Berkeley’s Cragmont Neighborhood
Posted on | February 3, 2010 | No Comments
Well before today’s green movement, Berkeley’s first developers were pioneers in shaping an urban landscape where the architecture existed in harmony with nature. It was at the beginning of the last century that Joseph John Mason and Duncan McDuffie plotted out the Cragmont neighborhood, not on a grid pattern, but on streets that followed the contours of the land and took advantage of the area’s glorious views.
The Cragmont neighborhood of the Berkeley Hills is a place where every street is unique and scenic. Lush landscaping and mature street trees follow the winding curves of the roads. Beautiful vistas emerge at every turn and the homes are rich in period revival architecture—reminiscent of Italian villas, Spanish farmhouses, and Tudor manors. All this sits in the midst of a haven of parks and recreational areas, yet it is still convenient to all the urban amenities Berkeley has to offer.
When you live in Cragmont, all you have to do is head out your front door to a walker’s paradise, as you are in center of Berkeley’s historic pathway system. Winding walkways and stairs will take you to Cragmont Park or the dramatic outcropping of Indian Rock Park—both provide a perfect sunset experience. At the top of the hill, Tilden Regional Park consists of 2,065 acres of open meadows and forests with spectacular views of the Bay Area. Within its boundaries are miles of splendid hiking and biking trails, a botanic garden, picnic areas, 18-hole golf course, and a lake for swimming. Families especially enjoy the historic carousel, petting zoo, steam train and pony rides, and environmental education center.
Solano Avenue and Shattuck Avenue’s Gourmet Ghetto with a panoply of wonderful shops and restaurants are just down the hill. Locals do much of their food shopping on Hopkins Street at the popular Monterey Market, Magnani Poultry and all the other European style shops. The prestigious University of California is but a few blocks south, as is the heart of Downtown.
Tired of driving? The #65 AC Transit bus, which runs on Euclid Avenue, provides easy access to the University, the Downtown and the BART station. Convenient freeway access to San Francisco, Oakland, and the Silicon Valley is just down the hill, or head up-and-over the hills to Orinda, Walnut Creek and beyond.
It is easy to see why the Berkeley Hills is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the Bay Area!
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