Our Neighborhoods 2021

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE | 2021 EDITION

Mountain View and Los Altos

A look at the people, places and happenings that define these communities’ neighborhoods Cookbook author’s front-yard

becomes a gathering place for annual wheat harvest Page 6 For vulnerable residents,

cohousing becomes a lifeline during pandemic Page 7 Local neighborhoods see new

market trends Page 8 MV-Voice.com

EXPERIENCE MATTERS! OVER 1,800

HOMES SOLD IN 35 YEARS

MOUNTAIN VIEW, LOS ALTOS & SURROUNDING AREAS

“Howard helped us sell our home in Mountain View and did a great job. The real estate market can be fast moving and we really appreciated Howard’s hands-on and reassuring presence. His years of experience and connections paved the way for us.

We recommend him highly.

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- Martin L., Mountain View ew

HOWARD BLOOM Lic. #00893793

650.619.2737 REALTOR® – SINCE 1985 2 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

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WWW.HOWARDBLOOM.COM

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HBLOOM@INTERO.COM

Meet Juliana Lee

JLEE REALTY An immigrant from Taiwan, Juliana came to the Bay Area to obtain her MBA degree after practicing law at her father’s law firm.

After buying her first home, a condo in Milpitas with ONLY a $4,000 (5%) down payment, she was able to build up enough equity to buy a single family home in Palo Alto in a surprisingly short time. That wonderful achievement opened her eyes and began her passion for real estate.

Her most personally inspiring event happened early in her real estate career. A Stanford Ph.D. couple came to her after working unsuccessfully with several other realtors. She was able to buy them a home for 7.5% less than they said they would pay. The couple’s daughter was born shortly after their purchase. They named their daughter “Juliana”.

Years later, Juliana noticed that the Las Vegas real estate market had huge swings. Taking a researched chance, after that market crashed, she sold an investment home she owned in Palo Alto, and bought 16 homes in Las Vegas. Then after the Las Vegas Market recovered, she sold 4 of the 16 Las Vegas homes, to provide the downpayment, and bought an office building in Palo Alto, using a 1031 exchange. That office building is now the headquarters of JLee Realty.

Seeing again and again how doing “real estate right” has such high impacts, she and her team are absolutely committed to serving their clients with the highest integrity, earning lifetime clients.

She and her team are passionate to make life changing improvements for people. One result of this passion was that Juliana became the #1 agent out of 125,000 realtors at the large nationwide brokerage she last worked at. Her team members are all top 1% agents.

Out of gratitude to the community, and from her pleasure gained improving the lives of clients she works for, Juliana founded the Juliana Lee Education Foundation which has been supporting local public schools for the last 10 years and has the goal of continuing for many more years.

Before you sign a listing agreement, interview Juliana Lee, the most veteran, experienced bilingual real estate agent, and the broker who achieves the best result. She will promote your home to 35,000 buyers instantly.

Listing Commission As Low As 0.0% (Almost Free) – JLee Realty Special The Highest Sales Price Isn’t Always The Best Price

Marketing Your Home

• Your net proceeds are what is important!

• Professional remodeling companies estimate the increase in home value from any improvement. The increase is almost always less than the cost of the remodeling.* • The more you spend on improvements, the higher your sales price will be but your net proceeds can suffer.

• While your home is being remodeled, you are incurring significant costs.

• A higher sales price makes your listing agent look better but the cost of getting it also often makes your own bottom line worse.

Juliana will get you the best bottom line.

• Advertise to agents who are helping buyers.

• Work with buyer agents who really want to get their clients a new home.

• Even before Covid-19 most buyers wanted to get help from their own agent. There are no open houses now. Buyer agents are extremely important.

Do you really want to remodel your home to be the best home, no matter the cost, just so your agent can sell it?

(You are paying for the remodeling.)

Advertisements • Importantly, Juliana has both branded and unbranded websites.

She has over 500 custom multi-property websites created by her team, which have been constantly expanded and updated for years... and they are helping promote her listings.

• JulianaLee.com already ranks on the first page of Google search results for roughly 170 targeted key words and ranks for thousands of organic keywords.

• Juliana also advertises in newspapers, radio, email, and more, but most buyers are looking online.

• Juliana doesn’t want to separate buyers from their own buyer agents. She encourages all 10,000 plus local agents to bring their own buyers.

Selling A Home That Is Loved • Reduce uncertainty!

• Make it easy for a buyer to proudly call your home their own home. * Come meet Juliana and see published results.

Juliana Lee

Presenting Your Home To Buyers • Juliana knows what attracts buyers. She doesn’t want to own and manage furniture.

She manages top professional service providers. She makes certain you get a great presentation of your home.

• Juliana’s team includes a professional photographer, a CPA, a former banking professional, and others. Her team uses their expertise and connections to evaluate, manage, and when necessary to step in and provide results. Her team above all else sells real estate.

Negotiations And Closing Escrow • Negotiations... are as much a search for solutions as for anything else. The more “solutions” Juliana offers to a prospective buyer, the better his offer will be. A former client who was an ivy league college graduate with a strong interest in negotiations told Juliana that she couldn’t match her in the real estate field.

• The best professor of solving escrow issues is experience. Juliana’s 30+ years of experience, her passion for real estate sales, and her tightly knit team are unmatched in Silicon Valley.

650-857-1000

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Call Juliana Lee for free market analysis Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 3

Lynn North has been in the top 5% as a REALTOR® for the past 16 years with the prestigious Compass in the Bay Area and formerly with Alain Pinel Realtors.

She was recently honored in the top 1.5% of the real estate professionals in the U.S. based on the 2020 Real Trends ranking!

Testimonial Dave & Sue Kelly ă |bb !dosV Wp BaB WbU Bs zVBs pVO MdOpÛ OyOb MtoWbU the pandemic! She cares about both her buyers and pO__Oopà /VO Wp yOo| lodTOppWdbB_Û VdbOpsÛ zO__øKdbbOKsOM BbM VBoMøzdo^WbUÛ B__ zVW_O aB^WbU |dt TOO_ _W^O |dtĆyO been friends forever. We highly recommend her!”

Lynn North has earned the reputation among her colleagues and clients for honesty, integrity and loyalty.

Learn more at LynnNorth.com

Lynn North Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

4 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

REALTOR® 650.209.1562 lynn.north@compass.com DRE 01490039

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Mountain View Los Altos

Photo by Michelle Le

Photo by Magali Gauthier

MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE | 2021 EDITION

Whisman Station, Mountain View.

M

ountain View and Los Altos are consistently mentioned among the top 15 best suburbs to live and raise a family in California, and for good reason: These side-by-side cities have award-winning schools, lots of open spaces and plenty of activities for a diversity of lifestyles. Yet each city offers a strikingly different feel and experience.

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.

Mountain View boasts a bustling, techcentric downtown with lots of new transitoriented housing, office space for many of the world’s largest tech giants and seven blocks of restaurants, bars and theaters that

Loyola Corners, Los Altos. attract people from throughout the region.

And one can find every type of housing option in the city’s 25 neighborhoods.

Los Altos reveres its quiet, secluded village-like feel with a quaint downtown purposely devoid of big box stores and large businesses. Its eight neighborhoods consist of predominantly single-family homes on large lots.

So which community is good for first-time homebuyers? Where can you get around without a car? And what neighborhoods are the most family-friendly?

Our 17th guide to local neighborhoods provides an insider’s perspective on what sets these two communities apart from other Midpeninsula cities, as well as what subtle differences set each of their neighborhoods apart from the others.

STAFF Publisher: William S. Johnson Editor: Andrea Gemmet Neighborhoods Editor: Linda Taaffe Designer: Kristin Brown

450 Cambridge Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-964-6300 MV-Voice.com

Vice President Sales and Advertising: Tom Zahiralis Sales representatives: Connie Jo Cotton and Neal Fine

Additional copies of Mountain View Neighborhoods, as well as companion publications — Almanac Neighborhoods and Palo Alto Neighborhoods — are available at this address for $5 each. All three publications are available online at MV-Voice.com/real_estate.

Copyright ©2020 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

We know that the heartbeat of a neighborhood is more than school rankings, home values, traffic counts and architectural styles. That’s why in each of our neighborhood features, we’ve highlighted the people, places and activities that best define the area. We’ve asked residents what they like, what they’d like to see changed and what intangible features make their neighborhoods a place they like to call home.

These stories also can be found on our website, MV-Voice.com/real_estate.

If your area has been overlooked — or you’ve found something inaccurate — please contact Linda Taaffe, who edited this publication, at ltaaffe@paweekly.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Mountain View neighborhood stories begin on page 9 Los Altos neighborhood stories begin on page 37

ON THE COVER Clockwise from top left: Latham Community Garden, photo by Magali Gauthier; a wagon wheel in Slater, photo by Kevin Legnon; Enchanté Hotel in Los Altos, photo by Sammy Dallal; an angel statue in Old Mountain View, courtesy Devin Feathers; a front-yard wedding shower in Stierlin Estates, photo by Kevin Legnon; a drum demonstration at the Obon Festival, photo by Brenten Brandenburg.

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 5

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

She planted seeds — and a new neighborhood tradition

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or many years, Rosalind Creasy kept up a unique garden-to-table tradition with the children in her North Los Altos neighborhood. With the kids’ help, Creasy would plant winter wheat in her front-yard garden, harvest it and bake it into bread.

“Kids would come over and plant the wheat.

Then they’d come back on the Fourth of July; they’d come that morning, early, harvest the wheat, thresh it on the driveway and put it on a wheelbarrow,” she said.

After her gardener used a leaf blower to blow away the chaff, Creasy would place the wheat in a grain grinder attachment on her kitchen mixer, make flour and then bake the bread, all with an assist from little hands.

“The children would bring the warm bread to the neighborhood,” she said. “It was like a sacrament. We ended up with this amazing connection with bread. We’ve grown the wheat and produced the bread.”

Letting the children guide the process was often the most effective way for them to experience the garden.

6 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photos courtesy of Rosalind Creasy

Creasy, a renowned author, photographer and pioneer in edible landscaping, emphasizes the point that our culture has lost touch with the origins of our food. The intense flavors and bright colors that come with a home garden, particularly with heirloom varieties, can help recreate that connection, she said.

When kids are helping tend the garden, the possibilities for connection — and fun — are pretty much limitless.

“I had a front-yard garden in Los Altos, which at the time was considered heretical.

I took out the lawn and put in a vegetable garden. It was a magnet for neighborhood children who kept wanting to come in and see what was going on,” Creasy said.

Gardening with the many young visitors to her front yard taught Creasy that letting the children guide the process was often the most effective way for them to experience the garden. If an interesting bug appeared during

Rosalind Creasy’s front-yard garden has been a longtime gathering spot for neighborhood children who have helped the gardening and cooking author plant and harvest wheat. a planned activity, for instance, the activity might suddenly be set aside for an exploration of what bugs could be found in the yard.

“I realized that I couldn’t have any rules — gardening is caught, not taught,” Creasy said, noting that in her own upbringing, her father had given her a vegetable garden at age 5 and encouraged her to plant what she wanted, where she wanted.

“There’s such joy to be had in the garden that people just don’t explore. My whole message is ‘lighten up,’” Creasy said. “The garden is this wonderful magical place. You have to let it happen.”

To read more about the North Los Altos neighborhood, see Neighborhood Profile on page 45.

— Heather Zimmerman

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

For Mountain View’s cohousing group, shared community has been a lifeline during pandemic

By Lloyd Lee n paper, living in a cohousing community designed with lots of shared spaces, like dining halls and gardens intended to encourage daily interactions, might look like a logistical nightmare during a pandemic — but for members of the first such community of its kind in Mountain View, it’s been just the opposite.

