Berkeley and UC Berkeley were founded as a site of intellectual inspiration because of their location overlooking the Bay.

Berkeley, Oakland and Everything In Between

I made my first move to the East Bay about 9 years ago straight from a great neighborhood in San Francisco. My friends thought I was crazy to leave San Francisco. But there was something alluring about the grass and trees and flowers of the East Bay--not to mention a healthier dose of sun. And as Jerry Brown, mayor of Oakland, likes to claim, "You can reach a place in San Francisco faster from the East Bay than you can from the City itself".

Right along Euclid Avenue in North Berkeley, you'll find the Berkeley Rose Garden
with fantastic views of the Bay ... and over 190 varieties of roses.

For some of the same reasons I ventured across the Bay, the first San Francisco immigrants started coming to Berkeley/Oakland in the late 1800's. They'd come on ferries across the Bay - for the weekends. Then after the 1906 earthquake, a lot of them stayed. That population--mixed with retired railroad workers and ship captains thrown together with some idealistic academics--became the genesis of the Berkeley/Oakland population today.

Over 120 different languages are spoken here; nearly 1/5 of the population attends college at any given time. In the 100+ square mile area that comprises Berkeley/Oakland, there's a 3 ½ mile-around lake-Lake Merritt; one of the finest universities in the country -UC Berkeley; over 4,000 acres of forest--part of Tilden and Redwood Regional Parks; a zoo with over 300 animals-the Oakland Zoo; one of the best transportation systems in the country-BART … and the best vistas of San Francisco Bay bar none.

There's every kind of house from the quintessential California bungalow to the Berkeley brown-shingled Craftsman. Styles range from West Oakland's Victorians to the late 20th century architectural experiment known as the Oakland Hills "fire area". In this burgeoning melting pot it's no wonder the East Bay has been home to some of the most creative minds of the century - from Gertrude Stein to Jack London to Alice Waters. And even though people talk about San Francisco being the most ideal city in the world, I can't help but think, "Well, they just haven't made it across the Bay yet".

The "near" East Bay, which is my territory, is anchored by Berkeley and Oakland, but also includes the un-gated "gated" community of Piedmont, the island of Alameda, the village of Albany, the Berkeley adjuncts of Kensington and El Cerrito and the southeastern outpost of San Leandro.

Berkeley. Where anything that happens happens here first.

UC Berkeley is the heart and center of Berkeley. Often you can hear the bells of the Campanile at noon from all neighborhoods around campus.

Back in 1866--or so the story goes--a trustee of the College of California stood on one of the precipices overlooking the Bay from the small village of Ocean View, and recited a few lines of poetry from George Berkeley, "Westward, the course of the empire takes its way."

And so, this site of inspiration once known as Ocean View became Berkeley. Essentially, it's a one-industry town where all roads lead to "UC." Some have called it a collective of "fascist liberals", yet this never-ending social experiment is as charming as it is scenic--a living dichotomy. So it's no wonder that Berkeley is the birthplace of the free speech movement, Alice Water's California Cuisine, Bernard Maybeck's renaissance of American architecture, and, yes, even Oppenheimer's and Lawrence's first radiation lab.

Mediterraneans can be found throughout North and South Berkeley,
and in many neighborhoods in Oakland.

Berkeley essentially has four main neighborhoods: South Berkeley, North Berkeley and the Berkeley Hills, West Berkeley and Claremont/Elmwood.

South Berkeley: Or everything south of campus. There's a vast selection of spruced up small California bungalows and Craftsman homes built between 1910 and 1940. Many people like South Berkeley for it's "real" (i.e. unpretentious) personality. But even in this down-to-earth neighborhood, houses typically sell for close to a half million dollars.

The quintessential Berkeley brown shingle can be found throughout the Berkeley Hills
and the Claremont and Elmwood neighborhoods.

North Berkeley and the Berkeley Hills: On the north side of campus and up into the Berkeley Hills is Bernard Maybeck/Julia Morgan country. Besides the wonders of these architectural pioneers, you'll find quintessential Berkeley brown shingles, 1920's Mediterraneans and bungalows dotting the small tree-lined streets through the hills. Once you reach the top of Grizzly Peak you'll find one of Berkeley's newer neighborhoods with houses from the 50's and 60's.

What happens in the rest of the country happens first in Berkeley, or so the saying goes.

West Berkeley: The former city of "Ocean View"--or everything between San Pablo Avenue and the Bay. This former industrial area of Berkeley is now home to 4th Street shops full of artistic furnishings and yuppie chic. Small bungalows and a smattering of lofts are found throughout this popular "starter" neighborhood.

Claremont/Elmwood: Stately homes line the blocks either side of College Avenue up into the lower hills. These beauties are anchored by the Grande Dame of them all--the Claremont Hotel. The Claremont neighborhood extends up into the "Fire Area" on the Oakland border where a new wave of architecture shows off its multi-million dollar alternatives to track housing.

