Greendell

Greendell is easy to miss. It sits at the very bottom of Palo Alto, tucked between busy San Antonio Road and the Middlefield corridor. Most drivers pass it on the way to Mountain View. Step inside and the streets go quiet. Low ranch houses and flat-roofed Eichlers line short blocks and cul-de-sacs. Neighbors still close a street for a Labor Day block party.

It has a long tech pedigree too. Residents who moved in during the 1960s and 1970s chose it because they could walk or bike to aerospace and electronics jobs nearby. This guide covers where Greendell is, how it was built, its houses, schools, parks, shops and transit.

Where Greendell is

Palo Alto Online describes Greendell as the area between Ferne Avenue, San Antonio Road and Mackay Drive. In practice that is the southern tip of Palo Alto between Alma Street and Middlefield Road, just before the city line with Mountain View. Dake Avenue is one of its typical residential streets.

Neighbors include:

• Walnut Grove and Greenmeadow to the north and west, two more 1950s tracts with Eichlers.
• San Alma, a small 1970s townhome community off San Antonio Road.
• The Greendell School campus and Cubberley Community Center on Middlefield Road.
• Mountain View across San Antonio Road, with its big shopping centers.

The neighborhood's streets and cul-de-sacs keep through traffic out, which residents count as its biggest plus. Commercial areas are close enough to reach in minutes without hearing them from the backyard.

Fairfield Estates and the Eichlers

Greendell has an earlier name that almost nobody remembers. Warren Storkman, who moved into his ranch house in 1955, told Palo Alto Online that the first homes here were a tract called Fairfield Estates. He said it was an isolated group of houses in what was still pasture. Residents, he said, watched Joseph Eichler's crews march toward them, building houses and pushing the cows out.

The Eichlers followed in the mid-1950s. The City of Palo Alto's 2018 Eichler design guidelines list a Greendell tract of about 48 lots dated 1956. Over time the Greendell name, shared with the elementary school that opened in the neighborhood, took over from Fairfield Estates. Some residents still disagree about which name is right.

The neighborhood grew up alongside the region's defense and electronics industry. A resident who arrived in 1962 told the Weekly he chose Greendell so he could walk or bike to his job at Space Systems/Loral. Another moved in 1972 for a job at Lockheed Martin and wanted to ride his bike to work. More recent arrivals include engineers at Google, a short commute away in Mountain View. Our page on Eichler homes in Palo Alto covers the builder's wider work.

Housing in general terms

Palo Alto Online photographed Greendell homes on Ferne Avenue and described them as almost entirely one-story ranch houses. Expect these types:

• Ranch houses from the Fairfield Estates era, with pitched roofs and attached garages.
• Eichlers from 1956, with low roofs, post-and-beam framing and glass walls facing private yards.
• Remodels that expand the originals, mostly on one floor.
• Newer rebuilds, a smaller share than in many north Palo Alto neighborhoods.

The population skews older, with many longtime owners. Residents told the Weekly that this slow turnover is a strength, because longtime neighbors shape the culture and help new families settle in. Young families have been moving in steadily. Eichler owners face the usual issues of radiant slab heating, flat roofs and single-pane glass, so an inspection by someone who knows the type is worthwhile. For the wider market see our real estate guide.

Schools by attendance area

Greendell lost its own elementary school decades ago. The campus at 4120 Middlefield Road still belongs to the Palo Alto Unified School District and now houses early learning programs, including transitional kindergarten classes, rather than a K to 5 school. Our guide to PAUSD elementary schools explains the current setup.

Palo Alto Online listed these public schools for the neighborhood:

1. Fairmeadow Elementary at 500 East Meadow Drive.
2. JLS Middle School at 480 East Meadow Drive.
3. Gunn High School on Arastradero Road.

One parent told the Weekly that school drop-off takes five to 10 minutes by car and about 10 minutes by bike. Boundaries can change, so confirm any address with the PAUSD school finder.

Parks and recreation

The neighborhood park is Mitchell Park at 600 East Meadow Drive, about a mile north. Its 21.4 acres hold the Magical Bridge Playground, sports fields, courts and a fenced dog run. The Mitchell Park Library sits at its Middlefield Road edge.

Closer to home, the Cubberley Community Center at 4000 Middlefield Road has playing fields, a gym and rooms used for classes and community groups. Shoreline at Mountain View, with its lake and bay trails, is a short drive east across US 101. Parents say kids bike to friends' houses on their own, which tells you how calm the streets are.

Shopping and errands

Greendell has no shops inside it, but it is one of the best placed south Palo Alto neighborhoods for errands. The Charleston Shopping Center at Middlefield and East Charleston, with Piazza's Fine Foods, is a short ride north. Across San Antonio Road, the Village at San Antonio Center and San Antonio Shopping Center in Mountain View add big-box stores, supermarkets, restaurants and a cinema. See our guide to groceries and specialty food.

Fire Station No. 4 at 3600 Middlefield Road covers the area. The Mitchell Park Library is the closest branch.

Getting around

Greendell is unusually close to rail for south Palo Alto. San Antonio Caltrain station at 190 Showers Drive in Mountain View is a short bike ride across San Antonio Road. Local and limited trains stop there.

San Antonio Road leads straight to US 101. Alma Street runs north toward downtown Palo Alto. Residents describe San Antonio Road as heavy with traffic at rush hour, so the interior streets and cul-de-sacs are the quiet zone. Bike commuters ride to Google, Mountain View offices and Stanford Research Park.

Greendell Neighborhood Association

Palo Alto Online listed the Greendell Neighborhood Association as the local group. It speaks up on city issues and helps organize social events, most visibly a Labor Day block party that draws longtime and new neighbors. Leaders change, so use the City of Palo Alto's neighborhood association list for a current contact.

Visitors coming to see family here can stay in the hotels along San Antonio Road and El Camino Real, a few minutes away. Compare hotels near San Antonio Road or browse house rentals for a longer visit.

Frequently asked questions