“I think that we feel much less isolated than our friends do, because we have a way to interact with 19 families in a way that is safe and see people on a daily basis,” said David Burwen, who opened the 19-unit Mountain View Cohousing Community at 445 Calderon Ave. with his wife, Susan, in 2014.

The Burwens described their living situation as a huge privilege compared to many other older adults who have had no choice but to live in isolation, either in their own homes or at care facilities due to health restrictions during the pandemic.

“This is an example of where being in an intentional community like cohousing really makes a big difference in terms of keeping people’s spirits up,” David added.

When the Burwens purchased the 1-acre plot on Calderon in 2009, they envisioned what they called “an intentional neighborhood” for Mountain View’s aging residents, where neighbors frequently interact with each other and understood there is a shared responsibility for maintaining a micro-community within the complex.

“One of the guiding principles of living in cohousing is that we are self-governed,” Susan said. “We do things for ourselves.”

Members are not only responsible for the upkeep of the complex, but also host weekly meetings, game nights and regularly scheduled dinners prepared by residents on Mondays and Thursdays. The Mountain View complex also has 25% of its land dedicated to a garden that residents maintain.

Photo by Sammy Dallal

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Above: Denise Pitsch, left, and Jenny Bixby work on the community garden at the Mountain View Cohousing Community in 2019. Below: The garden, which covers about 25% of the property, is among the community’s shared spaces.

Photo by Sammy Dallal

“That was by design and intention,” she said.

But as COVID-19 cases started to rise, and health experts began to sound the alarm on social distancing, some of those beloved and trademark traditions of a cohousing community needed to be re-evaluated or outright canceled.

Communal dinners were scrapped. Meetings had to be held over Zoom. And in the beginning of the pandemic, outside visitors were not permitted on the property. This specific community is populated with adults in their late 50s to 80s, Burwen explained.

“We didn’t think about pandemics,” said Burwen, recalling the initial thought process behind the Mountain View Cohousing Community.

And yet, the Burwens are unequivocal when they say that living in a cohousing community has been a godsend for them, especially during some of the most isolating of times.

Keeping up with the sense of shared responsibility, Susan said one of the first things the residents did was to create a COVID-19 response team to help establish new guidelines for the community.

“We formed an ad

hoc team to look at the information that was available and established guidelines on how we would alter our behavior in our community to keep people safe and still maintain as much social interaction as possible,” she said.

And since Durrett’s design of the complex was always intended to foster a sense of community, residents not only have plenty of space for outdoor gatherings in the gardens but can also easily be within sight of each other even within their own homes.

“Everybody’s kitchen window and front door face the common areas, so you can look outside and see if people are outdoors,” Susan said.

As the restrictions and health experts’ understanding of the virus evolved, so did the community guidelines. Nowadays, residents are allowed to eat at tables set up outside with plexiglass shields placed in between each other. The complex also comes with an exercise room, which people now have to sign up for beforehand and is aired out for half an hour after each workout.

Since the cohousing community was completed in December 2014, Susan said only two units have come up for sale. Currently, there are no vacancies in the complex.

And how many cases of COVID-19 have popped up in the community since the beginning of the pandemic?

According to the Burwens: Zero.

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 7

OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Neighborhood markets see new trends arise during pandemic

By Robert Purnell ooking back at 2020, it’s easy to focus on the fires, floods and pestilence that defined the year. But hindsight is 2020 (pun intended), and the real story is one of resilience and adaptation. This is clearly seen in the real estate markets of Mountain View, Los Altos Robert Purnell and Los Altos Hills. While pandemic-driven trends have shifted buying patterns and neighborhood dynamics, overall, these markets have remained robust.

When shelter-in-place hit last March, local home sales fell off a cliff. In April and May, typically the peak of the spring selling season, transaction volume was down 55.5% from the same period in 2019. This trend quickly reversed and from June through October, normally a slower period, transactions ran 18.7% higher and the median sale price increased 10.9% to $2.55 million.

Aggregate statistics don’t tell the real story though. In the past nine months, our homes have evolved from a place to eat and sleep to a place that is our office, school, fitness center, playground and entertainment venue. Homes that were previously more than adequate suddenly lack the space or configuration to meet these needs. As a result, three major trends have emerged in the local real estate market this year.

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Photo by Natalia Nazarova

With increased demand for large homes on big lots, Los Altos’ Country Club neighborhood saw its number of home sales increase 74% in 2020.

CONDO-HEAVY NEIGHBORHOODS SEE PRICES DROP The most significant shift has been a move away from higher-density condominiums and townhouses. Sales of single-family homes are up 11.3% in 2020 with a median price increase of 2.5%. Condo sales are down 9.4% and prices have fallen flat. The condo-heavy Mountain View neighborhoods of Rengstorff and Whisman Station have seen sales drop 26% and 21% respectively, but homes are now selling within 16 days on average, compared to 23 last year.

NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LARGER LOTS SEE MORE ACTIVITY

Photo by Michelle Le

Condo-heavy neighborhoods such as Whisman Station have seen sales volume drop by double digits, but homes on the market are selling at a faster pace.

8 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Home sales favored more square footage, larger lots and higher prices. Los Altos Hills experienced a staggering 88.4% increase in transactions this year. Home sales increased from 43 to 81, with the median price topping $4 million. The larger homes in Los Altos’ Country Club also saw a big jump: The number of home sales increased 75%. With generous lots, sales in Blossom Valley went up 10.9%, and the number of days homes stayed on the market dropped from 19 to 11. In contrast, home sales fell 8.3% in downtown Mountain View, which features more properties with tighter quarters.

Entry-level condos in The Crossings (San Antonio Station) and Del Medio neighborhoods were a bright spot. Sales went up 14.7% even as the median price dropped 5.5% to under $1.1 million.

New inventory is being quickly absorbed with homes selling in 18 days, down from 27 in 2019.

FASTER TURNAROUND MEANS LOW INVENTORY IN COUNTRY CLUB, HIGHLANDS Inventory has been consistently low in Mountain View and Los Altos during the

latter half of 2020, due to sales velocity rather than a lack of listings. Throughout Mountain View and Los Altos new listings are up 12% with homes selling in just 20 days versus 25 in 2019.

Larger homes and lots in Los Altos’ Country Club and Highlands neighborhoods and Miramonte (Blossom Valley) in Mountain View have sold 45% faster than last year, averaging 10 to 20 days on the market, even as the number of new listings increased between 23% and 38%.

Listings in Mountain View’s Monta Loma neighborhood grew by 81%, likely due to its proximity to Google and the company’s new work-from-anywhere policies, which may have encouraged employees living in the neighborhood to move elsewhere. This is one of the few areas where inventory outstripped demand even as sales jumped 47.1%.

OVER-ASKING PRICE NOT AS HIGH It’s not surprising that buying a house in Mountain View or Los Altos is competitive. In an average week 60% to 65% of homes on the market attract multiple offers, but competition looks different now than it did just a few years ago. As recently as 2018, homes in these markets typically sold for 7%-11% over the asking price. In 2020, that premium is less than 1%.

So, what’s in store for 2021? The impact of the pandemic will stay with us for some time.

The desire for lower-density areas and more living space will remain, with expected sales growth of 4-5%.

Robert Purnell is a real estate professional with Compass in Palo Alto. He can be reached at rob@robpurnell.com.

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Waverly Park ................... 26

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Stierlin Estates ................ 21

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FACTS 2020-21 GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET: $144.2 million POPULATION: 82,739 MEDIAN AGE: 35 HOUSEHOLDS: 35,903 HOMEOWNERS: 41% MEDIAN HOME VALUE: $1.79 million (single-family, October 2020) Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey; city of Mountain View; Zillow Research, October 2020.

F

rom an early stagecoach stop and agricultural center, Mountain View has grown since its incorporation in 1902 to a thriving city of 80,000-plus residents in the heart of Silicon Valley. Nearly 9,000 firms, many of which are internationally known corporations, make Mountain View their home, attracting thousands of workers to the area during the daytime.

Today, Mountain View’s 25 neighborhoods are as varied as the housing types, with single-

family, town houses, multifamily and mobile homes. About 41% 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.

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 9

Monta Loma

Photo by Kevin Legnon

A connection to Eichler and Apple Monta Loma is a neighborhood of predominantly midcentury modern homes.

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onta Loma is one of the most identifiable neighborhoods in Mountain View. Walking into the area is like stepping into a time warp where the past and future coexist. The residential streets are lined with rows of midcentury modern homes from the 1950s that sit adjacent to a Google campus with a testing track for self-driving cars. The neighborhood’s distinctive vibe goes beyond its physical attributes: Residents have worked hard to maintain a sense of camaraderie in the neighborhood through ice cream socials, block parties and other annual events.

LOCATION Bounded by San Antonio Road, Middlefield Road, Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway.

NEARBY SHOPPING Central Expressway and Rengstorff Avenue, Monta Loma Plaza, The Village at San Antonio Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, tech workers, retired persons.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.85 million.*

HOUSING STOCK Nearly all of the single-family homes in Monta Loma were built by Joseph Eichler, Mardell Building Co. or John Mackay — all midcentury modern architects whose designs feature one-story open-floor plans with an abundance of natural light.

Most of the homes have remained virtually unchanged from when they were first built, but a few have been remodeled to add space, or to simply change their look. Even so, the neighborhood maintains its distinct, identifiable theme.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Midcentury modern homes; Google workers walking around having debates and discussions.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE The neighborhood sits on an ancient Native American burial ground built by the Ohlone tribe. Known as Castro Mound, the site once covered the area where parts of Mardell Way and Nita, Dell, Aldean and Betlo avenues are now located.

NOTABLE RESIDENT Apple co-founder Steve Jobs lived in one of the Monta Loma homes as a boy and reportedly attributed the home’s style to influencing the design of his computers.

PUBLICLY KNOWN FOR Monta Loma’s Fairview Tract is the earliest and largest cluster of Eichler homes in Mountain View. Developed in 1953, these homes are located on Quincy, Benjamin,

The Bianco family’s holiday model train display on Adele Avenue is a neighborhood holiday tradition that the late Ernie Bianco started in 1977 and his son John has continued through the decades. The elaborate, five-track model train display draws residents from throughout the area.

10 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Voice file photo

BIANCO FAMILY’S TRAINS

Thaddeus and Emmons drives; Dell, Victory and Thompson avenues; and Nedson and Richard courts.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s a quiet little nesting area (with) a lot of pride of ownership.” — Linda Harvey.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Monta Loma Neighborhood Association, president@ montaloma.org.

PARKS Monta Loma Park, Thaddeus Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Waldorf High School of the Peninsula.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Monta Loma Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Castro City

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MOUNTAIN VIEW’S FIRST ADOBE Castro City is one of Mountain View’s most historic areas. Francisco and Inez Castro, who owned the 8,800-acre Mexican land grant that is now the city of Mountain View, built the first-known permanent residence in this location in the 1840s. A sign, located in the parking lot of the strip mall that is now located at the northwest corner of Rengstorff and Central Expressway, marks the site of the original adobe. (Source: Mountain View Historical Association)

taying put seems to be a trend for people in the small, six-block historic Castro City neighborhood tucked between Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway along the Caltrain tracks — some of them have family roots that go all the way back to the 1940s.

In recent years, however, the neighborhood’s makeup has changed from working-class families of predominantly Mexican American heritage to a socioeconomically diverse group of residents. The look of the neighborhood also has changed: The decades-old landmark Castro City Market has been replaced by La Plaza Market and narrow, two-story homes now sit on once-empty lots where earlier generations used to pass the time playing baseball.