Oakland. Yes, Gertrude, now there's a there there.

Jack London used to work in the canneries on the waterfront in Oakland and likely hung out near the First and Last Chance Saloon. Now urban loft dwellers are making Jack London Square their home.

Jack London worked there in the canneries. Gertrude Stein couldn't find her house there. And for a long time, others couldn't wait to get out of there.

Well, hang onto your horses. Because now they're coming to Oakland in droves.

And with good reason.

Oakland has always had a long list of plusses--the best weather, the best transportation, the most greenery and the best vistas of the Bay.

And now, after many fits and starts, it's undergoing an honest-to-goodness renaissance at hyper speed--thanks in large part to Jerry Brown, high tech and the flight from San Francisco.

More businesses are moving in, the downtown is being rebuilt as we speak, schools are improving, crime is way down and young professionals are pouring in--fixing up one of the most interesting stocks of housing this side of San Francisco.

Oakland is actually a large city - with over 400,000 in population, a large manmade lake, its own zoo and tons of parks. While Berkeley prides itself on being "diverse," the real diversity is in Oakland--where over 120 languages are spoken.

Oakland's neighborhoods are as diverse as its population. There's everything from West Oakland's Victorians to Rockridge's Craftsman. Housing styles range from Maxwell Park's bungalows to the grand architectural experiments of the "Fire Area". So you'll have a better idea of where to start your search here's a more detailed description of the better-known neighborhoods.

Rockridge: On either side of College Avenue as it runs from Berkeley to Broadway and anchored by the BART station at Market Place, you'll find one of Oakland's most sought after neighborhoods. Full of restored Craftsman houses and California bungalows, it's been a first stop for young professionals and families as they emigrated from San Francisco. With such high demand, of course, come skyrocketing home prices that reflect the area's magnetism.

Temescal: Just below the Rockridge border of 51st Street, you'll find this up and coming neighborhood. It's also full of Craftsman homes and California bungalows, perhaps not quite as polished as those of Rockridge, but well on their way. While it has some of the charm of Rockridge, homes prices are lower. So it's been a great first step for those who want Rockridge but can't pay the price.

North Oakland: Somewhere between the crossroads of humanity and hip, North Oakland is another up and coming neighborhood in Oakland. Wedged between Rockridge and Berkeley, North Oakland is home to a lot of San Francisco ex-patriots who like the area's bungalows and Craftsman houses--and the short stroll to Ashby BART.

What was Ground Zero for the Oakland fire has risen like a Phoenix as a showplace for
million dollar architectural experiments with grand vistas of the Bay.

Oakland Hills "Fire Area": In 1991, the Oakland fire destroyed 2,800 hillside homes from Skyline Boulevard down into Rockridge on either side of Highway 24. Now--like a Phoenix--a new neighborhood of million dollar homes has arisen. An architectural experiment gone wild, you'll find all shapes, grand vistas and mostly one size: big (over 2500 square feet). Fortunately, it's this diversity that saves it from looking like the million dollar tract homes on the other side of the tunnel.

Montclair: Once a weekend getaway for city folk--and reminiscent of Mill Valley in Marin--Montclair is a wooded hillside neighborhood just east of the "Fire Area". Centered around a charming village center, Montclair has houses of all shapes and sizes-- mostly from the 50's, 60's and 70's-that run up and down the canyons that extend from Mountain Boulevard on up to Skyline Boulevard.

Piedmont Avenue: Not Piedmont, but close to it. This urban neighborhood lines both sides of Piedmont Avenue from MacArthur to Broadway. In the condos, apartment houses, Victorians and Craftsman houses that dot this neighborhood you'll find loads of young professionals. Besides being a great place to live, Piedmont Avenue is also a top spot for dining and shopping.

Trestle Glen/Crocker Highlands: This pristine neighborhood of large Grand Lake Traditionals and Tudors from the 30's and 40's lies between Lake Merritt and Piedmont--both geographically and figuratively speaking. Not quite urban and not quite Piedmont, it's a "Father Knows Best" neighborhood of the 21st century.

Lake Merritt is a favorite place to stroll or jog for people living in the
Adams Point/Grand Lake/Crocker Highlands neighborhoods.

Adam's Point: Right along Lake Merritt, you'll find this close-knit neighborhood populated by a host of condos and apartment houses and a smattering of Craftsman and Mediterranean homes. The Adam's Point Historical Society is committed to preserving the houses that remain. Condo buyers will find the greatest variety here, and San Francisco ex-patriots will find the neighborhood that feels most like the city they love.

