having a small hardware store on Fremont. But now that he’s in his mid-60s, he appreciates the pluses of being able to walk to Rancho Shopping Center, using the parks, and says he feels good knowing that El Camino Hospital is just five minutes away.

“We’ve had a fair amount of turnover,” he said, but adds that many of the homes have remained the same, still spanning one story, with maybe the addition of a basement.

He notes at the end of his street four “spec” houses were recently sold, but in general he said, “everybody knows each other well, and you still have your privacy.”

— Kate Daly

FIRE STATION: No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave. LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road; Woodland, 1975 Grant Road LOCATION: a triangle roughly bounded by Fremont Avenue, Miramonte Avenue and Clinton Road PARKS: McKenzie Park, 707 Fremont Ave.; Heritage Oaks Park, Portland and Miramonte avenues POST OFFICE: Loyola Corners, 1525 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte Ave.; Los Altos Christian School, 625 Magdalena Ave.; Pinewood School, 327 & 477 Fremont Ave.; Saint Francis High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave., Mtn. View 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, Rancho Shopping Center MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,850,000; nearby: $1,391,500 ($1,270,000-$2,340,000) HOMES SOLD: 1; nearby: 4

Neighborhoods

ark brown wooden signs posted along Foothill Expressway point to Historic Loyola Corners. The area may feel old and established, but the corners are not particularly well defined, because the local shops and businesses spread out over several streets that then spill into residential pockets sandwiched between parks and offices, or lined by busy roads such as Fremont and Miramonte avenues.

Before Foothill Expressway was built in 1964, the railroad tracks ran there, and the train stopped in Loyola Corners, serving what local resident Kristin Shadduck said were once “the summer homes for people who lived in San Francisco.”

She should know. She spent her first six years on Clinton Road living in an original 1,000-square-foot, ranch-style house. A few years ago, her family of four decided it was time to start over, and built a new two-story, New England traditional home on less than a quarter of an acre.

“I grew up back East, and it feels like my hometown where kids can run down the street, (safely),” she said.

FIRE STATION: No. 15, 10 Almond Ave. LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road LOCATION: between El Monte and Edith avenues, Foothill Expressway and Los Altos Hills border PARKS: Village Park, Edith Avenue at San Antonio Road; Shoup Park, 400 University Ave.; Lincoln Park, University at Lincoln Avenue; Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, 482 University Ave. 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,695,000 ($1,180,000-$2,575,000) HOMES SOLD: 9

empty lots around, and now there are nil,” Beumer said.

She admits Main Street is “all changed, but still pretty low key. It’s kind of like good ol’ Main Street USA.” The Beumers recently sold a portion of their land to the city so two parks, Shoup and Redwood Grove, could be connected.

“It’s new,” she said. “Parents can park in the back and let their kids walk along the creekside.”

Mark Duller and his wife Linda live just down the street in a two-story ranch-style home on a half-acre. He grew up in Los Altos, and moved back to the area 15 years ago so his school-aged children could attend the same schools he did, and enjoy the small-town activities that Los Altos is known for, such as outdoor Friday night movies, free Shakespeare plays in Shoup Park and the Festival of Lights parade.

“It’s such a family neighborhood, it’s safe to send the kids downtown,” he said.

Colleen Cummins

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arlene Beumer calls her home of 44 years in Old Los Altos, “this blessed land.” She recalls back in the days when she and her husband, Delbert, were looking for a larger space to raise their four young children and two dogs.

“San Antonio Road was only two lanes” then, and apricot orchards and wild mustard covered acres and acres. Even today, some streets don’t have sidewalks and there aren’t many streetlights.

Beumer says their house was once owned by one of the founding fathers, Guy Shoup, whose father, Paul, lived a couple of doors down. Paul Shoup is credited with helping create the village back in 1906 when he was an executive of Southern Pacific Railroad with an eye towards expansion.

More than a century later, both the homes and trees look mature in the neighborhood. Most of the lots are onequarter acre, dotted with one-story houses built in diverse architectural styles.

“The neighborhood used to have a lot of

FACTS

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North Los Altos

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or prospective homebuyers considering the North Los Altos neighborhood — loosely bounded

by Foothill Expressway, El Monte Road, El Camino Real and Adobe Creek — perhaps the best place to start is the Los Altos History Museum.

As early as 1880, ranch settlements began to give shape to what would one day become North Los Altos. Some homes in the neighborhood still reflect this ranch style, partially sparked by development of the railroad in the area.