Photo by Linda Taaffe

LOCATION Bounded by South Rengstorff Avenue, University Avenue, College Avenue and Leland Avenue.

NEARBY SHOPPING La Plaza Market.

WHO LIVES HERE First-time homebuyers, families, retirees.

HOUSING STOCK Older cottages with one-car garages and newer two-story homes on small lots.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $986K.* PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE The neighborhood was originally subdivided in 1908 and

dubbed “University Park” by land speculators who hoped university professors would buy lots and build country cottages here. Instead, real estate men moved cannery shacks from Campbell over to Castro City, and Latino fruit pickers and other laborers settled in the neighborhood, where homes sold for $150 in 1941, according to The Times.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD It feels secluded and quiet, despite being next to the Caltrain tracks.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD It’s too quiet — there is no formal neighborhood association or traditions to bring people together; the streets are lined with cars because there’s not enough parking space on properties.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Rengstorff Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s a tight community.” — Cynthia Serrano.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Central location to shopping, transportation, downtown and Rengstorff Park; slightly more affordable than other neighborhoods.

PARKS Castro Park, Rengstorff Park and pool, Heritage Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View Whisman School District — Castro and Mistral elementary schools, Graham Middle School; Mountain ViewLos Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020; Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Wagon Wheel A CHIP-MAKING LEGACY Many of the street names pay tribute to the area’s early chip-making days, but the neighborhood’s name actually comes from Walker’s Wagon Wheel Restaurant and Casino, a western-themed watering hole where engineers from early chip-making giants like Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel Corp. and National Semiconductor used to exchange ideas.

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ocated right next to Google’s headquarters, in the same area where some of the biggest microchip companies got their starts in previous decades, Wagon Wheel’s identity is tightly intertwined with the tech industry. And while many Google workers currently call the area home, technology isn’t the neighborhood’s only feature: It’s close to trails, parks and has a small-town vibe where people know your name and the restaurants know your favorite dish.

Photo by Kevin Legnon

LOCATION Bounded by East Middlefield Road, Tyrella Avenue, Fairchild Drive and North Whisman Road.

NEARBY SHOPPING Strip mall on Leong Drive; retail centers on Middlefield Road and Whisman Road.

WHO LIVES HERE Tech workers, families, empty nesters.

HOUSING STOCK Apartments, single-family homes.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.32 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Fairchild Semiconductor, Intel and National Semiconductor.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE Walker’s Wagon Wheel was known as “the” after-hours meeting place of many Silicon Valley tech pioneers. Two of the wagon wheels that used to adorn the now-demolished bar are preserved at the Computer History Museum.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Its tech history; diversity.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD It’s too congested.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Devonshire Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s really cool to drive along and see streets named after Fairchild and National. That’s all a part of our neighborhood. I just love it.” — Steve Bell.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUE The push to reopen the old Slater school campus. (The campus, renamed Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School, reopened for the 2019-20 school year.)

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Wagon Wheel Neighborhood Association, Kelley Ketchmark, kelleyketchmark@gmail.com, wp.wagonwheelna.org.

PARKS Devonshire Park, Whisman Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS German International School of Silicon Valley.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 11

Greater San Antonio A MODEL DEVELOPMENT Greater San Antonio is a nationally recognized transit-oriented community that transformed a failing mall into a bustling neighborhood with pocket parks and walkable streets and housing, shopping and public transportation all in close proximity.

It takes residents less than five minutes to walk from any of the houses to stores or the rail station, and two minutes or less to walk to a park. Built in 1994, the 18-acre development won the American Planning Association’s Outstanding Planning Award in 2002. (Source: EPA.gov)

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eveloped on the former site of an underutilized shopping mall next to the San Antonio Caltrain station in the mid-1990s, Greater San Antonio is a planned neighborhood connected by tree-lined streets, pedestrian paths and parks and recreation spaces. The 18-acre area is considered a model transit-oriented development.

Photo by Michelle Le

LOCATION Bounded by San Antonio Road, Showers Drive and California Street.

NEARBY SHOPPING San Antonio Center, Village at San Antonio, California Street.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly young professionals with families, some baby boomers.

HOUSING STOCK The neighborhood includes approximately 540 units — detached homes, townhouses and condominiums.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.83 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE The Old Mill Shopping Center, which featured an indoor creek, a 16-foot wood mill and living trees.** NOTABLE RESIDENT At just 12, Ruiyang Yan became a national chess champion in 2019 while a seventh grader at Egan Junior High School, which serves the Greater San Antonio neighborhood. She earned her National Master certificate and was named the No. 1 ranked girl in her age group in the country.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT People walking to the San Antonio Station.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Proximity to the train.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Proximity to the train.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “I love the sense of community, with people meeting in the parks or at the pool. People make close friends with their neighbors, who either have kids the same age or have dogs.”

— Nancy Morimoto.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES Encroaching development.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Greater San Antonio Community Association, greater-sanantonio.org.

PARKS Concord Circle and Sondgroth Way, Beacon Street and Laurel Way; nearby: Klein Park, Monta Loma Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School.

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.

Sources: *Neighborhoods.com, October 2020; **Malls of America. Responses compiled from resident survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Moffett Boulevard A BUDDHIST CELEBRATION FOR ALL Every July, thousands of people descend on the Moffett Boulevard neighborhood to celebrate the two-day Obon Festival and Bazaar on the grounds of the Mountain View Buddhist Temple at 575 N. Shoreline Blvd. The celebration, which honors the spirits of ancestors and Japanese culture, has been held in the neighborhood since the temple was built in 1957 and showcases Japanese dancers, taiko drummers, flute players, food and crafts. Even during the pandemic shutdown, the temple hosted a virtual celebration.

Photo by Brenten Brandenburg

12 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

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network of bike trails connect the Moffett Boulevard neighborhood to some of the biggest tech companies in the world just on the north side of Highway 101 — but one wouldn’t know it. Residents compare the neighborhood to being up in the mountains at a resort: Redwood trees reach toward the sky while ducks quack and float around on the little ponds within the neighborhood, which includes a variety of landscaped apartment and condo complexes. In recent years, the neighborhood has found itself facing tremendous growth as projects either built or approved by the City Council are slated to add hundreds of additional hotel rooms, apartments and row houses to the area.

LOCATION Bounded by Central Expressway, West Middlefield, San Veron Avenue, San Lucas Avenue and Highway 85.

NEARBY SHOPPING Moffett Plaza, downtown Mountain View, Sunday farmers market at Caltrain parking lot.

WHO LIVES HERE Young families, professionals, retired persons.

HOUSING STOCK Medium-density housing; mostly apartments and condos.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.56 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Birds (crows, juncos, hummingbirds, robins, ducks, mourning doves, a great blue heron and occasional night heron, marsh hawk or egret); RVs parked along the streets.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Great neighborhood to take a walk or a bike ride; close to downtown, Caltrain and all the major highways.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Trains blowing their horns loudly at all times of day and night; too much development.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Ramen Izakaya Yu-Gen (ramen restaurant).

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Stevens Creek Trail; Peet’s Coffee.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Quiet and comfortable family and retired persons neighborhood with beautiful landscaping and tree canopies.” — Dan Shane.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES Too much development in a short amount of time; high-density developments.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Proximity to restaurants, entertainment and transportation.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION George Markle, george@moffettneighborhood.org.

PARKS Jackson Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Theuerkauf and Stevenson elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from resident survey and past interviews with current and former residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Blossom Valley

Photo by Michelle Le

From orchards to a family-friendly enclave

This original ranch-style home was built in 1956.

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lossom Valley is comprised of four smaller neighborhoods — Springer Meadows, Varsity Park, Blossom Valley Estates and Gest Ranch — all developed on orchard land during the 1950s. And while many of the homes have been renovated, residents say the neighborhood character has changed little: It’s still a quiet, family-friendly enclave that echoes those earlier days.

LOCATION Between Springer Road and Miramonte Avenue, Marilyn and Lincoln drives.

NEARBY 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.

WHO LIVES HERE Ethnically diverse population; mostly families with young children and families who have lived here for generations.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly renovated 1950s ranch-style homes.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.77 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Orchards.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Kids playing in the parks.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE The hoop with the chain net at Varsity Park is the same one that was there a generation ago, according to former resident Theodore Peng, who played basketball there as a kid.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Rural feel; proximity to three neighborhood parks, an outdoor shopping center and freeways.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Summer block parties; hanging out with neighbors at the playground at Varsity Park.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Varsity and Cuesta parks.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “This is a close-knit community with continuity. I think residents here want to keep it a welcoming area.”

— Theodore Peng.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Los Altos School District.

PARKS Varsity Park, Cuesta Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View high schools.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY) St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Francis High School.

*Source: Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

The Gest Ranch, which predated the neighborhood’s development, made headlines in 1931 when G.M. Gest turned to electric dehydrators to dry prunes, apricots and walnuts grown in his orchards. He labeled his products “Electro-Kist” dried fruit and nuts, creating worldwide demand for the locally grown items, which were sold across the United States and in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, according to newspaper accounts at the time. The ranch operated two electric plants: one for walnuts, which could dry 2,000 pounds at a time, and the other for prunes and apricots, which could dry about 3,000 pounds of fruit at a time. (Source: Santa Rosa Republican, March 1931)

Getty Images

‘ELECTRO-KIST’ FRUIT

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 13

Springer Meadows ‘A COUNTRY URBAN SETTING’ A dozen local builders individually designed each of the 38 homes in the Springer Meadows subdivision that opened to the public in spring 1953 as a “country urban setting with sewers (rather than septic tanks) and hard-surface dustless streets.” Each home was different, but featured spacious indoor-outdoor living, a fireplace and hardwood floors; some models included garbage disposals and TV rooms. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes started at $17,500. (Source: The San Mateo Times, 1953.)

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pringer Meadows is a subset of the Blossom Valley area known for its mix of ranchstyle homes and multi-story houses on cozy, curved tree-lined streets and cul-de-sacs with well-kept lawns. Residents describe the area as a tight-knit neighborhood with lots of community events and neighbors who look out for one another. The neighborhood’s larger lots make the area feel more spacious than other areas.

Photo by Natalia Nazarova

LOCATION Bounded by Marilyn Place, Marilyn Drive, Fordham Way and Barbara Avenue.

NEARBY SHOPPING Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Rancho Shopping Center, Grant Road Plaza Shopping Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, retired couples.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly 1950s ranch-style homes, some multi-story houses, on larger lots — typically 8,000 square feet.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.77 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Orchards.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Children playing together; people chatting in their driveways.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Halloween parade, Easter egg hunt and the September block

party — which one parent says is her children’s second-favorite day of the year behind Christmas.

WHAT’S LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Cut-through traffic on Meadow Drive.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Varsity Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s a great pocket of Mountain View. It’s very quiet. We really like that.” — Heather Quick.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Los Altos School District; easy access to downtown, shopping; family-friendly vibe.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Springer Meadows Neighborhood Association, Justine Dachille, jdachille@gmail.com.

PARKS Varsity Park, Bubb Park, Cuesta Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Eligibility for school districts depends on resident’s address) Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos and Mountain View high schools.

*Source: Redfin.com, October 2020 (for Blossom Valley area).

Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Eastern Varsity Park SPRINGTIME BLOSSOMS Located on former fruit orchards that would attract tourists near and far during the spring blossom season, Eastern Varsity Park has preserved some of the area’s agricultural past: Tulane Drive boasts a veritable orchard of fruit trees with apples, guavas, lemons, figs and persimmon; and a few blocks over on Columbia Drive, a front yard garden hosts a summertime stand with truly local produce for neighbors.

