Many of the residents interviewed fretted the cost of living in Palo Alto was too prohibitive, driving all but the most wealthy out of town. There were also concerns about so-called "monster homes," increased traffic and the loss of diversity. For our 25th anniversary issue, we decided to revisit two of the neighborhoods profiled earlier -- the 3000 block of Greer Road and the 800 block of Hamilton Avenue -- and add two new ones as well: the 900 block of Ramona Street and the 3900-4000 block of El Cerrito Road. Our reporters discovered residents were more than willing to discuss their hopes and fears for Palo Alto. We were pleasantly surprised to find old-fashioned notions of neighborliness haven't disappeared in this high-tech world, yet noted that many of the warnings residents sounded 15 years ago have come to pass. This week's cover story examines Palo Alto's evolution over the past several years from affordable, if somewhat pricey, bedroom community to one of the most highly sought destinations in Silicon Valley. The resulting benefits, and problems, are described through the eyes, and lives, of those who know the story best -- the residents. We hope you find their observations informative and thought provoking.
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