Fairview Plaza feels like a step back in time – and in many ways, it is. This little neighborhood is so quaint and unique that it seems perfect for a movie set. Located close to downtown and equally close to huge expanses of open space, it enjoys its own park, has an interesting history and is enough off the beaten path that it goes largely undisturbed.
In 1880, Frank McCullough came to Los Gatos and bought 166 acres of prime real estate. From that land, in 1915 he donated a parcel to become a park, now Fairview Plaza Park. At one time it included playground equipment and a bird sanctuary too. Today it’s a little more congested with cars on the street, but it’s still quite pleasant. This little park is the heart of the neighborhood.
Have a look at the video that Clair and I did in 2014 to get a feel for the area, then continue reading for more info on this corner of Los Gatos.
(And if you liked this video, please see http://www.YouTube.com/popehandy for more videos of Los Gatos neighborhoods.)
Fairview Plaza Historic District
Being an older part of town, Fairview Plaza is an official historic district for the town. It gets some special attention for this, but also some restrictions so that the character of the neighborhood is not harmed by bad remodeling or additions. Here’s a map of the various historic districts in Los Gatos per the town:
There are historic homes or houses scattered throughout Los Gatos, but not all of them are in the historic districts. Close to Fairview Plaza is the exquisite Glenridge neighborhood which boasts some of the more gorgeous historic homes (or older homes not so designated at this time), but the area as a whole is not considered historic.
Not every home or apartment in this district is historic or looks like a quaint Victorian. Fifteen of the properties are more than 100 years old (the eldest with a given year is from 1898). Three of the homes or buildings were constructed in the 1960s, including the apartment complex at 67 Fairview Plaza, photographed below. Four others are younger than that, with the newest being erected in 2019.
A prized part of Fairview Plaza is not actually visible from the street. Tucked behind the other homes is the Clara Huntington Perkins house, which was designed by the famed architect, Julia Morgan, in about 1918-1919.
To get to Fairview Plaza, you have two choices. You can make use of a walkway / staircase that rises from Bayview and makes a direct connection to the neighborhood, or you can arrive there via Pennsylvania Avenue, Fairview Avenue, and then Fairview Plaza. The street is really an enormous cul-de-sac, with no “through traffic.” But unlike the cul-de-sacs of suburbia, this one is an entire community unto itself.
Make a visit up there and rest a bit in the community park. You will enjoy pretty architecture but also a glimpse back in time. Enjoy!
Are there any concerns with living in this part of town?
The road was not built for all the cars we have today, so parking can be tight and sometimes the street can feel crammed with automobiles.
Like much of Los Gatos, Fairview Plaza is in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. In that area, homeowner’s insurance costs will be higher and of course the fire risk is increased. Many of the most beautiful and appealing parts of our Gem City are in this zone, unfortunately.
You can pull up this zone anywhere in California at https://egis.fire.ca.gov/FHSZ/
View homes for sale in the Fairview Plaza neighborhood
Below, browse available real estate listings in the Fairview Plaza neighborhood or those which have been sold in the last 24 months:
Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match the specified search criteria.
Related Reading:
See also our other Los Gatos neighborhood posts!
We have profiled many areas, including
- Almond Grove Historic District
- Broadway Area Historic District
- Edelen or University Historic District
- Glenridge and Bachman Park neighborhood
- and many others in all parts of Los Gatos 95030 & 95032