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uilt in 1962, the Eastern Varsity Park tract is often referred to as part of the Blossom Valley area, which includes Springer Meadows, Blossom Valley Estates and Gest Ranch. Today, the tract is a mix of modernist remodels boasting Sunset Magazine-worthy xeriscaped front yards and traditional facades with well-established suburban landscaping. All the streets embrace the tiny actual Varsity Park, a perfect neighborhood space with a well-maintained basketball court, several modern play structures and swings.

LOCATION Between Fordham Way, Sladky Avenue, Tulane Drive and Tulane Court.

NEARBY SHOPPING Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Rancho Shopping Center, Grant Park Plaza Shopping Center.

Courtesy of Getty Images

14 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families. (Many of the old-timers started moving out about 15 years ago.)

HOUSING STOCK Mostly renovated 1960s-era single-family homes on quarteracre lots.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.77 million.*

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Orchards.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Neighbors chatting, walking dogs or pushing kids on scooters.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “Happy Hour” potlucks on Tulane during the summer.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Varsity Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “We watch out for each other.” — Katie Cowley.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Top-rated schools — Springer Elementary and Blach Intermediate School in Los Altos, followed by Mountain View High School.

PARKS Varsity Park, Cuesta Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020 (for Blossom Valley area). Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Gemello

Photo by Vivian Wong

A community with a winery namesake This home, built in 1955, reflects the neighborhood’s rustic era.

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he Gemello family’s winery that originally occupied this area may no longer exist, but the surname has stayed as the name of the verdant neighborhood — and so has the semi-rural feel from the 1950s when most of the ranch-style homes were built there. Set back from El Camino Real near the Los Altos border, Gemello is a quiet neighborhood with streetscapes blanketed by mature trees, white picket fences, window boxes and large front yards. While most of the homes in Gemello are ranch-style houses, the neighborhood has seen a shift in recent years as more and more apartment complexes have been built there.

LOCATION Bounded by El Monte Avenue, Jardin Drive, Karen Way and El Camino Real.

NEARBY SHOPPING Gemello Village, downtown Mountain View, downtown Los Altos, Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Clarkwood Center, San Antonio Center, The Village at San Antonio Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families and “old-timers,” who moved into the area prior to 2000.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly ranch-style homes from the 1950s; some apartments, town houses.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.55 million.* NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Gemello has a rare combination of convenience and peacefulness.” — Jeanne Evilsizer.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “It’s a kid-friendly neighborhood. Here, I can put my baby boy in a stroller and take long walks. ... There are many trees and few cars in the residential area.” — Soltan Doganay.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Increased traffic from new developments.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Its location. The neighborhood is in close — mostly walkable — proximity to food stores, doctors’ offices, restaurants and other shopping destinations on El Camino Real and in downtown Los Altos.

PARK Gemello Park, Marich Way and Solana Court.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Canterbury Christian School, The Waldorff School of the Peninsula.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

California winemaking pioneers John Gemello and son Mario opened Gemello Winery on the family’s 55-acre ranch that once covered much of today’s neighborhood in 1934, just a few months after Prohibition ended. The family produced award-winning wines out of grapes from nearby Los Altos Hills, Saratoga and Campbell for nearly five decades. Even as the surrounding orchards gave way to restaurants, shops and homes, the winery continued its operations at 2003 El Camino Real, which is now the site of the Gemello Village retail center and apartment complex. At its peak, the winery produced 20,000 cases of wine annually. (Source: archive.org)

Getty Images

PIONEERING WINEMAKERS

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 15

Rex Manor-Mountain Shadows

An international destination

Photo by Kevin Legnon

The Rex Manor-Mountain Shadows neighborhood has a high number of tech workers and families from around the world.

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ex Manor-Mountain Shadows provides all the benefits of being close to downtown but without the noise and parking headaches, which is why residents looking for a suburban lifestyle with an urban feel say they prefer this neighborhood above others. With its mix of housing options and proximity to Google, the area has attracted tech workers and families from around the globe, creating a potpourri of ethnicities that’s impressive even for the ultra-diverse Bay Area.

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.

NEARBY SHOPPING Bailey Park Plaza Shopping Center, Rengstorff Avenue.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.12 million.*

WHO LIVES HERE Diverse socioeconomic mix; singles, tech workers, families, some old-timers.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly two-story and ranch-style homes with double garages built between the 1950s-1960s; townhouses, some apartments.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Proximity to downtown; nearby tennis courts; Safeway within walking distance.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Nearby noise and traffic from concerts at Shoreline Amphitheatre.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Annual neighborhood block party; summer activities sponsored by the city of Mountain View.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT The sports fields at Stevenson Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “(It’s) a nice mixture of different types of people. There are working-class people who have lived here for years as well as tech

When Mountain Shadows opened its first phase of homes, shown here in 1964, 83 homes sold in three months, according to The Times. The 92-acre planned subdivision included five models — the Umunhum, the Loma Prieta, the Hamilton, the Diablo and the Ben Lomond — and was advertised as “dramatic homes for people who want the finest.” Homes in the Rex Manor subdivision were available to veterans for $400 down in 1950.

16 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Michelle Le

A SUBDIVISION OF ‘DRAMATIC’ HOMES

workers who have moved here more recently.” — Sharon Gloster.

BIGGEST CHANGE IN NEIGHBORHOOD The rising cost of real estate, increased rents and the demolition of older houses is creating the biggest change in the neighborhood as many of the older residents are being forced out.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Central location, nearby amenities.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Wayne Watson, waynedwatson@gmail.com.

PARKS Rex Manor Park, Stevenson Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Theuerkauf and Stevenson elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

R E DE F INING REA L ESTAT E

List Your Home with DeLeon Realty an d re c e iv e the fo llowing complimenta ry services :

• • • • • • • • •

Tax and legal services to review disclosures and provide legal counsel for issues related to the transaction** All buyer’s-side commission waived when DeLeon agent represents buyer Dedicated interior designer Staging (delivery, set-up, de-staging, furniture rental) ˆ}Â…ĂŒ Â…ÂœĂ•Ă€Ăƒ Âœv w iÂ?` VÂœÂœĂ€`ˆ˜>ĂŒÂœĂ€ ĂƒiĂ€Ă›ÂˆViĂƒ ĂŒÂœ pre-inspect and prepare your home Property inspection and pest inspection Professional architectural photography Professionally produced and narrated videos Television commercials for properties with an anticipated sales price over $3.8 million

• Virtual 3-D tour • Custom home website on DeLeonRealty.com • Custom 12-page home brochures* • ÂœĂ•LÂ?iÂ‡ĂƒÂˆ`i` vi>ĂŒĂ•Ă€i y ĂžiĂ€Ăƒ ĂŒÂœ Li ÂŤÂ?>Vi` LĂž the street* • Ă?ĂŒi˜`i`Â‡Â…ÂœĂ•Ă€Ăƒ "ÂŤi˜ ÂœĂ•ĂƒiĂƒ w Ă€ĂƒĂŒ ĂœiiÂŽi˜` œ˜ ĂŒÂ…i “>ÀŽiĂŒ* • "˜Â?ˆ˜i >˜` ĂƒÂœVˆ>Â? “i`ˆ> “>ÀŽiĂŒÂˆÂ˜} V>“‡ paigns • >ÀŽiĂŒÂˆÂ˜} ĂŒÂœ ÂˆÂ˜ĂŒiĂ€Â˜>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜>Â? VÂœÂ“Â“Ă•Â˜ÂˆĂŒĂž • Multiple, full-page newspaper ads • Quarter-page ad in The DeLeon Insight newsletter * Subject to governmental restrictions II ÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŒiĂƒĂž Âœv /Â…i >Ăœ "vw ViĂƒ Âœv ˆVÂ…>iÂ? ° ,iÂŤÂŽ>

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Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 17

St. Francis Acres

Photo by Michelle Le

One-time starter neighborhood now a long-term destination This English manor-style home on Vista Grande was built in 2008.

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eveloped in the 1950s, St. Francis Acres is a quiet, residential neighborhood with deep front yards, tree-lined streets and people who know their neighbors.

LOCATION Bordered by El Camino Real, Permanente Creek and El Monte Avenue.

NEARBY SHOPPING Downtown Mountain View, El Monte Shopping Center, Clarkwood Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, retired couples.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly renovated ranch-style homes built in the 1950s on lots ranging from 5,000 square feet to 5,700 square feet.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.17 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Kids playing outside.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE During the late 1800s, there was a secret gambling hall known as The Junction that stood near what is now the intersection of El Camino Real and El Monte Avenue.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Halloween and Memorial Day block parties and parades, a “bring your own meat” barbecue.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Our neighborhood used to be seen as a starter neighborhood, but no longer. People are here to stay and want to have a home they can be comfortable in for the long term.” — Melinda Joffe.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Los Altos School District.

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Mostly prune orchards.

NOTABLE RESIDENTS The McElroy family, who owned and operated several lumberyards along the Peninsula and supplied much of the millwork and building materials during the area’s rapid

The sunken baseball fields at the newly renovated McKelvey Park double as a place to contain floodwaters from the nearby Permanente Creek. The park, which opened in February 2020 with terraced bleachers, a mini-park playground, concession and scorekeeper’s booths and a community room, is designed to provide flood protection to approximately 2,200 properties in the surrounding area. (Source: Santa Clara Valley Water District.)

18 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Magali Gauthier

A PARK BUILT IN A FLOOD BASIN

residential growth following World War II, subdivided a portion of their property that became St. Francis Acres.

PIECE OF HISTORY In 1955, newly built homes in the subdivision, which featured “estate-size lots” for “selective home buyers” sold for $22,500 on Katy Way and $26,500 on Lloyd Way, according to newspaper ads.

PARKS McKelvey Park, Eagle Park, Schaefer Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Canterbury Christian School, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Springer Elementary School, Egan Junior High School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Source: *arjanihomes.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

ELIZABETH THOMPSON KEEPING IT REAL

As your neighborhood specialist, my success is built on your success.

SOLD ON

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HOLLINGSWORTH DRIVE

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“Her knowledge, energy and passion made the entire process smooth, low stress and enjoyable.

She anticipated our challenges, was ready with “spot-on” guidance and led the path to resolution.”

“There are lots of moving parts to selling a home that a person doesn’t think of. Elizabeth took care of all the details of everything.”

Melissa & Michael

Laetitia & Peter

ELIZABETH THOMPSON (650) 823-8904 | elizabeth@serenogroup.com www.elizabeththompson.com | DRE# 01382997 Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 19

Cuesta Park Serenity next to a lively downtown

Photo by Sammy Dallal

Daphne Sashin and her two children Lucy Horowitz, 5, and Jack Horowitz, 8, put the finishing touches on a chalk mural on their driveway as part of a neighborhood event that families organized during the first shelter-in-place orders in March. About 47 homes around the neighborhood participated.

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amed after the park that anchors the neighborhood, Cuesta Park is a mix of single-family homes and apartments facing narrow tree-lined streets along Mountain View’s western edge near Los Altos.

El Camino Real separates the neighborhood from the downtown, giving the area a surprising sense of serenity.

LOCATION Bounded by El Camino Real, Grant Road, Cuesta Drive, Miramonte Avenue, Castro Street.

NEARBY SHOPPING Grant Park Plaza, Blossom Valley Shopping Center, downtown Mountain View.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families.

