Figure 4: Here is one remaining modest ~1500 square foot or so house from the 1930’s I’d guess.
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Figure 4: Here is one remaining modest ~1500 square feet house from the 1930’s I’d guess. These modest homes used to be all over downtown Los Altos. For example, across from the our new Enchante Hotel at 1 Main Street, there is a small house that is right on Main Street. There used to be some more imposing homes within the downtown triangle as late as the 1960’s. The sidewalk shown here in front of this house is just 5 feet wide, but because the house is set back, the experience feels roomier.
Figure 5: This yellow Victornian style building has some setback.
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Figure 5: This yellow Victornian style building has some setback, but the 1960s buildings (heart flags) further down the street have none. The exterior walls are right up against the sidewalk.
Figure 6: In this section walkability is low because the buildings have zero sidewalk setback.
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Figure 6: Now we are closer to this section of First Street (1960’s?). Walkability is low because the one-story buildings have zero sidewalk setback, as is their property right.
“Old” side of Los Altos First street gets a grade of C.
The “old” side of the street gets a grade of C because two people can walk abreast most of the time. But parallel parked cars and building walls hem a walker in tightly. This is not a pleasant place for a stroll.
Figure 7: OK. Let’s look across the street now at the 3 story condo at 396 Los Altos First Street.
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Figure 7: OK. Let’s look across the street at the 3 story condo on the south part of Los Altos First Street. This is a Saturday about 11am. Residents have private parking in the semi-underground garage. There is lots of available street parking.
