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Most towns put their civic buildings on a main street. Portola Valley put them in a meadow. The Town Center at 765 Portola Road is a low cluster of wood-sided buildings around a plaza, surrounded by playing fields, oaks and the green wall of Windy Hill. It holds the library, Town Hall, a community hall and a historic schoolhouse. For a town of about 4,500 people with only a small shopping cluster, it serves as the civic heart.
Visitors usually arrive for a different reason. When the lower Windy Hill lot fills, Midpen sends hikers here. Our Portola Valley guide covers the town. This page explains what is at the Town Center, why it was rebuilt from scratch and how to use it for a walk.
What is at the Town Center
The town's own description lists these buildings and grounds:
| Building or space | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Library | A San Mateo County Libraries branch with wifi, a children's reading room and activities |
| Community Hall | Classes for adults and children, a large community room and smaller activity rooms for rent |
| Town Hall | Town government, building and planning services |
| Historic Schoolhouse | Official chambers for council, commission and committee meetings |
| Maintenance Building | Offices for town maintenance staff and sheriff's deputies |
| Corporation yard | Storage for town vehicles and tools |
| Fields and courts | Soccer, softball, tennis and a children's play area |
The plaza between the buildings is the town's main gathering place. The fields and play area sit beside it, so a library stop and a run-around for children fit easily into one visit.
The Portola Valley Library
The library belongs to San Mateo County Libraries, not to Palo Alto's city system. The town's Town Center page lists hours of Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It describes the library as cozy, with wifi, a children's reading room and special activities.
Soon after the complex opened, the library had a computerized "dashboard" that showed the complex's water and energy use in real time, The Almanac reported in 2009. It was part of the public education effort that helped the project earn its green rating.
If you live in Palo Alto, you will need a separate San Mateo County card to borrow here. Our Palo Alto libraries guide covers the city's own branches and our library card guide explains how cards work.
Built on a fault, rebuilt beside it
The Town Center's story is really a story about the San Andreas Fault. The town's history page lays it out in detail.
A school on the fault
In the 1950s a school was built at 765 Portola Road. The San Andreas Fault runs the length of the valley. One of its traces, called the Woodside trace, crosses the site. In 1972 an engineering report for the school district warned that a shearing movement under the buildings could collapse all or large parts of them. Later work confirmed the trace near the spot where the 1906 earthquake broke the ground across Portola Road.
The town buys the site
Portola Valley incorporated in 1964. In 1975 it bought the school site from the district for its town offices, after its town geologist had urged a detailed study first. It adopted a seismic safety element the same year. For nearly three decades the town used the old buildings while studying how to fix or replace them.
The 2004 decision
Geology reports in 2001, 2002 and 2004 found no active secondary faults under the western part of the site, including the Russ Miller soccer field. On February 9, 2004 the Town Council decided the existing buildings were an "unacceptable risk" and should be abandoned. It chose to put a new complex on the western portion. Staff moved into a temporary modular building next to the Historic Schoolhouse that spring. The council hired Siegel & Strain Architects in April 2004 and accepted a conceptual master plan that November after a series of community design workshops.
Our emergency preparedness guide covers earthquake readiness for the whole area.
A LEED Platinum campus
The new Town Center reopened in September 2008. In November 2009 The Almanac reported that the library, Town Hall and community hall had earned a LEED Platinum rating, the highest level from the Green Building Certification Institute. The complex scored 54 points on a 69-point checklist where 52 were needed. Platinum was rare for a municipal building at the time.
The same report gave the project cost at about $20 million, with residents contributing $17 million. Lead architect Larry Strain described redwood siding salvaged from old bridge timbers and already-cut logs. Cedar slats shade the entrances. Leaf imprints were pressed into the concrete of the plaza while it was still wet. Look down as you cross it. Our architecture guide covers notable buildings in Palo Alto.
The Historic Schoolhouse
The one building kept from the old campus is the Historic Schoolhouse, dating from 1909 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It now serves as the council chambers, where the Town Council, commissions and committees meet. The 1997 master plan had called for a full seismic renovation of the schoolhouse. Meetings are public. Agendas are posted on the town's website.
Trails from the Town Center
- To Windy Hill: Midpen points visitors from the Town Center to the lower Windy Hill lot on Portola Road, about 0.4 miles away, via the Portola Trail. From there the Sausal Pond loop runs about 1.6 miles. Our Windy Hill guide covers longer routes.
- Town trails: Portola Valley maintains its own network of paths linking neighborhoods with the preserves. Many are shared with horse riders, so keep to the side and say hello as they pass.
- By bike: The Town Center sits on Portola Road, part of the classic Sand Hill, Portola and Alpine loop. Our biking guide covers it.
Midpen asks visitors not to park along Portola Road near the Windy Hill lot and says that rule is strictly enforced. The Town Center lot is the legal alternative. Leave the spaces nearest the buildings for library and Town Hall visitors on weekdays.
Events
The Town Center is where Portola Valley gathers. The Community Hall hosts classes for adults and children through the year and the library runs its own activities. The town calendar has listed a farmers market at the Town Center. Its day, hours and season have changed over the years, so check the town's calendar before you go. Council and committee meetings in the Historic Schoolhouse are open to the public.
Nearby, Midpen runs guided walks at Windy Hill, including a dog hike on November 17, 2026 and "Exploring the Hawthorns Area" on January 16, 2027. Our hiking guide has more ideas for a day in the foothills.
Getting there from Palo Alto
Take Alpine Road west under Interstate 280, then turn north on Portola Road. Allow about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown Palo Alto. There is no practical transit, so most visitors drive or ride a bike. If you are visiting from out of town, you can compare rental cars for a foothills day. For a longer outing, continue north on Portola Road into Woodside. Our Woodside village guide picks up there.
Good to know
- The Town Hall lobby keeps short morning hours and closes on Fridays. Call or email for permits.
- Library hours are posted on the town site. San Mateo County Libraries cards work here, not Palo Alto cards.
- Use the Portola Trail, not the road shoulder, to walk to Windy Hill.
- Bring a layer if you are heading up Windy Hill. The summit is often windy and cool.
Frequently asked questions
What is at the Portola Valley Town Center?
The town lists a San Mateo County library, a community hall with classrooms and a large community room, Town Hall, a maintenance building with offices for staff and sheriff's deputies and the Historic Schoolhouse, which serves as council chambers. Outside there are soccer and softball fields, tennis courts and a children's play area.
Can I park at the Portola Valley Town Center for Windy Hill?
Yes. Midpen names the Town Center as overflow parking for the lower Windy Hill lot, which fills quickly. It is about 0.4 miles north of the Windy Hill lot. Walk the Portola Trail between them rather than along the road.
What are the Portola Valley Library hours?
The town's Town Center page lists library hours of Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is part of San Mateo County Libraries, so check the county library system for holiday closures.
Why was the Portola Valley Town Center rebuilt?
The old buildings were a 1950s school built across a trace of the San Andreas Fault. Engineering and geology reports from 1972 onward warned of collapse in a big quake. In 2004 the Town Council called the buildings an unacceptable risk and chose to build a new complex on safer ground on the western part of the site.
Is the Portola Valley Town Center a green building?
Yes. The library, Town Hall and community hall earned a LEED Platinum rating, the top level, announced in November 2009. The Almanac reported that the complex scored 54 points where 52 were needed and that its redwood siding came from salvaged timber.