Claremont and the Uplands

Why Live in Claremont

- Elegant architecture
- Walk to shopping
- Easy access to Highways 13 and 580
- Close to UC-Berkeley and its cultural and educational offerings
- Easy access to hiking trails of Claremont Canyon

History

The Claremont Hotel was built in 1914. Spread over 22 acres, with its beautiful gardens and stunning views of the Bay, the Hotel is an internationally renowned institution; people come here for retreats and conferences, to spend a night or two while exploring the Bay Area and wine country: they come to get spa treatments, use the sporting and dining facilities, or simply to admire the architecture.

With the construction of such a grand institution, it was inevitable that the area around would be developed with houses with a similar upscale appeal. Duncan McDuffie, a real estate developer, was principally responsible for creating a suburban neighborhood that embellished the elegance of the Claremont Hotel. (McDuffie´s home, on Roble Rd. still stands.) He was also responsible for developing Northbrae in Berkeley and St. Francis Wood in San Francisco.

Housing Stock and Architecture

The houses in this area tend to be large and expensive; the ones in the hills and in the Uplands often have stunning views of the Bay and San Francisco.

Many of the homes were designed by noted architects: the Marshall/Lindblom House in Elmwood (Lindblom was one of the builders of the Claremont Hotel), the Jeffress House (designed by John Hudson Thomas), the Montgomery House on Oak Ridge Road (designed by Walter Ratcliffe) are some of the best examples of the architecture of the area. Also noteworthy are the John Muir School building (now a Berkeley landmark) and the Claremont Gate. Plenty of new architecture, necessitated by the Berkeley-Oakland fires of 1991, is scattered throughout the hills; this is one of the few neighborhoods where one can purchase an elegant new home.

Claremont Canyon

Within walking distance of Claremont Ave. lies the tranquility of the Claremont Canyon. The park, spanning more that 200 acres, abuts the University of California's Clark Kerr campus; information about the Canyon and conservation efforts can be found through the non-profit, citizen-run Claremont Canyon Conservancy.

Shopping

The Claremont neighborhood has 2 shopping areas: the first, right across from the Claremont Hotel, has a Peet's Coffee; Rick and Ann´s (one of my favorite places to go to for excellent food in a relaxed, informal atmosphere), the Bread Garden, (a great place to get freshly-made, still-warm bread and an assortment of pastries, etc.).

The other shopping area is on Claremont Avenue: it has a Semifreddi´s and the very convenient Star Grocery; Turtle Island Bookstore, specializing in rare, out-of-print books and decorative arts, Afikomen, specializing in Jewish books, arts and gifts, Dark Carnival, specializing in science fiction books are all excellent. The Craftsman Home is a good place to find Arts and Crafts period furnishings and furniture.