Find Your Santa Barbara Neighborhood – San Roque

It’s not easy getting up to date info about Santa Barbara neighborhoods on the web.  Most of the blogs start with “Ten thousand years ago, the area that is now San Roque…”.   I’ll skip all that, and tell you about San Roque now.  Relative to downtown, San Roque is located to the east of State St., just before State St. jogs to the left and meets De La Vina St.  If you look at a map, you’ll see that it’s bounded by Foothill, Alamar, State and La Cumbre Streets, but just click the ‘map’ link in this article and you’ll see where it is.

It’s a little bit suburban feeling, in the best sense of the word.  Not a bunch of similar houses stacked in straight rows, but winding, peaceful-feeling, tree-lined streets, with a variety of home styles built mostly in the 40’s and 50’s, with a smattering of new homes.  It’s got a relaxed, laid back feeling, and offers everything from small bungalows to larger 2-story homes. 

At the time of this writing, the home values in San Roque range from the high $500K’s, to about $1.5M.   At the lower end, you’re looking at a 2bd, 1ba bungalow from the 40’s of modest size, likely on a busy street.  The smaller homes or those that are in need of updating range from the $600K’s to about $800K.  A 3bd, 2ba home that is remodeled goes in the neighborhood of $1M or so, depending on amenities and size.

San Roque schools are well regarded, and many families with children want to be there for that reason.  Nearby State Street offers lots of options for shopping and restaurants.  Gelson’s is a popular supermarket, and a little farther north on State St. you’ll find Whole Foods.  For a neighborhood restaurant, try Le Cafe Stella, tucked in behind Gelson’s on a little side street. 

 

 

Renaud’s has the best croissants this side of Paris, and at some point in time, you’ll have to go to Harry’s.  It’s billed as a cafe with comfort food, but what it’s known for are its, um, ‘generous’ drinks.  As in, ‘get a taxi’.  I’m totally not kidding.  Just one drink and you MUST NOT DRIVE! 

 

It’s a huge place, with rooms that lead to rooms that lead to rooms, but most times, you will not get a table unless you have a reservation.  Let’s just say this place is popular…

Receive customized, up-to-date real estate listings in the San Roque neighborhood (or any other neighborhood in Santa Barbara) by clicking here.

 

Find Your Santa Barbara Neighborhood – The Riviera

Santa Barbara’s Riviera neighborhood is one of several hills visible from the beaches downtown.

How cool is it to live in not just the town that calls itself  “The American Riviera”  but then also the neighborhood of the same name?  Life is good here.  It’s thought that this two-mile wide hill resembles the slopes of the Mediterranean coasts of France and Italy – hence, the romantic name.  With it’s winding, steep roads, it can be difficult to get around, but the views of the city, ocean and Channel Islands are breathtaking.

The lovely Riviera Santa Barbarans admire today, as seen from the city below, dates from 1913. That year a group of investors calling themselves the Riviera Company, spurred by the imminence of a college campus, incorporated for $300,000 and bought the old Hawley Heights tract and additional acreage. Their chairman and majority stockholder, pink-bearded George A. Batchelder of Atherton, became known in years to come as “the father of the Riviera.”

So there’s some history.  The Riviera neighborhood divides itself into “upper” and “lower”, with the road called Alameda Padre Serra (“APS” for short), dividing the two.  Homes are often designed to maximize the views, resulting in sprawling lateral styles that hang over the hillsides.

Homes are designed to maximize the dramatic views

Parking is at a premium in this neighborhood and some driveways are so steep that cars occasionally bottom out, so you have to think about these things before you decide to live there. The Riviera encompasses homes both grand and modest, and now that prices have fallen, it’s possible to pick up a view home in this neighborhood for under $1M – it’ll need updating, but it’s more affordable than it used to be. Two of the my favorite spots in the Riviera are the Metropolitan Riviera Theater (on APS) and the Santa Barbara Bowl (Lower Riviera).  The theater looks nothing like a theater from the outside.  In fact, the complex of buildings it’s housed in used to be the campus for the early incarnation of UCSB, before it grew too large and moved to Goleta.  There are no signs directing you to the theater, you just kind of have to know where it is once you park, or just follow the people, which is what I did the first time I went.  They tend to show more of the foreign films and art films, rather than the blockbusters.  It’s my favorite theater.  There’s also a BEST KEPT SECRET about this theater that I’ll tell you if you want to email me.  It’s a really good secret that you might not even know if you live here and you definitely won’t know if you don’t.  It involves free movies.  That’s all I’m going to say for now.  

“The Bowl” has been around since the 30’s, although it’s undergone major upgrades since then, and is now the premier music venue in the area.  The outdoor amphitheater enjoys ocean views (it’s on the Riviera, right?), and attracts big names for 30 or so concerts they put on each year.  This year some of the highlights include:  Joe Cocker, Diana Krall, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ben Harper, and Norah Jones.

 If you’re interested in more information about SB’s Riviera neighborhood, or any other neighborhood, contact Karen Blackburn, your Santa Barbara Realtor.