June 17, 2004

STREET SCENEMt. Leneve Drive

Imagine purchasing a home for about $60,000 in the coveted and outrageously priced Silicon Valley housing market.

The original homeowners on Mt. Leneve Drive did just that—more than 30 years ago.
Today, however, the 20 houses that line Mt. Leneve Drive, built around 1970, are priced between $700,000 and $900,000.

Michelle and Hugh Hall have lived on Mt. Leneve Drive for more than 12 years. Their family moved from the Cambrian area to this part of Almaden Valley because they needed a bigger home and fell in love with the community. “We really liked the house, the neighbors and the whole area,” said Michelle on a recent warm sunny afternoon sitting comfortably in a spacious formal living room.

The Hall home, originally 2,450 square feet, has been expanded to 3,100 square feet in an extensive remodel project. It has five bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a large family room and an arbor in the back. The two-story house is painted gray and white and showcases meticulously kept front and back yards with a gorgeous tall silver maple tree in the front surrounded by smaller white birch trees. Cozy flowerbeds bloom with abundant colorful gardenias, azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, and Japanese maple trees.

The Halls are known for their hospitality. They hosted a large open house in their majestic home last Christmas. About 30 neighbors attended the event, which featured Christmas music, food and drinks.

The Halls have three sons. Two already graduated from Leland High School and one is finishing his freshman year there. The neighborhood’s feeder schools are Graystone Elementary School and Bret Harte Middle School.

The neighbors on Mt. Leneve Drive also have block parties in the summer. The gatherings bring out everyone to the street where they barbecue their favorite summer concoctions, often accompanied by music and games.
Michelle said the street does not have a lot of children, but has a mixed population of teenagers, newlyweds and middle-aged and retired couples.

“It varies. There are teenagers and young adults and there are about three families with young children,” said the 44-year-old Utah native who’s lived in California for 22 years. “There are also couples who’ve been here since these homes were built.”

During the Christmas holiday, Hall says most neighbors beautify the street by putting up lights around their homes.

Mt. Leneve Drive is also a place where neighbors show their love and concern for each other with good deeds and acts of kindness performed secretly and without seeking anything in return. “We just try to live the Golden Rule,” said one neighbor who declined to be identified.

The street has had a few families, in recent years, move in and move out. Many have left to make their homes in Saratoga and Morgan Hill and even Reno.

Neighborhood residents also gather at the spacious Graystone Park, located on Mt. Carmel Drive and Camden Avenue, where children and youth play in its baseball fields, picnic tables, barbeque pits and playgrounds.

The street is also patriotic. Most homes fly the flag during Memorial Day and the Fourth of July holidays. “We have great neighbors. I feel safe here. I feel happy here. I love the area,” said the homemaker who cooks and sews for her family.

Many homes have a basketball hoop near their driveways. Hall said many boys live on the street who enjoy sports and physical fitness. Her boys used to play hockey out on Mt. Leneve Drive when they were younger. One of her sons would go to one end of the street and watch for cars. “They had a ball,” she said.

Mt. Leneve Drive neighbors DeLyna and Matt Tanzi have lived on the street for more than 10 years. “It’s been great living here. It’s a quiet, friendly neighborhood and everyone is conscientious about their homes and their yards. Everyone keeps their homes very nicely,” said DeLyna. “Everyone just sort of takes care of everyone else.”

The Tanzis have also done a lot of remodeling to their home. They’ve added two bedrooms and two bathrooms to their home making it now 2,200 square feet. “We’ve done extensive work to the home,” she said. “Everyone is willing to invest in their homes here. It’s a reflection of how people feel about staying here.”

DeLyna is also a homemaker. She has two sons, ages 3 and 5, who attend Shepherd of the Valley Preschool. She volunteers many hours there to stay involved in her boys’ education.

The Tanzis are originally from Monterey Bay. They moved to San Jose due to their work. “When we were looking for homes, the Almaden Valley had the right feel to us. It was a nice community atmosphere. At that time, you could get a good house for your money. The homes were affordable.”

Many neighbors on Mt. Leneve Drive also patronize the Shadowbrook Cabana Club. The pool and the social opportunities attract families to the facility, which is located just down the street. The club also has a swim team made up of neighborhood children. Almost at the end of the street, toward Almaden Road, lives the Mortensen family. Nick Mortensen, 15, attends Leland High School and loves his neighborhood because it’s safe. “You can leave a bike in the front yard and know it’s not going to get stolen,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about troublemakers.”

—By Sheila Sanchez