City, Santa Clara County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Codes: 95008, 95009, 95011
Bedroom community, population
40,860, that in 2005 greatly improved its commute with the opening of a
light-rail line connecting Campbell with most of Silicon Valley and this has
livened its downtown with more restaurants, side-walk cafes, shops and condos. www.mccormacks.com
One of the first farm towns in
Santa Clara County to go suburban, Campbell went at a time (the 1950s) when the
three-bedroom, one-story single-family home was the rage.
Thousands were built in Campbell
and many show their age. But in the following decades Campbell filled in empty
lots with housing that got progressively modern (two-story, four-five
bedrooms).
On its northeast side, Campbell
or the county zoned upscale — large single homes, some custom designed,
many in the ranch style, landscaped yards, a handsome neighborhood.
Campbell is bisected by Highway
17, which borders a long linear park popular with hikers and bikers. On the east
side of Highway 17, the city built clusters of apartment complexes (many young
people).
Finally, around its downtown
Campbell preserved many of its bungalows and pre-World War II housing and built
modern units in the bungalow style (with smaller porches). Also in this
section, the city is placing apartments and condos over stores — “smart
growth” that makes shopping convenient and, it is hoped, discourages driving.
The result: a good mix of
housing, with the 1950s look, especially on the south side (toward Los Gatos),
dominating. About 73 percent of the housing was built between 1940 and 1980,
and 27 percent since — an old-new suburb.
The state in 2010 counted 16,989
residential of which 7,370 were single homes, 2,123 single attached, 7,239
multiples, 257 mobile homes.
In the 1940s, the town built
1,100 residential units; in the 1950s, 3,100 homes and apartments, in the 1960s
4,100 units, in the 1970s about 4,000 and in the 1980s 2,600 units. In the
1990s, as buildable lots became fewer, Campbell erected about 700 units.
Between 2000 and 2009, new units
tallied 669, of which 78 percent were single homes and 19 percent single
attached.
Although
Campbell has some high-tech firms, it is known, accurately, as a residential
community. But this may not mean much.
Sunnyvale,
Santa Clara, Mountain View and North San Jose, some of the high-tech giants of
the region, are within drives of 5 to 20 minutes. The same for San Jose
International Airport.
Highway
17, within a short drive, feeds into other freeways that serve Silicon Valley.
Campbell has a half dozen four to six lane arterials or expressways that move
traffic to the freeways or to other cities.
And
it has the light-rail line, which runs to downtown San Jose, another job
center, and then north to more jobs.
So
the commute … compared to other Bay Area towns, very good. The down side,
Campbell, which is flat, appears to catch a lot of drive-through traffic. In
the downtown, the city has one-wayed several streets, which takes a little
getting used to.
Crime
low. Zero homicides in 2008, one in 2007, zero in 2006, one each in 2005 and
2004, zero between 2003 and 2000, three in 1999. Zero between 1998 and 1993,
one each in 1992 and 1991, zero in 1990 and 1989. See Crime. www.mccormacks.com
Education
by Moreland and Campbell elementary districts and Campbell High School
District, which also serves kids in other towns. Most Campbell kids attend
Westmont High; scores in the 80th percentiles.
Scores
in the elementary schools bounce all over, from the 30th percentile
to the 90th. Check with school districts for school assignments.
All
the districts have passed bonds to renovate their facilities and wire and equip
them for high-tech. In 2004, because of declining enrollment, Hazelwood
Elementary was closed and the buildings leased to a private school. In 2005,
Campbell Elem. District won a grant of $518,000 to improve technology
instruction. See Schools.
When
the high school district in 2004 said that it might have to eliminate the
seventh period, parents and community raised the necessary funds to keep the
period for another year and then passed a parcel tax to make the salvation long-lasting.
In 2006, voters approved a $90 million bond for the high schools to replace
toilets, lights and fixtures, upgrade technology, modernize the libraries and
improve vocational education.
In
2008 and 2009, the high-school district extended its tax to support programs
and the Moreland elementary passed a tax to maintain program quality. Campbell
elementary tried for a program tax in 2003 but it failed.
Campbell
has been polishing itself for decades and adding amenities that make the town
all the more attractive, especially in and near the downtown.
