I know I have been paying a lot of attention to San Francisco neighborhoods recently. But what about San Jose? Doesn't San Jose have cool neighborhoods too? You bet! Let's talk Willow Glen.
Willow Glen is located just south of downtown San Jose. Much of the neighborhood is developed with low-density residential uses. Higher-density residential uses are concentrated toward the periphery of the district and along arterial and collector streets (such as Willow Street, Meridian Avenue, and Fruitdale Avenue). The area includes its own quaint "downtown" shopping district, which tends to enhance the appeal of the neighborhood.
Many of the single-family residences are situated on lots that contain 5,000 to 8,000 square feet of land area. Much of the single-family portion of the district has been developed with bungalows, Spanish-style homes, and other residences constructed between 1920 and 1930. Prevailing prices tend to be toward the higher end of the range for the west San Jose market area. Most of the apartment developments in the area consist of garden-style projects developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Most are two- to three-story, garden-style, walk-up projects with exterior entries and carport parking. Prevailing rent levels tend toward the median or slightly above the median for the west San Jose market.
Neighborhood support facilities and public transportation are located along arterial streets such as Meridian Avenue and Southwest Expressway and in downtown Willow Glen. The neighborhood shopping district encompasses an eight-block long stretch focused on Lincoln Avenue between Coe Avenue and Minnesota Avenue.