HOUSING STOCK A variety of single-family homes on quarter-acre lots.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.2 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Construction; people walking their dogs.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Cuesta Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN A SENTENCE “Large, friendly, family-oriented.” — Kavita Aiyar.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “Construction is happening, but we need a whole lot more (housing).” — John Littig.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Community newsletter. “It rocks.” — Kavita Aiyar.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Urban-suburban feeling; walking distance to downtown.

Hala Alshahwany and Nabeel Al-Shamma’s Cuesta Park home is a regionally recognized community model for home electrification.

When the couple remodeled their home a few years ago, they decided to go all-electric, replacing the gas stove and switching out their gas-burning clothes dryer, water heater and HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) for electric replacements. Silicon Valley Clean Energy recognized the couple as early adopters in leading the way in a regional effort aimed at cutting emissions during its All Electric Showcase Awards in 2019.

20 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Magali Gauthier

THE POWER COUPLE

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Cuesta Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA), Aileen La Bouff, president, 650-804-0522, aileen@serenogroup.com.

PARKS Bubb Park, Cuesta Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Joseph, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Bubb Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Stierlin Estates

Photo by Kevin Legnon

Tucked T ucked a away way ffrom rom cut-through traffic traffic cut-through

Klisha Cook, center, celebrates her bridal shower outside with family even though her December wedding was postponed due to the pandemic.

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tierlin Estates is the type of neighborhood where children play in the street and neighbors look out for one another.

Retirees say its close access to downtown is an added bonus. And even though the orchards, peacocks and rural feel that once surrounded the area when the 178-home subdivision first opened in 1962 may be long gone, residents say the neighborhood still has a secluded, “tucked away” vibe — part of the reason is because of the subdivision’s design. Its streets wind through the neighborhood in a loop, slowing down cars and discouraging cut-through traffic.

LOCATION Between Terra Bella Avenue, North Shoreline Boulevard, West Middlefield Road, Moffett Boulevard and Highway 85.

NEARBY SHOPPING Bailey Park Plaza.

WHO LIVES HERE Ethnically diverse with families, old-timers, empty nesters.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly one-story homes built in the 1960s; some townhomes, condos.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s a secluded little neighborhood. Kids have been known to play ball in the streets.” — Ken Carter.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.79 million.*

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES Some call it Stierlin Estates, but others insist the real name is Sterling.

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Orchards; a farmhouse with peacocks.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT People tending to their gardens; children playing in front yards.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE A car flew off the ramp on Highway 85 and landed next to a play structure in a resident’s backyard before the sound wall was built; the $19,450 price tag for new homes in the subdivision didn’t include a lawn.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “You can trust (your neighbors).” — Perci Cardestam.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Increased nearby traffic.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Location. It’s close to everything you need.

PARKS San Veron Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Theuerkauf and Stevenson elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View and Los Altos high schools.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Most of the neighborhood’s earliest ranch-style homes incorporate birdhouse motifs on the garages, a style pioneered by Los Angeles suburb builder William Mellenthin that became popular after World Word II, prompting many builders to borrow that look. The Stierlin birdhouse ranch homes were developed in the 1960s.

Photo by Kevin Legnon

BIRDHOUSE RANCH HOMES

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 21

Old Mountain View From stagecoach stop to a vibrant downtown

Photo by Kevin Legnon

An angel statue stands behind a wrought-iron fence on Hope Street.

L

ocated in the heart of downtown, this neighborhood includes some of the city’s earliest buildings that were erected in the 1800s as Mountain View was evolving from a stagecoach stop into an agricultural center.

Grand Victorian homes, farmhouses and cottages built in the early 1900s line the quaint streets alongside newer apartments and town houses. The neighborhood also is home to the city’s library, civic center, the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts and Castro Street. Real estate is in such demand here, many residents say they don’t ever plan to sell.

LOCATION Bounded by El Camino Real, Shoreline Boulevard, Evelyn Avenue and Highways 85/237.

NEARBY SHOPPING Downtown Mountain View, Grant Park Plaza.

WHO LIVES HERE Mix of families, young professionals, retired persons.

HOUSING STOCK Architectural mix of old and new single-family homes, town houses, apartments — some dating back before 1900.

MEDIAN HOME VALUE $1.67 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE A stagecoach stop.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Young adults and professionals hanging out at bars and restaurants along Castro Street.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “I won’t be able to drive forever and want to be active ... I like the idea of walking and eating around Castro at 9 at night.” — Angela Siddall.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Traffic, noise.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Farmers market at the Caltrain station.

Old Mountain View is home to about a dozen pieces of artwork in the city’s Public Art program, including “Boy and Girl in the Calla Lillie” pictured here, that have been commissioned by a variety of public and private organizations. Most of the pieces are scattered throughout the neighborhood and accessible by foot. Civic Center and Eagle and Pioneer parks are good places to see many of the sculptures. To view the city’s public art map, go to bit.ly/MVartwalk.

22 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Kevin Legnon

DOWNTOWN ART WALK

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Castro Street.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUE Parking.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Access to transportation and restaurants, cultural diversity.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Old Mountain View Neighborhood Association, omvna.org.

PARKS Dana Park, Eagle Park & Pool, Pioneer Park, Mercy-Bush Park, Fairmont Park, Landels Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Landels Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Zillow.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Serving Downtown Mountain View and surrounding communities since 1986

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Tori Atwell 650.9960123 tori.atwell@compass.com torisellsrealesate.com DRE 00927794 Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Numbers 01079009 and 01272467à __ aBsOoWB_ loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 23

Discover the difference with us.

GoldenGateSIR.com | 650.847.1141 24 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

We’re leading Real Estate in: Health and Safety Virtual Solutions Tech and Innovation Exclusive Inventory Agent Productivity Local Expertise Global Reach

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 25

Willowgate THE SECRET GARDEN

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Photo by Magali Gauthier

LOCATION Bounded by Central Expressway, Moffett Blvd., Middlefield Road and Highway 85.

NEARBY SHOPPING Moffett Central Shopping Center, downtown Mountain View, Sunday farmers market at Caltrain parking lot.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, young professionals, working class, seniors.

HOUSING STOCK A variety of housing options and architectural styles, including apartments, condominiums, townhouses and single-family Craftsman-style homes and wood, cabin-like houses.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.61 million.* WHAT’S BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Shaded and quiet streets that are walking-, jogging-, and biking-friendly, even during a hot summer day.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Redwood, magnolia, willow trees.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Willowgate Community Garden BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Tres Hermanos Taqueria and JL Produce grocery store.

Photo by Magali Gauthier

Tucked behind a gate at the end of Andsbury Avenue lies the centerpiece of the Willowgate neighborhood — the one-acre Willowgate Community Garden that includes sprawling plots of land where residents can get their hands dirty planting fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers while enjoying something more priceless: a place to get away. The gardeners at Willowgate have organized tomato tastings, barbecues and crop shares. They trade advice via a Google group and pool their extra food (more than 500 pounds) to donate to the local food pantry at Community Services Agency, which is located down the street.

illowgate is a lot like living in a park: Towering redwoods, magnolias and willow trees provide the neighborhood a private and peaceful setting away from the bustle of nearby downtown, which is located within strolling distance just on the other side of Central Expressway.

Joyce Cavanaugh walks with her dog, Diamond, in the Willowgate Community Garden.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It sort of feels like living in a park if you live in one of the townhouse complexes here, but it’s close to downtown Mountain View, close to a Safeway store and close to the Stevens Creek Trail.” — Anna Kogan.

PARKS Jackson Park, Willowgate Community Garden.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View Whisman School District — Theuerkauf and Stevenson elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

ADULT SCHOOL Mountain View- Los Altos Adult Education Center.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Waverly Park A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP After Waverly Park residents bonded with each other during a fight to save a portion of their neighborhood park from being developed into housing, they decided to keep that connection going. In 2019, Pat Showater, left, and a group of neighbors, including Mark Wunderman, center, and Vriginia Panlasigui, right, formed the Cooper Park Neighborhood Association. The group hosted its first event, which attracted around 100 residents, at the end of 2019, and plans are in the works to host regular yearly events.

Photo by Sammy Dallal

26 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

M

ost of the original residents whose homes were built in the neighborhood in the 1960s have left Waverly Park and new families with young children have moved in. While the neighborhood has remained close, its large size makes it difficult to hold events that include all residents. As a result, residents say the neighborhood feels like it’s composed of several mini communities.

LOCATION Bounded by Grant Road, Highway 85 and Sleeper and Bryant avenues.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Easy access to freeways, neighboring cities of Los Altos and Sunnyvale and resources, such as El Camino Hospital.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD The neighborhood’s main streets are heavily used by commuters: “Everything seems to happen at 3 o’clock, but it clears out about six, because we are a commute route.

I joke saying they’ll have to start airlifting food to the neighborhood.” — Laura Brown.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Some homes have access to Stevens Creek Trail — which connects all the way to the Baylands — right outside their backyards.

NEARBY SHOPPING Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Grant Park Plaza, Nob Hill Shopping Center, downtown Mountain View.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Cooper Park Neighborhood Association; Pat Showalter at patshow4mv@gmail.com or Dale Kuersten at firedale@ comcast.net.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families with young children.

PARKS Cooper Park.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly single-family homes.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Francis High School.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $3.15 million.*

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE There used to be a 15-acre expanse of undeveloped land off Grant Road known locally as “The Farm,” which was used for a pumpkin patch every October before single-family homes were developed on the property in 2010.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Jackson Park

Photo by Kevin Legnon

Industrial area gives way to thriving residential community At the center of the neighborhood is Jackson Park, from which the neighborhood gets its name.

L

ocated near Shoreline Boulevard, the Jackson Park area has become increasingly more residential over the years with the redevelopment of nearby industrial properties.

The small neighborhood provides residents with the urban conveniences of nearby downtown Mountain View and the feel of a quiet residential suburb with tree-lined streets, white picket fences and a mix of post-World War II houses and newer homes developed in the 1980s.

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

NEARBY SHOPPING Moffett Boulevard, downtown Mountain View, Bailey Plaza.

WHO LIVES HERE Socioeconomic mix of renters, homeowners.

HOUSING STOCK Older single-family homes; multi-family complexes, condos and apartments built between the 1970s to present day.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.56 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Kids playing at the park.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE The neighborhood includes the house of the original owners of Jackson Park before they sold the property to developers.

BEST LIKED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD Most parcels of land in the neighborhood are small, so those who don’t enjoy yard work or have limited time, don’t need to worry about much maintenance.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s like you get the best of both worlds because you’re in a residential neighborhood, and you’re across the tracks from downtown.” — Karen DeMello.

PARKS Jackson Park.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District —Theuerkauf and Stevenson elementary schools, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Neighborhoods.com, October, 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Surrounded by a row of homes, Jackson Park provides a natural gathering place for residents who call this neighborhood home. On any given day, families can be found enjoying the children’s playground, celebrating birthdays in the picnic area, relaxing under the grove of redwood trees or riding their bicycles in laps along the narrow street that loops around the perimeter of this intimate park.

Photo by Kevin Legnon

THE ULTIMATE GATHERING PLACE

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 27

Whisman Station

A city vision to turn underused land into a transportation hub

Photo by Natalia Nazarova

Whisman Station features mid-density housing with lots of common areas.

D

eveloped in 1998, the 53-acre community was part of the city’s vision to transform industrial land near Moffett Federal Airfield into a housing and transportation hub.

The mid-density development features relatively small yards but large common areas, including parks, play areas, a pool and clubhouse. Because of that, residents say they spend a lot of time in the common areas and know many of their neighbors.

