Cambrian Park is a little section of San Jose that is near and dear to my heart. Cambrian is where we bought our first real home and found a place to raise our children and a place I made lifelong friends.
Cambrian is a tight community where everyone looks out for each other, the kids play outside in the summer, parents wave hello as you drive by, there are neighborhood BBQ’s and weekly happy hours.
During the summer, you will often times find a group of moms with their kids playing at the many parks. Our kids and their friends whom they met in the mom’s group are still best friends even after 17 years. Streets are closed during holidays and weekends for neighborhood block parties.
Cambrian Shopping Center and neighborhoods in 1950’s
Recently a group of neighborhood women installed a free pantry in front of the San Jose Clubhouse to help those who need a helping hand. Students from the local high school and middle school have also started to raise donations for the pantry, all which showcases the kind of community spirit that inhabits this neighborhood, which harkens back to a time firmly planted in yesterday when people knew their neighbors.
Cambrian is located in the 95118/95124 area of San Jose bordering Los Gatos and Campbell. In the 1950’s the local newspapers started to refer to this semi-unincorporated area as Cambrian Park because of the Union and Cambrian School Districts. This tucked away neighborhood is a desirable choice for homeowners, specifically first time buyers as the median home price is lower than other neighbors bordering Cambrian and It has great schools.
The area boasts a variety of fun things to do close to home and amazing restaurants. Restaurants range from poke bowls, to Greek to Mexican to BBQ to a few breakfast joints that make it hard to decide where to go for a family meal. Really,something for everyone. Naturally, there are several Starbucks, however, one coffee shop that stands out is Big E Cafe. http://www.mybige.com The Café features espresso drinks & South American sweet & savory empanadas, one of the best in the city. Lunardi’s and Whole Foods provide a variety of foods for a delicious and nutritious homemade dinner or BBQ. For dessert, you can even enjoy a Boba tea.
Cambrian Schools
The local schools are all rated 9 or 10 by Great Schools. Friends often meet in kindergarten and remain friends throughout high school and beyond. The two high schools. Leigh High School and Branham High School are very close in proximity, which probably accounts for the fun, good-natured rivalry between the two. Both have been open since the 1960’s. Due to lack of students in the district, Branham closed its doors for 8 years only to open again in 1999. Valley Christian private school operated in the space during that time.
Lifestyle
If you don’t want to drive very far, you can attend a yoga class, work out at a local gym, get your eyes checked and even have a back adjustment at the neighborhood chiropractor. If outdoor activity is important to your lifestyle, the well-known and beautiful Los Gatos Trail and Quicksilver trails are minutes away.
Tomorrow
Although it has recently been sold to redevelopers, Cambrian Park Plaza has been a mainstay of the area since the 1950s. The famous carousel sign has made many, young and old, smile for generations. The shopping center has always been a mixture of retail shops, a bowling alley, bike shops, craft stores and places to eat but there is a new redevelopment plan for the center. The Urban Village redevelopment of the shopping center puts us firmly into “tomorrow” as it includes mixed housing, two hotels, entertainment, restaurants and a public park. Learn more about what is planned here. Good news, they plan on keeping that vintage carousel sign.
The Real Estate Market
In the past six months, the average home price was between $800,000-1,100,000 million. The average days on the market was only 11. Homes in Cambrian Park go fast due to the schools, lifestyle and proximity to jobs in Silicon Valley.
If you would like to see available homes in the area, please contact me.
Kerry Smith