Ellen Chu moved into her home on Casita Way in 1989. She and her husband chose the area because of its proximity to good schools. Her two children went to Almond Elementary, Egan Jr. High and Los Altos High schools. Chu said she was very happy with Almond and Egan but felt that Los Altos High could improve some of its programs.

Of all the benefits of living in North Los Altos, Chu said she liked the convenient location most. “Everything is very accessible,” she said, including groceries

FACTS

and other shopping, from downtown Los Altos to the San Antonio Shopping Center.

“Within a mile or two I can find things I need.”

Chu said that all of her neighbors made an effort to get to know her family and that her children enjoyed playing at the local elementary-school playground as youngsters. North Los Altos also offers her a lovely backdrop to get her exercise. “I take walks every single morning,” she said. “It’s very nice ‘hood to walk around.”

Mardell Blaufarb has lived on Yerba Buena Avenue for 45 years now and doesn’t plan on going anywhere soon. “It’s a very cohesive, friendly area to live in,” she said. Lots of the blocks have annual block parties. “It’s a place where people want to live out their lives.”

A recent remodeling near her home caused some of the older residents to raise their eyebrows, but no one has made any significant protest. “It is a very contemporary home. It doesn’t quite fit in, but change is good for all of us.”

— Nick Veronin

Rancho

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FACTS to 280, close to the market, and close to town,” she said.

DeVaughn works on Main Street at a local travel agency, which is somewhat ironic, because wanderlust may be part of her job, but she has always worked in Los Altos, and spent most of her life in her hometown.

Lara O’Brien also grew up in Los Altos, in nearby Loyola Corners, and knew when she started her own family that she wanted to return home, too. For five years the O’Briens lived on the “busy corner” of Berry and Springer, right across the street from the Rancho Shopping Center. With more children on the way, the family in 2008 made the move to a larger house on a quiet cul-de-sac, Arrowood Court.

O’Brien loves her new location because of the “convenience to the stores, and the schools are good.”

She can walk her kids to preschool, and admits one of the best features is, “There are days I don’t even get into my car.”

— Kate Daly

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Children’s Center of Los Altos, 770 Berry Ave. FIRE STATION: No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave. LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road LOCATION: bordered by Foothill Expressway, Parma Way, Riverside Drive and Springer Road PARKS: Rosita Park, 401 Rosita Ave.; McKenzie Park, 707 Fremont Ave. POST OFFICE: Loyola Corners, 1525 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY): Pinewood School, 327 & 477 Fremont Ave.; Los Altos Christian School, 625 Magdalena Ave.; Canterbury Christian School, 101 N. El Monte Ave.; Saint Francis Catholic High School, 1885 Miramonte Ave., Mtn. View PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Loyola or Springer elementary schools, Blach Intermediate School; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View High School SHOPPING: Rancho Shopping Center, Loyola Corners, Downtown Los Altos MEDIAN 2009 HOME PRICE: $1,900,000 ($1,350,000-$2,900,000) HOMES SOLD: 3

Neighborhoods

mall enough to know you, large enough to serve you” is the slogan proudly displayed under the heavy timber eaves at Rancho Shopping Center in Los Altos.

Given its age, the shopping center looks pretty fresh, upgraded over the years, with tenants changing over time. The same thing could be said for the Rancho neighborhood, bordered by Foothill Expressway, Parma Way, Riverside Drive and Springer Road.

Today the bulk of the homes are onestory, a mixture of wood, brick and stucco, with mature landscaping and trees. With no sidewalks or street lamps, and many low-lying fences defining yards, Rancho still retains a small-town character.

Robin DeVaughn has lived on Riverside since 1980, and feels “the neighborhood has really improved.”

“A lot of people have moved in and remodeled,” she said, “but the homes aren’t that much bigger. They’ve been remodeled in a very tasteful way that fits in with the atmosphere of the neighborhood,” she said.

“It’s a really nice place to live, we’re close

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 LOCATION: bounded by Foothill Expressway, El Monte Road, El Camino Real and Adobe Creek 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,625,000 ($992,000-$3,600,000) HOMES SOLD: 107 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $680,000 ($399,880-$1,175,000) CONDOS SOLD: 3

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Central Los Altos

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he Heritage Oaks neighborhood picnic is a tradition that is passed from generation to generation.

Martha McClatchie, who moved to Central Los Altos in 2007, met many of her neighbors while jogging on the street. She got to know people so well she was asked to help organize the event by a neighbor who had been running it for years.

That neighbor was asked by a former organizer a generation before, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1958.

