Photos

The Adobe Meadow and Meadow Park neighborhoods, nestled just east of Middlefield Road between East Meadow Drive and Charleston Road, and divided by Adobe Creek, have garnered a reputation as Palo Alto's "sleepiest" neighborhoods.

Perusing the streets that branch from Louis Road, the only bridge across the creek, the cyclists, dog walkers and playing children outnumber motorists. On a blustery day, salt from the nearby Baylands can be picked up in the air, and humming traffic noise is muffled by the rustling canopy overhead.

The homes, a mix of Brown and Kauffman developments and Eichlers, are characterized by innovative use of color and landscaping; house exteriors appear in bold apple greens, creams, browns, natural wood, and in one case, purple with periwinkle trim. City trees, planted in yards rather than sidewalks, serve as centerpieces in neat lawns and gardens. Houses are largely one-story, with few exceptions, such as Ortega Court.

The former site of an elementary school, Ortega Court is now an enclave of fashionable larger, more expensive homes. The cul-de-sac bears vestiges of schoolyard days, such as the path that runs between the court and school's former playground, Don Jesus Ramos Park.

Ramos Park, a 4.4-acre spread of grass, picnic tables, and play structures, still serves as a gathering place for families as well as the community, and is the host location of the annual Adobe Meadow neighborhood block party, held Labor Day weekend.

Originally held on a section of Corina Way, the annual party was opened to the entire Adobe Meadow neighborhood in 2005, and moved to the park the following year. The party serves a dual purpose of uniting the community and maintaining the neighborhood association's presence. "We take care of 'legal business' by electing new officers, and (the party) caps the summer," said Gerard Wen, past-president of the Adobe Meadow Neighborhood Association and resident since 1980.

The neighborhood association's beginnings are closely tied to the event. Bob Marinaro, a block coordinator in Adobe Meadow and vice president of the association, credits Arthur Keller, founder and past-president of the neighborhood association, for its success. "He evolved it from our small grouping of a block party and incorporated the rest of the neighborhood into this 300- to 350-strong grouping of homes," Marinaro said.

The neighborhood association gave "sleepy" Adobe Meadow a voice, and united over issues of neighborhood concern.

"In order for something to get started there has to be an instant that gets people together," Wen said. The 2007 remodeling of the park and traffic concerns sparked by developments further down East Meadow Drive have brought residents together.

A similar attitude prevails in Meadow Park, the smaller of the two neighborhoods, edged by Adobe Creek, Bibbits Drive, Charleston Road and Grove Avenue.

"Our NA sort of coalesced over an issue with a single-story overlay (in 1998), which is still in effect," said Mike McMahon, past president of the Meadow Park Residents Association, and resident since 1975.

-- Kristen Barta

FACTS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (NEARBY): Covenant Children's Center, 670 East Meadow Drive; Sunshine Preschool Montessori, 3711 Ross Road
FIRE STATION: No. 4, 3600 Middlefield Road
LIBRARY: Mitchell Park branch, 3700 Middlefield Road (after summer 2012)
LOCATION: bounded by East Meadow Drive, Fabian Way, Montrose Avenue, Middlefield Road
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Meadow Park Residents Association, Cathy Swan, president, 650-494-2892, swan.cathy@gmail.com; Adobe Meadow Neighborhood Association, Ken Allen, president, info@adobemeadow.org
PARKS: Don Jesus Ramos Park, 800 East Meadow Drive; Mitchell Park, 650 East Meadow Drive
POST OFFICE: Main, 2085 East Bayshore Road
PRIVATE SCHOOL: Challenger School, 3880 Middlefield Road
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Fairmeadow Elementary School, J.L. Stanford Middle School, Henry M. Gunn High School
SHOPPING: Charleston Center, Midtown Shopping Center
MEDIAN 2011 HOME PRICE: $1,215,000 ($928,000-$1,700,000)
HOMES SOLD: 10
MEDIAN 2011 CONDO PRICE: $744,944 ($418,215-$937,000)
CONDOS SOLD: 14

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