Exploring Downtown Palo Alto for its quirky urban-suburban living for homebuyers.
“With its multitude of attractive and accessible amenities, Palo Alto’s Downtown neighborhood offers a blend of quirky urban-meets-suburban and a wealth of housing styles.”
Initially created by Leland Stanford Sr. as a ‘dry’ community to serve the faculty, students, and staff of adjacent Stanford University, the 8-block neighborhood of Downtown Palo Alto (MLS #242) had seen its demographic change over the hundred-plus years since its formation.
Once occupied primarily by youthful, temporary residents forbidden to drink alcohol, this borough was devised to provide ‘wholesome’ services to its inhabitants. For many decades, the Downtown borough, with its inexpensive apartments and condominiums, was the preferred locale for grad students, young professionals, and those working at the university. As with all other neighborhoods in this desirable town, those inexpensive housing prices eventually went by the wayside. Today, Downtown attracts young, ambitious families searching for the sweet spot of urban-meets-suburban, and this borough is where they find it.
Architectural styles abound Downtown, offering up home buyers a plethora of choices. As a result of its ‘disjointed’ development, the borough has an inviting eclecticism, with most of its single-family homes reflecting early 20th century styles including Arts and Crafts, Tudor, and quaint bungalows while the multi-family housing available harkens back to post-World War II. As for square footage, homes here tend toward the smaller side, with most under 2,000 square feet and only a single bathroom. Although overall living space is small, the price per square foot, on the other hand, is generally high.
As the district’s demographic changed, so did the borough. In addition to the alcohol ban being lifted in 1971, traffic circles were installed in 2005, making the neighborhood’s lanes safer. In 1968, the city purchased a 2.5-acre residential block, leveled the homes on each corner, and created a sequence of small parks. Over time, the remaining homes were razed and the mini-parks were linked to create Johnson Park, named for Dr. Edith Eugenie Johnson, who had her practice in Palo Alto from 1907 to the 1960s. This neighborhood treasure provides a multitude of outdoor opportunities, including playgrounds, community garden plots, picnic areas, and athletic courts.
Downtown has its idiosyncrasies, parking and noise issues, and smaller living spaces among them, but those who call this borough home love its heritage and accessibility to one of the Peninsula’s most vivacious downtown districts.