Ann Ibaraki, who moved her family from Mountain View in 1984, can remember when the picnic was held in backyards and she brought over steaks for the big barbecue.

“There weren’t that many kids in the beginning. The neighborhood aged. Some neighbors moved, some passed away,” she said.

New families moved in and Central Los Altos grew. Eventually, more streets were included in the annual event. Now the picnic is held every September at Heritage Oaks Park.

“A lot of families are moving in now. It’s

FACTS

a really vibrant atmosphere. It’s nice to see kids playing,” Ibaraki said.

The high-scoring Los Altos School District is what drew both families to Central Los Altos and is what keeps the neighborhood young. “There were 20 to 30 younger kids at this year’s picnic,” McClatchie said.

Older tract homes sit next to two-story behemoths on the green curbless streets in Central Los Altos. The neighborhood is made up of two connecting triangles. Besides a few zigs and zags, the boundaries of the northern triangle are El Monte Avenue, Springer Road and Foothill Expressway and the southern triangle is bordered by Covington Road, Grant Road and Foothill Expressway.

For years the area has been active with remodel after remodel. “Everyone takes pride in how their house looks. There’s lots of renovation. People are interested in their property,” McClatchie said.

Ibaraki values how neighbors look out for each other. “It’s like an informal Neighborhood Watch,” she said.

— John Squire

Country Club

N

FACTS

unique qualities of the area.

“Our CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions — bylaws set by the homeowner’s association) were set up 60 years ago and they help the neighborhood stay the way it was and limit subdivisions,” he said.

For Balzer, the access to the great outdoors is one of the most special attractions of his neighborhood.

“I hike in the preserve all the time — once a week at least. I can do a 12-mile hike in three hours and be back home in time to have a beer or take a shower or both,” he said.

Despite the pastoral setting, Country Club’s proximity to Interstate 280 and Foothill Expressway is not without drawbacks, said Crawley, who lives on Frontero Avenue.

“Since I’ve lived here, Foothill’s gotten very noisy, with worse traffic,” she said.

Crawley, 87, described the neighborhood population as a blend of newer and longtime residents.

“It’s a nice place to raise kids — good local schools, the preserve for biking and walking.

It’s definitely a plus,” she said.

— Karla Kane

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 LOCATION: bounded by Magdalena Avenue, Foothill Expressway, Permanente Creek and Interstate 280 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,790,000 ($1,211,000-$4,750,000) HOMES SOLD: 34

Neighborhoods

estled against the rolling hills of Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, the neighborhood known as Country Club (part of the larger San Antonio Hills community) stands apart from, and between, the towns of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.

It’s built on unincorporated Santa Clara County land and has not been annexed, meaning residents “have no hometown,” 23year resident Ida Crawley said.

“But Los Altos is close — walking distance for most,” she said, adding that Mountain View, too, is a short drive away from the neighborhood, which is bordered by Foothill Expressway, Interstate 280, Permanente Creek and Magdalena Avenue.

Glen Balzer, who’s called Magdalena Avenue home since 1993, said the majority of the home sites are on 1-acre parcels and maintain a rural, “woodsy” feel, with horse trails running nearby and not much change since the construction of the first pre-war cottages and 1940s homes that make up Country Club.

Balzer said the San Antonio Hills Homeowners Association, of which he is a board member, strives to preserve the

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): 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 FIRE STATION: No. 15, 10 Almond Ave.; Loyola station, No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave. LOCATION: between Foothill Expressway, El Monte and Springer, ansd Covington and Grant and PARKS: Heritage Oaks Park, Portland at Miramonte Avenue; Marymeade Park, Freemont Avenue at Grant Road; McKenzie Park, 707 Freemont Ave.; Rosita Park, 401 Rosita Ave. POST OFFICE: Blossom Valley, 1768 Miramonte Ave. Mountain View; Rancho, 1150 Riverside Drive; Main, 100 First St. LIBRARY: Los Altos, 13 S. San Antonio Road; Woodland, 1975 Grant Road PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Los Altos School District — Covington, Loyola, Oak or Springer elementary schools; Mtn. View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View high schools SHOPPING: Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Miramonte Avenue and Cuesta Drive; Downtown Los Altos; Rancho Shopping Center, Foothill Expressway and Springer Road MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,500,000 ($921,000-$5,995,000) HOMES SOLD: 78

33

South Los Altos

A

fter living in South Los Altos for 35 years, Steve Anderson says his favorite aspect is the friendly, quiet neighborhood.

“Around 1989 my wife and I thought of moving,” Anderson said, “but after looking around we realized we wouldn’t find a better neighborhood than the one we live in.”

