Northbrae, Berkeley, California facts for kids
Northbrae, Berkeley, California is an affluent neighborhood in Berkeley, California built as part of the northern expansion of North Berkeley. Its border is Solano Avenue to the North, Spruce Street to the East, the Albany city limits to the West, and Hopkins Street, Yolo Avenue, and Eunice Street to the south. It's bordered by the two commercial districts on Solano Avenue and Hopkins Street, as well as hilly terrain made up of volcanic rock, rhyolite, and 136 stairways carved into the landscape. The neighborhood is visibly distinct for its pink sidewalks and many stone pillars topped with concrete globes denoting street names. The central hub of Northbrae is the Fountain at the Circle, a water fountain designed by the head architect of the University of California surrounded by terra cotta roundabout and stairwell. Northbrae made it into the American Planning Association's list of Great Places in America in 2011.
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History
After a 1906 earthquake along the western coast, about 15,000 residents from San Francisco decided to move East. Commuter rail had made it possible to now inhabit the countryside and Duncan McDuffie and Joseph Mason took full advantage of this. Under Mason-McDuffie Co., they purchased 700 acres for a subdivision that would eventually be known as Berkeley. Garden suburbs and the Beaux Arts style were prominent influences for this new area. At one point, the local Chamber of Commerce even proposed that Berkeley be named the state capital. This idea influenced lots of the design, bringing lots of stone and classical elements to the town.
Natural and physical features
The Northbrae neighborhood is known for its hilly terrain. The built environment follows along the natural topography which includes trees and existing outcropping of volcanic rock. The volcanic rock in the area, rhyolite, is primarily composed of quartz and is a significant feature of the area. The streets are arranged predominantly N-S in order to emphasize the views of the San Francisco bay and the hills. Most of the homes are bungalows and are tucked into the hills, connected by stairways that have been carved into the landscape.
Notable places and public amenities
The North Branch Berkeley Library, the Martin Luther King Middle School, and Solano Avenue shopping district are all integral parts of Berkeley. Northbrae is also home to several large parks. The MLK Middle School runs a program called the Edible Schoolyard that attracts many people every year. There are also many paths in the neighborhood originally built as shortcuts to streetcar lines.
Transportation
The neighborhood was originally designed with the intention of each single family home having direct access to the train under the 1916 zoning law. Today, however, the North Berkeley BART station is a half mile away. Four AC Transit bus lines currently run through the neighborhood. There are 2 bicycle boulevards that promote alternative transportation.
Active associations
Images for kids
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The Fountain at the Circle, centerpiece of Northbrae
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Stone pillars that sit at nearly every intersection in the neighborhood.