LOCATION Central Expressway, Ferguson Drive, streets off Kent Drive, Snyder Lane, N. Whisman Road.

NEARBY SHOPPING El Camino Real, downtown Mountain View.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly tech workers and a mix of young families and empty nesters.

HOUSING STOCK Condos, town houses and single-family homes built in the late 1990s.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.58 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Industrial land.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Neighbors, dogs, kids at the park.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE Every Saturday at noon, all the people on the waiting list to purchase a new home had to show up at the sales office for roll call. Anyone who didn’t answer the roll call was bumped off the list.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Fourth of July parade; outdoor movie nights in the park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “This is a comfortable and engaging place to be.”

— David Miller.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Proximity to public transit, downtown, tech campuses.

Residents at this planned community get together for a daily neighborhood dog party at Chetwood Park in 2019. Prior to the pandemic, a handful of dog owners would gather every afternoon with camp chairs and a shade umbrella (during the warmer months) to chat and relax while their dogs play in the park.

28 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Magali Gauthier

HIGH-TECH HUB HOSTS DOG PARTIES

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Whisman Station HOA, Brian Emery, manager, community management services, 408-559-1977, bemery@ communitymanagement.com.

PARKS Magnolia Park, Chetwood Park, plus three mini parks, two tot lots, four swimming pools, three clubhouses.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS German International School of Silicon Valley, Yew Chung International School of Silicon Valley, St. Stephen Lutheran School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School. Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October, 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

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496 First St. Suite 200 Los Altos 94022 Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 29

Sylvan Park

Photo by Michelle Le

Eclectic homes clustered around acres of public park space Sylvan Park features varied streetscapes with many renovated homes with custom details.

N

o two homes in Sylvan Park look the same. The neighborhood features a mix of varied streetscapes that include mobile home parks, apartments, duplexes and mostly renovated one- and two-story singlefamily homes with custom touches all within a few square blocks surrounding Sylvan Park, the centerpiece of the neighborhood and one of the city’s largest parks.

LOCATION Bounded by West El Camino Real, Highway 85, Highway 237 and the Sunnyvale border.

NEARBY SHOPPING Americana Shopping Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, young professionals, seniors.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly large, two-story homes developed on 10,000-squarefoot lots in the mid-1970s surround the park; a mix of

manufactured homes, duplexes, apartments and renovated single-story homes can be found beyond the park.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.5M* (single-family homes) | $300K (manufactured homes).** MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Kids hanging out with each other and neighborhood activities at the park (dancing, soccer, volleyball, group exercises).

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE “The person who built our house asked his kids to invite their friends to buy the other houses in the neighborhood ... The next generation of owners and kids have now moved in.”

— Linda Holroyd.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Everybody knows everybody by name.

WHAT’S LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Traffic — too much, sometimes too fast.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Sylvan and Hedgerow parks.

Every summer, Sylvan Park is transformed into an outdoor theater for the city’s movie night series that is hosted at various parks. As one of the city’s largest parks, Sylvan also is a destination for tennis, soccer, volleyball, Fourth of July parades and other neighborhood and community events.

30 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Kevin Legnon

OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Nice people; great foliage; and convenient location near highways 237, 101 and 85, which makes it easy to go almost anywhere.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Linda Reynolds, Reynolds@alum.bu.edu.

PARKS Sylvan Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Stephen Lutheran School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Landels Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain ViewLos Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October *2020/**2019. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

“Jerylann Mateo is the quintessential professional.

Knowledgeable, helpful, a great communicator and completely on top of all details. She helped my husband and me sell our townhouse in Mountain View for top dollar. Concurrently she VO_lOM tp bM BbM ltoKVBpO B bOz VdaO Wb tlOosWbdà 9O zOoO thrilled with the outcome of both transactions. I was aware of Jerylann’s outstanding performance for many years, hearing reports from friends and colleagues who were very happy with VOo zdo^à Ba l_OBpOM KBb bdz BssOps sd VOo BJW_WsWOp ops VBbMà Ą

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Slater

Photo by Kevin Legnon

A western boom town This home still has the original wagon wheel motif incorporated into its design when developed.

D

eveloped in 1955, Slater has experienced a building boom in recent years that has brought more housing, traffic and people into the neighborhood. Despite this growth, the neighborhood has retained many of its original quirky Western-style duplexes and homes.

LOCATION Bounded by Highway 85, Central Expressway, North Whisman Road, East Middlefield Road.

NEARBY SHOPPING Strip mall on Leong Drive, retail centers on Middlefield Road and Whisman Road, downtown Mountain View.

WHO LIVES HERE Tech workers, young families, old-timers.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly original 1950s homes; one- or two-story apartment buildings and duplexes.

MEDIAN HOME VALUE $1.88 million.* PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE Middlefield Road used to be half gravel when the neighborhood was first developed in 1955.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET On most weekends (prior to the pandemic), you could count on an impromptu cookout or potluck with neighbors.

NOTABLE RESIDENTS Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker and outspoken immigrant rights activist, grew up just down the street from the neighborhood school that bears his name.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Someone once compared (our 27-unit complex) to Brooklyn in the 1950s: kids running between homes, parents gathered around grills in the evening, everyone knows everyone, and likely has a key to their condo.” — Meghan Kent.

NOTABLE NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCACY Residents banded together to open Jose Antonio Vargas

Wooden wagon wheels from the 1950s still embellish the brick facades of the neighborhood’s original duplexes — a unique design feature that was allegedly incorporated to pay tribute to Mountain View’s early beginnings as a stagecoach stop. Most of these original wagon wheels can be found on Tyrella and Gladys avenues and Kittoe Drive.

32 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Kevin Legnon

WAGON WHEELS A REMINDER OF OLD STAGE STOP

Elementary School in the neighborhood after Whisman and Slater elementary schools both closed due to declining enrollment and financial problems. Following a three-year campaign, the school opened in 2019.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Robert Rich, president, president@slaterna.org.

PARKS Whisman Park, Devonshire Park, Creekside Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS German International School of Silicon Valley.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October, 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Martens-Carmelita

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AN ECLECTIC MIX OF HOMES Martens-Carmelita may have been developed in the 1950s, but there are no cookie-cutter homes in this neighborhood.

Rather than move out, most families in the neighborhood have rebuilt or renovated their homes, creating an eclectic mix of custom homes.

ith large lots, tree-lined streets and homes configured in a circle to prevent cut-through traffic, Martens-Carmelita provides residents a peaceful, rural vibe. It is one of the only neighborhoods in Mountain View where families can find a particular amalgamation of a near pin-drop quiet noise.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE Only half of the streets have sidewalks because a portion of the neighborhood was once part of unincorporated Santa Clara County.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Rustic and rural feel; large, quarter-acre lots; peaceful setting.

LOCATION Martens Avenue and Carmelita Drive and nearby streets.

SHOPPING Grant Park Plaza, Mountain View Shopping Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Many longtime residents, families.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s just got that kind of country, rural feel. You know it’s a great location for kids, if you have your kids at the school.

And also if you want to build.” — Tori Atwell (Realtor).

HOUSING STOCK A hodgepodge of cottages, mid-century moderns and twostory homes partitioned by tall hedges and ranch-inspired fences, located on large lots along tiny cul-de-sacs.

PARKS Huff Park.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.56 million.* Photo by Michelle Le

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE The 1950s-era Monte Vista Drive-in, which closed in 1978, used to be located nearby at 1101 Grant Road.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Children on bikes playing in front yards.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Once residents move in, they tend to stay put.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Large lots; ability to expand, build custom homes.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Simon Catholic School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Cuernavaca

B

uilt on a former golf course along the Mountain View-Sunnyvale border during five phases between 1985 and 1989, the Cuernavaca neighborhood is its own residential hamlet tucked away from the rest of the city.

The 30-acre planned development features Mediterranean-style single-family homes built along five cul-de-sacs stemming from a main central circle. About 62% of the neighborhood is dedicated to shared open spaces, including a greenbelt area, playground, clubhouse, exercise room, spa, pool and tennis courts.

ICONIC RED-TILE ROOFS When developers announced the release of Cuernavaca’s first phase of Mediterranean-style homes with red-tile roofs in October 1987, prospective buyers pitched tents outside the sales office. Two years later, when another phase of homes with the neighborhood’s now iconic redtile roofs became available, 27 out of the 37 homes sold within a matter of days.

LOCATION Off Crestview Drive, one block from El Camino Real and adjacent to the Sunnyvale border.

NEARBY SHOPPING Cala Center, 1111 W. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale; Grant Park Plaza, 1350 Grant Road, Mountain View.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families, empty nesters, retired couples.

HOUSING STOCK The development consists of 170 Mediterranean-inspired homes that vary in design and size with six floor plan options ranging from 1,500 square feet to 2,500 square feet.

Photo by Veronica Weber

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.56 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE The Cuernavaca site was originally part of a cherry orchard before becoming the site of the nine-hole Cherry Chase Golf Course and Swim Club.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Peach-colored stucco homes with terra cotta roofs, palm trees, manicured lawns.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “The sense of community. You really get to know your neighbors. It’s like a village.” — Peter Panfili.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET The neighborhood itself — it is easy to feel like you are in your own world once inside.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Pool, tennis courts, clubhouse.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Access to main thoroughfares, such as Interstate 280; onsite country club-like amenities.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Cuernavaca Homeowners Association, Diana Johnson, CMS property management, djohnson@communitymanagement. com, 408-559-1977 PARKS Green belt on the property.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Stephen Lutheran School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Neighborhoods.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 33

Shoreline West

Photo by Veronica Weber

Once O nce p part art o off old old downtown, now downtown, now its o its own wn mixed-use mixed-use neighborhood neighborhood This home on Pettis Avenue was built in 1924.

O

nce considered part of downtown, Shoreline West became its own designated neighborhood in the mid1990s. Over the years, the neighborhood has morphed from an older neighborhood with mostly single-family homes built in the first half of the 20th century into a mixed-density area that’s in high demand due to redevelopment and its proximity to downtown and many of the city’s recreational areas. Residents describe the area as diverse, yet close-knit.

LOCATION Bounded by Shoreline Boulevard, El Camino Real, Escuela Avenue and Villa Street.

NEARBY SHOPPING Downtown Mountain View; California Street Market, El Monte Avenue at El Camino Real.

WHO LIVES HERE Diverse mix: young, old, single, married, families.

HOUSING STOCK Mix of old and new single-family homes: Victorians, Craftsman, many larger homes built in the 1990s; multi-family units.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.09 million.* NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Tight-knit without being oppressive.” — Mary Henry.

BIGGEST CHANGE “When my mother bought here in ‘75, this was a somewhat deteriorated neighborhood.” — Doug McIlwraith.

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Shoreline West developed into a residential neighborhood in 1904 when the Seventh-day Adventist publishing house Pacific Press relocated to the area bringing many families into the neighborhood, where they build the area’s first homes.

This neighborhood is home to the city’s third community garden, which opened on the corner of Latham Street and Shoreline Boulevard in August 2019 nearly 15 years after a local group of gardeners on waiting lists for garden plots petitioned the city for more land for residents to grow their own food and connect with other gardeners. Since its opening, the Latham Community Garden has become a neighborhood gathering place.

34 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Magali Gauthier

A COMMUNITY GARDEN

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Shoreline West Association of Neighbors (SWAN), shorelinewestmv@gmail.com, shorelinewestmv.com.

PARKS Castro Park, Mariposa Park, Eagle Park and Pool, Rengstorff Park (nearby).