Snuggled into the borders of Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Cupertino, the South Los Altos community stretches between Grant Road and Stevens Creek. Some of the homes are built in the modern, two-story, Mediterranean look, while many are modeled after the classic ranchstyle home, according to Laura Bajuk, executive director of the Los Altos History Museum.

Working at the Los Altos History Museum, Anderson educates visitors on the town’s history, and its beginnings from a ranch community into a piece of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Since the rail company purchased the land in 1907, the town of Los Altos expanded further out, stretching towards South Los Altos.

Anderson describes South Los Altos as more affordable than the northern part of the town. He says parts of the neighborhood lack sidewalks, but the district has nice parks and

FACTS

an excellent school system. The neighborhoods maintain a rural feeling compared to North Los Altos and the downtown area.

Children in South Los Altos attend either Mountain View-Los Altos Union School District or the Cupertino Union School District, depending on their address. Both district’s public schools are highly rated, but the dual district attendance doesn’t lend itself to neighborhood cohesiveness.

Paul and Karen Van Buren have lived in South Los Altos for more than 35 years, and raised their family there.

Although she appreciates the quiet neighborhood, she “felt separated” when it came to her kids attending local schools. Due to school zoning their own children attended school in the Cupertino school district, which they felt distanced them from being more involved. Although they felt Homestead High School was a good school, they did not feel close enough to it.

Although South Los Altos is not often the center of community events, it is a central location with access to many larger communities and activities.

— Kelly Jones

Woodland Acres / The Highlands

Neighborhoods

B

34

efore moving to The Highlands in Los Altos in 2004, Brett and Kristin Baker lived on a busy street and knew none of their neighbors. They hadn’t even moved in to their two-story rancher on Montclaire Court when “We had people bringing by gifts, ... we immediately fell in love with all the people and the community,” Brett Baker said.

And they get together all the time. On their cul-de-sac they set up tables several times a year to gather over brunch, put on an annual barbecue and hand out treats to adults and kids on Halloween. Neighbors also connect through a Yahoo! group.

“We’ve got a good age mix, from 80 to a toddler less than 2 years old,” he said, plus lots of dogs and even chickens living on their street.

The Bakers especially like the fact that there’s no through-traffic in their part of the neighborhood, because the only way in and out of the area is Foothill Expressway.

The Highlands are wedged between the expressway and Highway 280, and

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 LOCATION: between Grant Road, Homestead Road Stevens Creek, Joel Way, Harwalt Drive, Oak, Truman, Miravalle avenues 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 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,396,500 ($1,160,000-$2,687,000) HOMES SOLD: 50

encompass the flat and hilly parts around Montclaire Park.

Theyappreciate their easy access around 280 via a pedestrian underpass to go hiking in Rancho San Antonio Open Space and visit the farm animals at Hidden Villa.

They also like their easy commute, whether they’re taking their young children to the Mandarin-immersion school in the Cupertino Union School District, or driving to work in San Jose.

Woodland Acres, the community bordered by Beechwood Lane and Permanente Creek, spills into the Highlands yet feels separate. Original owner Edward Hohfeld planted hundreds of trees back when the area was called Toyon Farms. In the ‘50s the land was developed into 120 half-acre-plus lots, which now feature many new two-story homes that are high enough to peek through the branches and take advantage of the sweeping views of the Western Hills and Bay. — Kate Daly

FACTS CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Children’s Creative Learning Center, 2310 Homestead Road, Suite E, Los Altos FIRE STATION: No. 16, 765 Fremont Ave. LIBRARY: Woodland, 1975 Grant Road LOCATION: between Foothill Expressway and Interstate 280, Beechwood Lane and Permanente Creek NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Kay Mazzola, president, Woodland Acres Association PARKS: Montclaire Park, St. Joseph Ave.; (nearby) Grant Park, 1575 Holt Ave.; Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, Cristo Rey Drive POST OFFICE: Loyola Corners, 1525 Miramonte Ave. PRIVATE SCHOOL: St. Simon Catholic School, 1840 Grant Road PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Cupertino Union School District — Montclaire Elementary School, Cupertino Middle School; Fremont Union High School District — Homestead High School SHOPPING: Foothill Crossing, Homestead Road; Loyola Corners; Rancho Shopping Center MEDIAN 2010 HOME PRICE: $1,540,000 ($1,100,000-$2,535,000) HOMES SOLD: 28 MEDIAN 2010 CONDO PRICE: $800,000 ($680,000-$849,500) CONDOS SOLD: 3

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