College Terrace, Palo Alto

When Greg Tanaka moved in to the College Terrace neighborhood several years ago, he noticed something different about the place -- "the strong sense of community."

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After receiving a gracious gift from the next-door neighbor, Tanaka and his family were invited to a barbecue so they would be able to meet people. Recently elected president of the College Terrace Residents' Association, Tanaka describes the diverse residents as "one big happy family."

It is a neighborhood of both homeowners and renters, sandwiched between California Avenue and Stanford's Escondido Village, just west of El Camino Real. Four mini-parks are evenly placed throughout the neighborhood and make for great places to bring children and pets. Several have play structures and one has a tennis court. Werry Park was recently renovated and neighbors celebrated its reopening with an ice-cream social.

Neighbors often bump into each other at the local branch of the library, or at the family-owned JJ&F Market on College Avenue.

Besides informal meetings, neighbors hold picnics every year, open to all residents. Events include barbecued food, art, live music and games for kids. Neighborhood-wide celebrations on Halloween or other occasions are not uncommon.

Facts: CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: College Terrace Children's Center, 2300 Wellesley Ave.; Bing Nursery School, 850 Escondido Road; Escondido Kids' Club, 890 Escondido Road; Pepper Tree After School Program, 859 Escondido Road FIRE STATION: No. 2, 2675 Hanover St. and No. 6, 711 Serra St. on the Stanford campus LIBRARY: College Terrace, 2300 Wellesley St. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: College Terrace Residents' Association, Greg Tanaka, president, www.ctra.org PARKS: Donaldina Cameron Park, 2100 Wellesley St.; Mayfield Park, 2300 Wellesley St.; Weisshaar Park, 2300 Dartmouth St.; Werry Park, 2100 Dartmouth St. POST OFFICE: Cambridge, 265 Cambridge Ave. PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Escondido Elementary School, Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto High School SHOPPING: California Avenue MEDIAN 2007 HOME PRICE: $1,103,000 ($723,000-$2,650,000) # HOMES SOLD: 16 MEDIAN 2007 CONDO PRICE: $95,750 ($841,500-$950,000) # CONDOS SOLD: 2

The College Terrace Residents' Association makes an effort to be inclusive, welcoming residents, keeping them informed and encouraging civic participation through its Web site and quarterly newsletters.

The very walkability of the neighborhood encourages casual neighborly contacts. Streets feature sidewalks, separated from the streets by planted medians. Trees are important to the streetscape. In fact, the nonprofit organization, Canopy: Trees for Palo Alto, was born in leafy College Terrace.

Residents also value the neighborhood's eclectic homes. Enchanted by their charm, many neighbors are fond of the small cottages that are scattered throughout the neighborhood. To some people's dismay, a number of these dwellings have been and are being replaced with larger houses. Others are circumspect.

Long-time resident Kathy Durham, who is also vice president of the neighborhood association, observed, "You can't fault people for it but it seems the rate of conversion to newer houses is removing some of the things that make us special."

Brent Barker, who has lived in College Terrace for 28 years with his wife, raising two girls, sees future interactions with Stanford University as more of a threat to the neighborhood's character than the rebuilding of houses. Despite planning to live in the neighborhood for only two years, the family grew to love the convenient location and diverse architecture.

It is his hope that College Terrace maintain its character, which he said, has not changed much since he and his family moved in.

Regardless of the demolition of charming houses, Tanaka said, "For the most part you see that College Terrace is maintaining its charm."

-- Benjamin Lincoln