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Khan Lab School, Mountain View Academy.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Bubb and Landels elementary schools, Graham Middle School; Mountain ViewLos Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Sources: *Zillow.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Dutch Haven THE GANGSTER AND THE GAMBLING HALL The 7,200-square-foot Wunderman home on Eunice Avenue was allegedly built by gangsters with Chicago ties during Prohibition to look like a farmhouse to hide a speakeasy, bordello and other illegal activities operated on the property. The 18-room farmhouse featured two bars, a casino, a ballroom, secret passageways, a distillery in the carriage house and greyhound track out back. Federal agents closed the operation in 1938. The home is now the private residence of the Wunderman family. (Source: Mountain Charlie E Clampus Vitus dedication plaque on the property.)

W

ith the Stevens Creek Trail, YMCA and Cooper Park within close proximity, it’s not surprising that many residents in Dutch Haven prefer to spend time outside of their homes taking in the community’s recreational opportunities. These amenities tend to attract families into the neighborhood, and the social gatherings and other traditions passed down by previous generations typically keep them there long term.

Photo by Kevin Legnon

LOCATION Bounded by Carol Avenue, Grant Road, Sleeper Avenue and Villa Nueva Way. NEARBY SHOPPING Blossom Valley Shopping Center, Grant Park Plaza, Nob Hill Shopping Center, downtown Mountain View.

WHO LIVES HERE Young families, old-timers.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly 1950s-era single-family homes.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.4 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Bicyclists and runners going to and from Stevens Creek Trail; Waymo cars collecting data in the neighborhood — sometimes as many as three in one intersection.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Lots of family-friendly outdoor activities throughout the year — festivals, parades, Thursday Night Live, movie nights, Oktoberfest, holiday events.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Traffic on Grant Road.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Halloween tricks and treats (for adults and kids) on Villa Nueva Way and Eunice.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT El Camino YMCA, Stevens Creek Trail, Cuesta Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “It’s a very family-oriented neighborhood.” — Susan Chang.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES The fight in early 2019 to save Cooper Park from being developed into housing.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Neighborhood’s family-friendly vibe; nearby recreational opportunities.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Dutch Haven Association, Stephen Lin, Stephen.lin@gmail.com.

PARKS Cooper Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Joseph, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Huff Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Zillow.com, October 2019 (2020 value N/A). Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

North Whisman A TRAIL TO THE BAY North Whisman provides easy access to a network of off-road trails that connect the area to downtown in the north and the San Francisco Bay to the east. The halfmile Hetch Hetchy Trail, spearheaded by neighbors near the trailhead at Whisman Park, provides a paved bicycle and pedestrian route that provides access to the Ellis-Middlefield business area, Shoreline Park and the Stevens Creek Trail, which connects with other regional trail systems, including the Bay Loop Trail.

N

orth Whisman is about as close as a residential neighborhood can get to Google’s main campus. And while the high-tech company’s buses may make getting onto Highway 101 a problem at times, residents say North Whisman is still a great place to live. It’s a place where neighbors know each other by name and look out for one another.

Neighbors say the Wagon Wheel and North Whisman neighborhood associations have been instrumental in pulling the neighborhood together as it experiences growth and change.

Photo by Kevin Legnon

LOCATION Highway 85, N. Whisman Road, E. Middlefield Road, Highway 101.

NEARBY SHOPPING Strip mall on Leong Drive; retail centers on Middlefield Road and Whisman Road.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, first-time home buyers, original owners from the 1950s.

HOUSING STOCK Eclectic mix of older and newer single-family homes, 1990s-era town houses, condominiums and apartment complexes.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $550K.* HOMEOWNERS 39% MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Neighbors walking their dogs.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE One of the homes on Emily Drive was moved here from Menlo Park to replace a home that was destroyed by an airplane crashing into it many years ago.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Tight-knit neighbors; access to highways.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE WORD “Eclectic.” — Kelley Ketchmark.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUE Traffic.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Used to be affordable; proximity to Google, highways; Hetch Hetchy Trail, which provides easy access to downtown and the Bay. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS North Whisman Neighborhood Association, Chuck Muir, president, chuck_muir@yahoo.com; Wagon Wheel Neighborhood Association, Kelley Ketchmark, kelleyketchmark@ gmail.com.

PARKS Whisman Park, Devonshire Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS German International School of Silicon Valley.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mountain View-Whisman School District — Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School, Crittenden Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 35

et me help you turn your daydream into your reality.

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DEDICATION EXPERIENCE INTEGRITY

Compass 167 S. San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022 650.209.1630 DRE 01724993

www.IreneYang.com 36 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

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hat once was a brief stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad evolved after World War II into a treelined 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, replacing the apricot and plum orchards, a winery and ranch land.

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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 more than 31,000 residents. And for those still yearning for apricot orchards, many of the city’s homes sit on quarteracre lots large enough to cultivate your own private orchard. There’s also a weekly farmers market that offers a chance for neighbors to interact while shopping for local produce and flowers.

Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 37

Country Club

Photo by Veronica Weber

Views of the fairway Most homes are on half-acre and 1-acre lots in the Country Club neighborhood.

C

ountry Club is a secluded neighborhood on unincorporated Santa Clara County land tucked between the towns of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. The residential neighborhood, named for the Los Altos Golf and Country Club, is known for its wooded streets, large lots and country charm.

LOCATION Bounded by Magdalena Avenue, Foothill Expressway, Permanente Creek and Interstate 280.

NEARBY SHOPPING Loyola Corners, Miramonte Avenue, Rancho Shopping Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly families, empty nesters.

HOUSING STOCK Single-family homes on half-acre and 1-acre lots; some with

views of the fairway or Rancho San Antonio Park.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $4.75 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE Hale Ranch.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Lots of dog walkers, bicyclists, families out walking.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE The Jesuits (Roman Catholic order of priests) planned to build a university on the site until the 1906 earthquake derailed the idea.

WHAT’S BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Large lots; private, wooded setting.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Arbor Avenue during Halloween.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT San Antonio Open Space Preserve; Tom’s Depot at Loyola Corners.

The Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer at 380 Magdalena Ave. is more than a place of worship. Its decorative arches and Byzantine-style dome stand as iconic symbols of a time when the surrounding community came together to rebuild the church after it was destroyed by arson in April 2002. From bake sales to benefit concerts at other churches to a food festival held under a makeshift tent where the church once stood to residents walking in off the street to give whatever they had in their wallet, the community raised enough donations for the parish to build a new church on the site six years later.

38 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Sammy Dallal

A CHURCH REBUILT

THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Loyola is a hidden pocket of serenity within a sea of change.” — Richard Blanchard.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Sanantoniohills.com PARKS Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Los Altos Christian School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Loyola Elementary, Blach Intermediate; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

DETAILS As a long time resident of Los Altos Hills with 26 years of Peninsula real estate experience, I bring a wide variety of skills and expertise to help make YOUR home buying or selling process feel effortless. Long time member of Los Altos Golf and Country Club.

Keen negotiating skills network of Broad professional associates and contacts understanding of Strong the local market and the people who call the Peninsula home background Solid handling a wide range of real estate transactions, including high end properties and estates

161S. SAN ANTONIO ROAD, LOS ALTOS DIRECT: 650.917.7983 EMAIL: VICKI@VICKIGEERS.COM WEBSITE: WWW.VICKIGEERS.COM BRE # 01191911 Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 39

Rancho

Photo by Veronica Weber

A community of trademark ranchers The neighborhood started out with ranch-style homes.

B

uilt around Rancho Shopping Center, the neighborhood provides residents easy access to shopping and entertainment without having to go to downtown. Although some of the original homes have been renovated, its original trademark ranch-style homes are still a predominant fixture along Rancho’s wide, often curving streets lined with lush foliage, which give the neighborhood a small-town, rural feel.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly single-story ranch-style homes on quarter-acre lots.

AVERAGE SALES PRICE $3.65 million.* BIGGEST CHANGES More nontraditional two-story homes have popped up between the cozy clusters of single-story homes, giving some streets an eclectic look.

BEST PLACES TO HANG OUT Bell Tower Cafe, Rancho Shopping Center.

LOCATION Bordered by Foothill Expressway, Parma Way, Riverside Drive and Springer Road.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “(It’s) a community of family-oriented, neighborhood-friendly, low-key, educated people.” — Shelley Rosenthal.

NEARBY SHOPPING Rancho Shopping Center, Loyola Corners, downtown Los Altos.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE “We moved here because we loved the ‘Rancho’ feeling.”

— Shelley Rosenthal.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, retirees.

Located at the corner of Springer Road and Foothill Expressway, Rancho Shopping Center is recognized by developers nationwide for the innovative architecture that it introduced in the 1950s. Its informal setting, covered walkways, lawns, and storefront parking were the first of its kind. The neighborhood shopping center, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2021, inspired the design for Town & Country Shopping Center in neighboring Palo Alto and was reportedly dubbed the most beautiful shopping center in the nation by Sunset Magazine.

(Sources: Pacific Coast Architecture Database; Los Altos Town Crier.)

40 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Courtesy Devin Feathers

A TRANSFORMATIONAL SHOPPING CENTER

IMPACT OF HOUSING PRICES Many neighbors are holding onto their properties for as long as they can, which has created an older demographic in recent years.

PARKS Rosita Park, McKenzie Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Pinewood School, Los Altos Christian School, Canterbury Christian School, Saint Francis Catholic High School PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Loyola and Springer elementary schools, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos and Mountain View high schools.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020; Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

As we say good-bye to a very KVB__ObUWbU |OBoÛ zO oO OKs db sVO strength of the human spirit and the many ways we adapted to the changes forced on us. We mastered technology and programs that will B__dz tp adoO O{WJW_Ws| Wb dto zdo^ and personal lives in the future.

The resiliency of Silicon Valley is alive and well. We have much to _dd^ TdozBoM sd Wb à We wish all of our colleagues, clients and friends a very happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead!

The Welsh Group 415.999.0727 | 650.823.3180 thewelshgroup@compass.com welshgrouprealestate.com DRE 00939903 | DRE 02099304

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO zWsVdts bdsWKOà No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

2021 Is Here...

Thank Goodness!

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 41

Old Los Altos Developed around a train stop, now a family destination

Photo by Kevin Legnon

Children play in the creek under a grove of redwoods at Shoup Park.

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ld Los Altos is no post-war tract. Instead, homes range from a mega-milliondollar Italianate Revival to Craftsman, Tudor, Spanish and a few Victorians. Developed in 1910, the neighborhood boasts a redwood preserve and several historic homes that belonged to early settlers significant to the area.

LOCATION Between El Monte and Edith avenues, Foothill Expressway and Los Altos Hills border.

HOUSING STOCK Architectural mix of old, new and historic custom-built homes on quarter-acre lots.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “(It) has a really strong community feeling within the big Silicon Valley, San Francisco madness.” — Christine Talbot.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Proximity to library, parks and downtown shopping and entertainment.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Proximity to downtown; historic character.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD Traffic caused by commuters trying to avoid Foothill Expressway.

PARKS Village Park, Shoup Park, Lincoln Park, Redwood Grove Nature Preserve.

NEARBY SHOPPING Downtown Los Altos .

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET “Alley party” behind homes that face Orange and Palm avenues; Redwood Grove Nature Preserve.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Gardner Bullis School, Egan Junior High School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, retirees.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Shoup Park.

Sources: *Redfin.com, October 2020; Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

AVERAGE SALES PRICE $3.3 million.*

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

The city’s oldest home, the 1800s farmhouse on Edgewood Lane, once belonged to rifle heiress Sarah Winchester (Winchester Mystery House fame in San Jose). She remodeled the home for her sister, who owned it until 1907 when it became the Chandler School for Girls. (Source: SFGate, May 2018.)

