The Greenhouse

Most Palo Alto neighborhoods are blocks of single-family houses. The Greenhouse is something different: two condominium complexes at the city's southern tip, set on about 15 acres of lawns, trees and footpaths. The Palo Alto Weekly includes it in its neighborhood guides. With more than 200 homes it holds more households than several of the city's small house tracts.

Its name is a clue to its past. The land was once part of Bell's Nurseries, a plant nursery, before the condos went up in the 1970s. This guide covers where The Greenhouse is, how it was built, what the units are like and the parks, schools, shops and transit nearby.

Where The Greenhouse is

The Greenhouse sits off San Antonio Road at the southernmost end of Palo Alto, close to the Mountain View line. Middlefield Road and the Charleston Shopping Center are a short walk away. Residents told Palo Alto Online that a pedestrian shortcut behind the complex leads to the shopping center, which puts groceries within a few minutes on foot.

The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center on the Taube Koret Campus is also within walking distance. Its gym is popular with residents. Nearby residential neighbors include Greendell, San Alma and Charleston Gardens. US 101 and the bay are a few minutes east.

From plant nursery to condominiums

South Palo Alto filled in fast after World War II, but not every parcel went to house tracts at once. This land stayed in commercial horticulture as part of Bell's Nurseries. In the 1970s the Alpha Land Company bought it and built two complexes. Greenhouse I opened in 1975 and Greenhouse II in 1978, according to Palo Alto Online.

The timing matters. By the mid-1970s Palo Alto had little vacant land left. Attached housing was one of the few ways to add homes. Developers who could not build sprawling tracts began building condos and townhomes on leftover parcels. The nearby San Alma townhomes, finished in 1974, are another example from the same years. By then the orchards and dairies that once covered south Palo Alto had been built over. Nursery land like Bell's was among the last larger parcels to change hands.

The 15-acre site still reflects its green past. Palo Alto Online described grounds dotted with trees and crossed by walking paths and lawns, a layout residents still single out when they compare it with other condo complexes they have lived in.

Residents say not much has changed since. Lee Thé, who moved in with his wife in 1986, told the Weekly that it is one of the few condo complexes with real grounds, where you can look out your window and see trees.

The units

The two complexes are similar in layout. Palo Alto Online reported these figures:

Homeowners association dues cover upkeep of the grounds and building exteriors. Residents told the Weekly that the associations even handle small chores such as gutter cleaning and yearly smoke detector checks. As with any condo, read the association's budget, reserves and rules before buying. Our guides to real estate and renting in Palo Alto explain the wider market, including why condos are one of the few entry points into a city of expensive single-family homes.

Grounds and amenities

The grounds are what set The Greenhouse apart. Each complex has:

• A swimming pool, heated in summer and busiest with families and visiting grandchildren.
• A clubhouse with a large living room, fireplace, restrooms and full kitchen, which residents can rent for a small fee for parties or a bridge night.
• Lawns, trees and walking paths across the 15-acre site, plus a par course for outdoor exercise.

The clubhouses host barbecues twice a year, at the winter holidays and in summer, which draw a few dozen residents. Residents describe a diverse community of many ages and nationalities, including families, working professionals and retirees. It is not gated, but residents told the Weekly they feel safe enough to leave windows open on hot nights. For older residents, our page on resources for older adults lists local services.

Parks and open space

Mitchell Park at 600 East Meadow Drive is the nearest big city park, with the Magical Bridge Playground, sports fields, courts and a dog run. The Mitchell Park Library at 3700 Middlefield Road is the closest branch.

Residents who bike and birdwatch head east to Shoreline at Mountain View, with its lake, levee trails and bay views. The Palo Alto Baylands is a slightly longer ride north along the bay. Cubberley Community Center on Middlefield Road adds playing fields and classes.

Schools by attendance area

Palo Alto Online listed these public schools for The Greenhouse:

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

Boundaries in this part of town can shift, so confirm any unit's assignment with the PAUSD school finder. Our public schools guide explains enrollment and the district's choice programs.

Shopping and getting around

Few Palo Alto neighborhoods are this close to everyday shopping. The Charleston Shopping Center, anchored by Piazza's Fine Foods, is reachable on foot. Across San Antonio Road, the Village at San Antonio Center and San Antonio Shopping Center in Mountain View add supermarkets, restaurants and a cinema. Residents told the Weekly they are about the same distance from Castro Street in Mountain View as from University Avenue in Palo Alto.

The downside is San Antonio Road itself, which one resident called a concrete canyon at rush hour. Residents learn the side routes. The San Antonio Caltrain station in Mountain View is a bike ride away. US 101 is a minute or two up San Antonio Road.

Homeowners associations

The Greenhouse is governed by its homeowners associations rather than a volunteer neighborhood group. Palo Alto Online listed the Palo Alto Greenhouse Homeowners Association along with a professional management company. The associations maintain the grounds, pools and clubhouses and set the rules for renovations and rentals. Ask the current management for contact details, since firms and board members change.

Visiting family at The Greenhouse? Several hotels line San Antonio Road and El Camino Real nearby. Compare hotels near San Antonio Road or read our South Palo Alto guide for more of the area.

Frequently asked questions