When you point out that real estate prices along the Peninsula have become simply outrageous, you are in danger of becoming another Captain Obvious.
But it’s only too true. Captain Obvious does have an occasional point. Million dollar homes in what used to be middle-class neighborhoods litter the local landscape. The situation is beyond bizarre.
Available land in San Mateo County is a precious commodity akin to rare gemstones, especially since two-thirds of all land is dedicated to open space.
So all manner of enterprises, from meatpacking operations and canneries to amusement parks and shipyards have come and gone over the decades. And they are seemingly gone for good.
Bowling alleys, though, have survived, but barely. Currently, there are still four such entertainment options residing in the county.
One of them, Brentwood Bowl in South San Francisco, is scheduled for a makeover. The outfit had been preparing to move to a new location in a former movie theater complex about mile south. But that deal fell through. So it’s staying put.
Brentwood Bowl has existed on its present site on the west side of El Camino Real for almost 65 years.
Its ownership has pledged to try to raise some serious money to upgrade the place, according to material presented by a vibrant community website, www.everythingsouthcity.com. We wish them luck.
Fun in the 94010
Ah, the joys of living within the affluent embrace of the 94010 ZIP code. That U.S. Postal Service designation includes both Burlingame and Hillsborough. The latter is very exclusive, the former not so much.
But, for sure, the ZIP is telling. For one thing, you can be pretty certain that prices for a variety of services, from gardening to home improvements, are going to reflect the common ZIP.
Still, when it comes to true real estate cachet, it’s tough to top Hillsborough. As proof, we give you a recent blurb for a house for sale right on the border of the two towns in question.
The address is on Occidental Avenue in Burlingame (one block west of El Camino Real), but the ad touts “Hillsborough schools.”
In other words, the manse may be technically located (primarily) in Burlingame but, hey, your kids will be able to attend a public school in hyper-special Hillsborough. Burlingame good, Hillsborough better — at least that’s the strong implication.
The sale price was listed at just under $2.5 million last weekend.
Who knows what the actual selling price will be. The market is not just crazy out there, it’s positively out of control.
People, many of them families fleeing city life elsewhere, are desperate to live on the suburban Peninsula, right there in the sunny nexus of Silicon Valley and the booming biotech revolution.
Non-palm Palm Sunday
Alice Bisson-Barnes, of San Bruno, is a keen observer of her community, in all matters great and small.
Palm Sunday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in that town turned out to be an occasion in the latter category, but interesting nonetheless.
That’s because a mature palm tree, which had graced the church property for at least 40 years, had to be removed just days before Sunday.
Palm fronds for the congregants were available on that Christian holy day, despite the loss.
“It was a non-palm Palm Sunday,” noted the wry Bisson-Barnes.
By the way, the tree will be replaced by two smaller palms in the future.
John Horgan’s column appears Thursday. You can contact him by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.or by regular mail at P.O. Box 117083, Burlingame, CA 94011.