42 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Kevin Legnon

SARAH WINCHESTER’S OTHER MANSION

Central Los Altos SUMMER DESTINATION Hidden off the beaten path behind Covington School, Rosita Park has become a community destination for residents near and far during the summer months ever since the city added the 5.5-acre park to its summer concert series venue. When the soccer fields aren’t being used for live music, the neighborhood park serves as the go-to place for local soccer and baseball teams competing in league games and tournaments.

C

entral Los Altos is made up of two triangles bordering Springer Road lodged between north and south Los Altos. The neighborhood has wide streets, tall trees and meticulously kept lawns. It’s also seen more changes than surrounding neighborhoods — many of the original homes have been torn down and rebuilt. Residents here say it’s not unusual for neighbors to walk each other’s dogs, host summer picnics and meet up with one another, depending on what street you live on.

name of everybody in the neighborhood.

LOCATION Between Foothill Expressway, El Monte and Springer, and Covington and Grant.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Reputation of schools; central location.

NEARBY SHOPPING Blossom Valley Shopping Center, downtown Los Altos, Rancho Shopping Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, empty nesters, retirees.

HOUSING STOCK Renovated ranch-style homes and complete rebuilds on quarter-acre lots.

Courtesy Devin Feathers

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $3.23 million.* MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT A parade of children before and after school; people walking with dogs.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “There’s more green space and room per property. My husband is a gardener, so a quarter-acre allows him to wield his green thumb.” — Noelle Eder.

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Peet’s Coffee in downtown Los Altos.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “There’s a lot of interaction.”

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES Traffic congestion and speeding

BIGGEST CHANGES Complete turnover several times.

PARKS Heritage Oaks Park, Marymeade Park, McKenzie Park, Rosita Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Canterbury Christian School, Pinewood School, St. Simon Catholic School, St. Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Covington, Loyola, Oak, Springer elementary schools; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos or Mountain View high schools.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Ray the mailman: Everybody knows him, and he knows the

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

South Los Altos EICHLER’S EXPERIMENTAL BARNS The neighborhood includes a 37-home subdivision of Eichler homes built in the late 1960s on Clay Drive and Alexander Way that remains nearly intact. Developer Joseph Eichler tried out experimental home designs with barn shapes that would fit into a rural setting here. He reportedly took up residence in one of the model homes while the subdivision was under construction There was a movement to make the subdivision a historical area, but the topic has been tabled for the time being.

S

outh Los Altos features well-kept homes in a suburban atmosphere. The neighborhood straddles two highly rated school districts: Depending on their home addresses, children are served by either Los Altos School District or Cupertino Union School District. It’s not uncommon to see children and parents strolling hand-inhand to school in the mornings sharing the sidewalks with brisk-walking groups and joggers.

LOCATION Bounded by Grant Road, Homestead Road, Stevens Creek, Joel Way, Harwalt Drive, Oak, Truman, Miravalle avenues NEARBY SHOPPING Foothill Crossing, Greenhaven Plaza.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly renovated ranch-style homes and Eichlers.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $3.5 million.*

Photo by Natalia Nazarova

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE A cherry orchard.

CLAIM TO FAME Steve Jobs built the first Apple computers in his family home in South Los Altos in the mid-1970s. The ranch-style home is now a protected historic site.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD “There aren’t sidewalks — on rainy days, that’s not a positive thing. ... and no lights on the street that makes it not very pleasant to walk at night. This is supposed to keep the rural feeling of the town, which is ridiculous when you know the price of the real estate here. Only a few people adventure out of the house by foot.” —Anna De Giuli.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “The area is so friendly — there are kids of all ages on our street, and they all hang out.” — Paige Bennion.

PARKS Grant Park, Marymeade Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOL St. Simon Catholic School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Oak Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School; Cupertino Union School District — Montclaire Elementary School, Cupertino Middle School; Fremont Union High School District — Homestead High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from resident survey and past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 43

Woodland Acres/The Highlands A legacy of open space

Photo by Michelle Le

Most homes in Woodland Acres and The Highlands sit on lots that range from a quarter-acre to an acre.

W

oodland Acres and The Highlands are two neighboring areas west of Foothill Expressway at the south end of town developed on former orchards after World War II. Over the decades, the area has retained its rural, wooded feel. In the early 2000s, residents voted for a one-story overlay zone in a portion of the neighborhood to prevent two-story construction and maintain the neighborhood character.

HOUSING STOCK Single-family homes built in the 1950s-1960s on lots that range from a quarter-acre to an acre.

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE The area was once part of the 44,800-acre Rancho San Antonio Spanish land grant issued to Don Luis Maria Peralta in 1820 by the last Spanish governor of California. About 120 acres later became private farmland planted in orchards.

MOST COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHT Trees.

NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE SENTENCE “Everybody who lives in this neighborhood feels very lucky that they live here. They like where they live, they enjoy the neighbors, the atmosphere. It’s just a nice way of living.” — Patti Rose.

REASONS WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Large lots, rural setting, easy access to freeways.

PARKS Montclaire Park, (nearby) Grant Park, Rancho San Antonio Preserve.

PRIVATE SCHOOL St. Simon Catholic School.

LOCATION Between Foothill Expressway and Interstate 280, Beechwood Lane and Permanente Creek.

BEST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD The trees and natural look of the area; neighborhood activities — annual Christmas potluck, meetups at nearby Rancho San Antonio County Park.

NEARBY SHOPPING Foothill Crossing, Loyola Corners, Rancho Shopping Center, Woodland Plaza.

LEAST LIKED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD The streets used to be a problem until the city repaved them.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Cupertino Union School District — Montclaire Elementary School, Cupertino Middle School; Fremont Union High School District — Homestead High School.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET Some of the homes have views of the San Francisco Peninsula.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

WHO LIVES HERE Families, empty nesters, retirees.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $2.68 million.*

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT Woodland Vista Swim & Racquet Club.

This neighborhood earned its name after Edward Hohfeld tried to rehabilitate an old orchard and began planting and caring for more than 2,000 ornamental trees that joined the native oaks on his 100-acre property. By the 1930s, he expanded his hobby and began shipping branches with blossoms on them in refrigerated boxcars to those living in wintry eastern states. (Source: Los Altos History Museum.)

44 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Michelle Le

A REHABILITATED ORCHARD

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

North Los Altos

Photo by Magali Gauthier

The heart of Los Altos Main Street runs through downtown Los Altos.

T

hey say real estate is all about location, location, location, and residents in North Los Altos believe they have found their haven. Within this area, people can find a large library, community center, a performing arts center for children, a downtown filled with restaurants and shops, great public schools, and more. With the downtown triangle — known as “The Village” — located in the heart of the neighborhood, almost everyone in the area lives within easy walking distance to the city’s major attractions.

LOCATION Bounded by Foothill Expressway, El Monte Road, El Camino Real and Adobe Creek.

NEARBY SHOPPING Downtown Los Altos, Los Altos Village Court and San Antonio Center.

WHO LIVES HERE Mostly young families, retirees.

HOUSING STOCK Mostly single-story ranch homes on quarter-acre lots.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $1.7 million.* WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE A train stop for the Southern Pacific Railroad, which ran along tracks where Foothill Expressway is now located.

WHY PEOPLE MOVE HERE Schools and close proximity to shopping, downtown.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE For more than six decades, Mac’s Tea Room was the go-to watering hole with the colorful history at 325 Main St. Before it closed in 2000, everyone from cowboys and politicians to professional athletes and a string of other well-known patrons had frequented the place — someone once even rode a horse through the bar.

WHAT NEIGHBORS SAY “We love having young families in our neighborhood as it keeps us all young, and we love our proximity to town.”

— Ginny Strock.

HOT-BUTTON ISSUE The proposed five-story, mixed-use development at 40 Main St. that was approved in September after the developers sued the city for denying their permit.

PARKS Village Park, Shoup Park, Lincoln Park.

BEST-KEPT SECRET Rosalind Creasy’s front-yard garden. The renowned cooking and gardening author was a groundbreaker in championing people to plant edible gardens in their front yards, rather than a lawn, in the early 1980s. Her garden has been a longtime gathering spot for neighborhood children who regularly help Creasy plant and harvest wheat.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Los Altos Christian School, Canterbury Christian School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Santa Rita or Almond elementary schools, Egan Intermediate School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School.

Source: *Redfin, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

The shingled farmhouse in Civic Center that carpenter J. Gilbert Smith built from mail-order plans in 1899 before the town of Los Altos sprung up is a California Historical Point of Interest. The home, which survived the 1906 earthquake without damage, now serves as the city’s history house museum, and a portion of the apricot orchard that he planted around his home remains maintained in front of City Hall. (Source: Los Altos History Museum)

Photo by Kevin Legnon

A HISTORICAL POINT OF INTEREST

Our Neighborhoods | Mountain View Voice | 45

Loyola Corners

Courtesy Devin Feathers

A compact town preserved in time Now located next to Foothill Expressway, Loyola Corners was once a train stop.

L

oyola Corners is like a compact town preserved in time: It has its own shopping district, a post office, three parks and a cluster of medical offices. And a “Welcome to Loyola Corners” sign in front of the Shell gas station on Fremont and Dolores avenues greets cars as they pull into the neighborhood from Foothill Expressway. The residential streets that wind through the neighborhood resemble wide country roads with no sidewalks and lots of low-hanging trees.

LOCATION A triangle roughly bounded by Fremont Avenue, Miramonte Avenue and Clinton Road.

NEARBY SHOPPING Loyola Corners, Rancho Shopping Center.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE $5.58 million.*

WHAT WAS HERE BEFORE A train stop for the Southern Pacific Railway.

PIECE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LORE When the city incorporated in 1952, attention shifted north to building up the city’s downtown business district. Once out of the spotlight, Loyola Corners remained relatively unchanged in the following decades, and the residential neighborhood that grew around the former station retained that rural feel from the city’s earlier era.

WHERE IT GOT ITS NAME Loyola Corners was named after St Ignatius Loyola, founder of the order of Jesuit priests who originally planned to build a university in the area.

BEST-KEPT NEIGHBORHOOD SECRET With an eclectic mix of residents from around the globe, the neighborhood celebrates a variety of international holidays together, including the Canadian holiday Boxing Day.

It’s been nearly seven decades since the last commuter train stopped at Loyola Corners, but the location of the former depot, which is now home to the neighborhood’s landmark Tom’s Depot grill, has remained a gathering place for generations of residents. Residents say the old-fashioned corner grill — which features a lunch counter where customers can still get bottomless cups of coffee and murals of trains that pay tribute to the neighborhood’s roots — is more than just a place to eat breakfast and lunch. “It’s an important establishment in Loyola: It is a bit of Americana, a mixture of California history where different cultural foods and people come together,” longtime patron Barry Harvey said.

46 | Mountain View Voice | MV-Voice.com

Photo by Magali Gauthier

FORMER DEPOT STILL A NEIGHBORHOOD STOP

HOT-BUTTON ISSUE In the past, residents have clashed with the City Council and developers over plans to revitalize the area’s commercial businesses and provide more affordable housing.

PARKS McKenzie Park, Heritage Oaks Park.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS (NEARBY) Canterbury Christian School, Los Altos Christian School, Pinewood School, Saint Francis High School.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Los Altos School District — Loyola Elementary School, Blach Intermediate School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Mountain View High School.

Source: *Redfin.com, October 2020. Responses compiled from past interviews with former and current residents.

— Compiled by Linda Taaffe

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