The location of The Crossings accounts for a great deal of the appeal the neighborhood holds for its residents: It’s just a quick walk away from the Milk Pail market and the Safeway at the Village at San Antonio shopping center.
For Abhita Chugh, who has lived at The Crossings for a little over five years with her family, having the chance to only walk a short distance to get groceries has been a definite plus.
The neighborhood’s advantageous location doesn’t end with the stores. The Crossings are bordered by the San Antonio Caltrain Station, which residents use for everything from commuting to work to going to Giants games.
Nancy Morimoto, a resident since 1998, said that having a train station nearby makes trips to San Francisco and San Jose much more convenient for her and her family.
“We don’t have to pay for a town car,” Morimoto said.
Such easily accessible locales are added perks to the warm, tightly knit neighborhood that Morimoto said has grown significantly since she bought her house.
“I don’t feel closed in at all,” she said. “I like the close neighborhood feel.”
The neighborhood hosts various events throughout the year, especially around holidays. Morimoto said that the neighborhood hosts a Fourth of July celebration and that Halloween at The Crossings is always a sight to see.
“Halloween is amazing,” she said. “Whole troops of kids come around.”
Chugh also said that Halloween at The Crossings is a spectacle, with even kids from other neighborhoods joining in the fun. She said that for at least the past couple of years the neighborhood has also held a popular Easter egg hunt.
When there’s not a holiday, it’s common to see many of the elementary school-aged kids who live in The Crossings playing in the nearby park area or heading over to the popular pool complex within the neighborhood.
While The Crossings definitely poses a family-friendly environment, the neighborhood contains a diverse group of residents and is not limited to families with young children, according to Morimoto and Chugh.
“They’re a lot of people who have high school-age kids,” Chugh said. “It’s a good mix, I would say.”
Morimoto said there are also a fair number of retired residents and that the neighborhood is not strictly for families with children.
Despite its convenient setting and inviting atmosphere, The Crossings isn’t perfect, according to Morimoto and Chugh. Morimoto said that parking can be a hassle because residents technically aren’t allowed to park on the street.
For Chugh, the small size of the lots leaves more to be desired. Her house might not be big enough for her family in five years.
“It’s not a standard 6,000-square-foot lot that’s typical in other areas,” Chugh said of her home.
FACTS
CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOLS (nearby): Oak Tree Nursery School, 2100 University Ave.
FIRE STATION: No. 3, 301 N. Rengstorff Ave.
LOCATION: between San Antonio Road, Showers Drive and California Street
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Separate associations for condominiums, townhouses, row houses and single-family homes; all run by Nagi Chami, CEO of Tri-State Enterprises; 650-210-0085
PARKS: Concord Circle and Sondgroth Way, Beacon Street and Laurel Way; nearby: Klein Park, Monta Loma Park
POST OFFICE: Mountain View, 211 Hope St.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS (nearby): Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, 450 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto
PUBLIC SCHOOLS: =I Los Altos School District — Covington Elementary School, Egan Junior High School; I Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District — Los Altos High School
SHOPPING: San Antonio Shopping Center, Village at San Antonio, strip shopping on California Street
