City, Contra Costa County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94530
West
County bedroom community that
rises about 860 feet from flats to hills. Great views of San Francisco Bay from hill homes.
Close to Berkeley, another plus: university town full of arts and fun. Borders
Albany, which has a horse-racing
track (Golden Gate Fields) and a popular restaurant row (Solano Avenue). www.mccormacks.com
Built
out. Expected to add no more than 1,000 residents in the next 20 years. A good
address in a quiet way.
Well maintained homes, the majority of them built between the late 1940s and 1960. Old suburbia, extensively remodeled and rewired.
Popular with University of California
professionals, especially hill homes.
Population went from 6,137 in 1940, to 18,011 in 1950, to 25,500 in 1960. Many three-bedroom homes, the style of that era.
By the 1970s, El Cerrito was running out of buildable lots and many of the kids were hitting college age and moving on. In that decade, the population dropped to 22,731 and since then has hovered about 23,000. In its annual guess, the state in 2009 put the number at 23,440.
Well maintained but pricey housing: 10,705 total units — 7,350 single homes, 358 single-family attached, 2,965 multiples, 32 mobile homes (2009 state
tally).
In the last 10 years, El Cerrito has added hundreds of apartments, many of them built along San Pablo Avenue in the “smart growth” way. Stores and offices on first floor, apartments above. Convenient shopping to encourage walking, discourage driving.
Two
BART (commute rail) stations. Bay Bridge toll plaza is seven miles away via
Interstate 80 — a slow seven at peak hours — but El Cerritans are
watching the evening news while others are still slogging home.
Click for regional or detailed map
School
scores middling but deceptive. El Cerrito draws many students from low-scoring
flatlands but also sends many to top-notch colleges. Served by West Contra
Costa Unified School District, which over the past few years has passed bonds
totaling $890 million — exceptionally high — to renovate and build
schools. In 2008, the district passed a special tax to retain programs that were threatened by state budget cuts.
Also in El Cerrito, two Catholic schools, one Jewish and a few others. See Schools.
Over last few years, because of declining and shifting enrollments and concerns about earthquake safety, El Cerrito schools have seen major changes.
El Cerrito High School, to the delight of the community, was rebuilt from top to bottom. Adams Middle School was closed, angering some parents. Portola Middle School is to be rebuilt but as of 2010 the district has yet to decide where the students will be housed while work is done. One proposal: empty, old portables at El Cerrito High School.
Elementary Schools educating El Cerrito students include Fairmont, Mira Vista, Madera and possibly Harding. Check with school district for precise attendance boundaries.
El
Cerrito has spent much time and money fixing up San Pablo Avenue, the city’s
main thoroughfare. Two discount department stores were opened. El Cerrito
Plaza, a shopping center, was renovated and added a giant supermarket, Ross
store, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pier
One, Barnes and Noble bookstore, Petco, and several restaurants. www.mccormacks.com
In
2006, El Cerrito reopened a two-screen movie house with art deco designs.
Opened before 1950, the place, which has murals and a vaulted ceiling, was
converted into a furniture store and it was only upon the closing of the store
in 2001 that some residents came up with the idea of restoring the place. The
pushed and organized and won the support of other residents and the politicians
— and so, Cerrito Theater is back.
El Cerrito does a good job in parks (11)
and rec and has an excellent community theater that works to get kids involved
in staging shows. Mira Vista Golf and Country Club rolls over the hills.
Community pool. Community center. Garden club. Regional parks nearby. City
sponsors tiny-tot programs. Exercise classes. Seniors center. Library. Annual
city-wide garage sale. Fees are levied on homes and apartments to pay for
landscaping, park maintenance, street sweeping and street lights.
Long trail runs parallel to BART tracks. Popular with hikers and joggers.
El
Cerrito often goes years without a homicide but it had two each in 2007 and 2006 and
three in 2005. In 2006, a prominent attorney and his wife, both active in civic
affairs, were murdered at home. Wife's brother, who had history of mental illness, was later convicted.
Zero homicides in 2008.
Chamber
of commerce (510) 233-7040.
• Just
over the El Cerrito border is the Pacific East Mall, one of the best places in
the Bay Area for Asian food and fresh fish.
• In 1987,
concerned about earthquake safety, El Cerrito demolished its city hall and put
the staff and politicians in trailers. In 2006, the town finally mustered the money, $10 million, to build a
city hall. Opened in 2008.
• Map of El Cerrito will show large parcels in hills that seemingly would be ideal for housing but have very little. Some hillsides are unstable; land diverted into parks and open space.
• Contra Costa Community College offers some classes in El Cerrito.
City web site: www.el-cerrito.org
West County Unified School District: www.wccusd.k12.ca.us
Chamber of commerce: www.elcerritochamber.org
March 6, 2010