Jack London Square: This delightfully renovated area is at the foot of Broadway--right on the water where Jack London did indeed hang out. Once home to canneries, light industry and the railroad station, it's now home to Oakland's burgeoning loft population. A new city-within-a-city is forming with restaurants, movie theaters, entertainment and loft-dwellers.

The California Bungalow, the "tract home of the thirties and forties,"
can be found throughout Berkeley/Oakland.

Glenview: Along Park Boulevard and bordering Trestle Glen, Glenview is a neighbor's neighborhood of charming Craftsman and California bungalows. A little above Temescal in price, not as urban as North Oakland and not as pristine as Crocker Highlands, people who live here are devoted to their close-knit neighborhood.

Laurel/Dimond: This recently discovered neighborhood, bordering Glenview, is similar to Glenview in character, but a little lower in price. Yet people buying here find the same appealing neighborhood feel.

One of the last places to find Victorians for a reasonable price is the urban frontier of West Oakland.

Maxwell Park: On the hills above High Street and west of Mills College, you'll find this charming neighborhood of small winding streets full of California bungalows from the 30's and 40's. This neighborhood has taken off in the last couple years because of its "neighborhood" feel and prices of $300,000 and above. Prices in this range make it the closest thing we have in the area to a "first-time buyer's" neighborhood.

West Oakland: Oakland's urban frontier lies on the Bay side of Highway 980. This area is full of largely un-restored Victorians and a smattering of small loft developments. Crime is still a problem, but for urban pioneers this is the place.

Piedmont, known for its schools and large stately Traditionals, is one of the
most coveted neighborhoods in the East Bay.

Piedmont. The un-gated "gated" community. At least, that's the apropos description John Weil gave it in his "City-Smart" book. Piedmont is one of the wealthiest - and prettiest - cities in California, or the country for that matter. Although located in the middle of Oakland, it is its own separate city with separate schools and government. Grand stately homes line the tree-lined streets. School rankings are near the top in the state. It declared its independence from Oakland over services and taxes. And it has maintained its separate noble status since then.

The Oakland Zoo has over 300 birds and animals in the rolling hills of East Oakland and it's become a favorite destination of parents and kids throughout the East Bay.

Kensington. Berkeley without the bureaucracy. In the hills between El Cerrito and Berkeley, you'll find the small village of Kensington. It is almost like an adjunct to Berkeley, but it has its own town center, elementary school and less bureaucratic government. Kensington was largely built up in the 40's and there are many mid-sized bungalows with fabulous views.

El Cerrito. UC's bedroom community. Nestled in the hills just after Kensington and stretching from San Pablo Avenue on the bottom to the Arlington Street on top, El Cerrito does indeed seem like a bedroom community for Berkeley. Like Kensington, El Cerrito was built up in the 40's and 50's. Many ranch houses dot the hillsides with fabulous views of the Bay. A lot of UC professionals live here, because they can have a hillside "view" home for a lot less than they could in Berkeley.

Albany. They come for the schools. This small community neighbors Berkeley, is influenced by Berkeley, but is separate from it. Albany, which is largely in the "flats," is populated by small 2 to 3-bedroom California bungalows. Many parents are willing to pay top dollar for them because of Albany's schools, which are among the best in the state, and far above Berkeley's.

Emeryville. Where anything and everything goes. Home of Ikea, Home Depot, Pixar and Chiron, this urban renegade was incorporated 100 years ago. Originally it was home to heavy industry, then horse racing, then gambling. Now it's part artist community, part waterfront condos, part shopping center and part urban neighborhood. "When you can't build it anywhere else, you can build it in Emeryville," or so the saying goes. Interestingly, over half of its 7,300 population lives on the waterfront in the Watergate condominium complex.

Alameda. A small town in Kansas on an island. Even though this island community of 73,000 is connected to Oakland by two bridges and a tunnel, it's a million miles away. In the words of John Weil in the book, "City Smart," it does feel more like a small town in Kansas from the 50's or 60's. Time warp has its advantages though. Known for its safe neighborhoods and some excellent schools, Alameda also boasts one of the best cross sections of American architecture. As you drive around the island, you'll see Victorians homes of the ship captains from the early 1900's, bungalows and Craftsman from the 20's and 30's, 50's ranches and the newer subdivisions of the 90's on Bay Farm Island. New development is slated for the former naval base on the island. And time will tell if Alameda is able to maintain its Lawrence, Kansas feel.

San Leandro. East Bay's Best Kept Secret. Another step back in time can be found on Oakland's southern border. San Leandro, not unlike Alameda in feel, is bordered by water on one side, but not surrounded by it. Stable neighborhoods of 30's and 40's bungalows, 50's ranches are mixed with newer subdivisions along the city's Marina. San Leandro's charm and neighborhoods have been a newer discovery of the last couple years as first time buyers have gotten priced out of many of Oakland's neighborhoods, and have instead ventured a couple miles south.

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