Many
of the historic buildings were saved and refitted for modern retail and a
variety of restaurants and coffee houses, at least pub, pizza takeout, etc. In
2004, the town opened a performing arts center in the auditorium of the old
downtown high school. www.mccormacks.com
With
the downtown becoming more inviting, merchants are trying to make dining and
shopping in the downtown second nature for residents. Their efforts include
live music on Friday nights.
Campbell’s
downtown is located on the northeast side and split by Highway 17. On the west
side of the highway is the old town and its restaurant-shopping row, Center
Drive, which runs about five blocks. In this section can be found the town
library, the performing arts center, city hall, the light-rail station and, at
the linear park, a playground with basketball court.
Move
a few blocks east, to the other side of the freeway, and another shopping
section appears, anchored by the Pruneyard Mall, restaurants, delis, coffee
shops and a variety of stores, including a large Barnes and Noble Books, a
Trader Joe’s and a Whole Foods, places v. popular with Silicon Valley types. Also
a movie complex and a giant electronics store (Frys).
In
looks, the west side of Highway 17 comes across as old (by California
standards; 1920s plus), and the east side, suburban dated, 1950s to fairly new.
For
residents in and near the downtown: very convenient shopping and dining.
How
about residents on the south side? This section sits on the Los Gatos border.
Campbell has great shopping. Los Gatos has superb shopping. Los Gatos.
The
west side of Campbell buddies up to Saratoga, which has a quaint downtown and
several upscale restaurants.
In
sum, a region that does very well with the finer aspects of dining and spending
money.
This
extends somewhat to education. Just west of Campbell (in Saratoga) West Valley
Community College, and just north of Campbell, San Jose City College. Both
offer many classes to improve job and artistic skills, to have fun (sports) and
to advance toward a college degree.
The
catalogue of city recreational offerings runs over 50 pages, everything from
ice skating, to Pilates, to rock climbing to dance, tennis, club sports, etc.
Activities
for children, adults and elderly. High school, a 30-acre site, was converted
into a community center (gyms, Heritage Theater, track, tennis). University
classes. Year-round pool. Seven parks. Dog park with fountains for dogs and
fountains for humans. City museum.
Exercise
classes. Summer day camps. Fly-casting ponds. Scottish Highland games, Prune
Festival, Bunnies and Bonnets Parade, Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Crafts Faire,
Oktoberfest. Summer concerts.
Gaslight
Theater, which used to stage melodramas and vaudeville, was converted into a
lounge-dance club with live music.
Popular
dance club-school, Dance Spectrum.
Want
to learn to cook or be a better one? Campbell has a professional cooking
school. Miscellaneous:
•
The linear trail starts in Los Gatos and with some diversions onto streets or
gravel paths runs well into San Jose and connects to other trails. On any
weekend, hundreds, maybe thousands take to this trail. During the week, some
people use it to bike to work.
•
Streets in apartment clusters are lined with cars, an indication of a parking
shortage in this area. Some streets require parking permits for extended stays.
•
Campbell, in its housing and street designs, captures the chaotic beginning and
maturing of suburban planning. On the south side, some streets will have curbs
and gutters and others none.
On
some streets, the utility lines dangle in full view; on others they slide behind
homes or between trees — hardly noticeable. Of those that hang out, a few
suggest a primitive technology, a la duct tape. In this instance, electrical
tape, big clumps binding the wires.
•
The tract homes may look plain but many have been remodeled and expanded. And
rewired, a must for high-speed Silicon Valley.
•
Campbell was famous for its prunes and apricots. The name “Sunsweet” was first
used in reference to a local plant that processed dried fruit. Orchards all
went in the building boom. Campbell remembers its past in diverse ways, among
them an annual Prune Festival.
Click for regional or detailed map
• In 2006, Campbell was invaded again by skunks, animals
that used to avoid the town. The culprits, the experts believe, are the well
intentioned who leave out food for feral cats and create a skunk trail to
Campbell. Then there are those who like skunks. One woman, turned in by
neighbors, opened her doors to the skunks and fed them inside the house. Another
culprit, fruit and avocados that are not picked up right away when they fall to
the ground. To get rid of skunks or cut their numbers, stop feeding them.
• High-rise building near
Highway 17 and downtown. Tenants include a bank.
City web site:
www.ci.campbell.ca.us
Chamber of Commerce: www.campbellchamber.com
Moreland School District (Elem): www.moreland.k12.ca.us
Campbell Union School District: http://www.campbellusd.k12.ca.us/
Campbell Union High School District: www.cuhsd.org
April 3, 2010
