Neighborhood profile: Castro City

Cynthia Serrano first moved into the Castro City neighborhood from Gilroy in 2002 in order to take care of her grandfather. She moved into one of the properties her parents own on Fair Oaks Street and sees no reason to live somewhere else. Serrano says she is motivated to stay in the neighborhood because her life and work are firmly rooted there.

“It’s a tight community,” Serrano said. “A lot of residents there have been there for years. My parents and cousins have grown up here.”

Staying put seems to be a trend for people in the neighborhood nestled between Rengstorff Avenue and Central Expressway. Many of the residents have been there for years, some even since birth. Sylvia Torres has been living in Castro City for 50 years, along with her brother, who lives with his family a few houses down. Her roots in the neighborhood go all the way back to the 1950s, when her mother moved into the neighborhood and met her father.

Since her childhood, a lot about the neighborhood has changed. For one, the empty lots Torres used to play baseball in are all gone — a loss for the new generation of neighborhood kids like her nephew.

Secondly, the neighborhood has changed from families of predominantly Mexican-American heritage to a diverse new crowd of residents. Families, especially ones with young babies or toddlers, have started moving in as well. Although young families are known for noisiness, according to Torres the loudest thing about their neighborhood is the Caltrain that runs by throughout the day. Serrano believes her neighbors are quiet overall.

“There’s not much communication, and it’s not as loud as other neighborhoods,” Serrano said. “The neighborhood has cleaned up in comparison to a few years ago. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves.”

Castro City lies close to Rengstorff Park and the Mi Pueblo grocery store, but there is some sense of seclusion. The quiet could also be considered a drawback since there is no formal neighborhood association and no traditions to bring people together. In Serrano’s experience, the only informal tradition they have is an annual religious party hosted by a neighbor from across the street.

Still, Serrano and Torres have no plans to move and wish to continue to live in the neighborhood for years to come. They say they are excited for any changes that will come to Castro City and to Mountain View as a whole as the city grows.

“It’s definitely home,” Torres said. “It’s changed over the years and it is a small neighborhood, but I like where I live. I stayed here for my family, friends and because I want to be close to all the things I’ve become used to. Everything is right here.”

FACTS

CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS: Oak Tree Nursery School, 2100 University Ave.

FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave.

LOCATION: bounded by South Rengstorff Avenue, University Avenue, College Street and Leland Avenue

PARKS: Castro Park, Toft Avenue at Latham Street; Rengstorff Park and pool, Rengstorff Avenue at Crisanto Avenue

POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Mountain View Whisman School District — Monta Loma Elementary School, Graham Middle School; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School

SHOPPING: Mi Pueblo Food Center, 40 S. Rengstorff Ave. at Leland Avenue

MEDIAN 2015 HOME PRICE: $1.18M

POPULATION: 516

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