December 31, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Sharon Heights

by Erin Pursell

A s it grows and changes over the years, prime location and accessibility have been and continue to be main draws to the Sharon Heights neighborhood in Menlo Park.

"Easy access is a plus," said Arlene Groscup, a Sharon Heights resident since 1961, adding how family-friendly the area is.

The 574-acre estate, bordered by Sand Hill Road, Santa Cruz Avenue, Alameda de las Pulgas and Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, is within striking distance of Highway 280, downtown Menlo Park, Stanford University, Stanford Shopping Center, and Stanford Hospital.

"It's just one of the prettiest little communities," said Maya Sewald, president of the neighborhood homeowners' association. "It's definitely our own little pocket."

Originally developed in the 1960s by Duncan McDonald and Mark Radin, Sharon Heights now spreads over long rolling hills, with a wide variety of housing options along the tree-lined, intricately landscaped lawns and median-stripped streets. A mix of apartment buildings and condos balance with one- and two-story homes, which continue to change in style and structure as more and more people begin to remodel.

"There's a nice combo of single-family homes, condos and apartments," Groscup said.

"It was originally one-story homes, but now there are more two-story houses," said 44-year resident Fran Ogell, adding that with the increased number of families in the neighborhood, people seem to be getting very involved with the local schools.

Sharon Heights continues to be family friendly, providing access to nearby childcare and schools, including Trinity School, Las Lomitas School, La Entrada School, and Menlo-Atherton High School.

While easy accessibility has made the neighborhood popular with many residents, it has also created some problems.

"It (Sharon Heights) is a cut-through to 280," said Ogell, who described traffic as an ongoing neighborhood issue.

While there is a homeowners' association, it isn't usually involved in addressing such neighborhood concerns.

"The homeowners' association is more or less social," said Sewald, who has lived in Sharon Heights since 1978.

Still, residents often come together when big problems arise.

"The neighborhood becomes very unified when there are issues," Ogell said, citing the recent neighborhood controversy that arose over a proposed off-leash dog area in Sharon Park, a large neighborhood park with open fields, a duck pond and play-structure that attracts many residents.

The proposal, originally made by an off-leash dog advocacy group, was voted down by city council.

Through the years the neighborhood has managed to stay a place where people want to live.

"I know people move here and stay here," said Betty St. Clair, who has lived in Sharon Heights since 1962. "It's ideally located."
Sharon Heights facts: @facthead:CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: @fact:Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park @facthead:FIRE STATION: @fact:3322 Alameda de las Pulgas @facthead:NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: @fact: @facthead:PARKS: @fact:Sharon Park, Sharon Park Drive; Sharon Hills Park, Valparaiso Avenue at Altschul Avenue @facthead:PRIVATE SCHOOLS: @fact: Phillips Brooks School, 2245 Avy Ave.; Trinity School, 2650 Sand Hill Road @facthead:PUBLIC SCHOOLS: @fact:Las Lomitas School District -- Las Lomitas School, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas, Atherton; La Entrada School, 2200 Sharon Road, Menlo Park Sequoia Union High School District -- Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton @facthead:SHOPPING: @fact:Sharon Heights Shops

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