Temescal

Trendy, thriving, walkable community

When the University of California opened its ivory towers in Berkeley in 1868, the first students lived in Temescal and commuted via horse-drawn trolley to the campus. Berkeley had not yet established enough housing for those attending the university, while Temescal was already a thriving enclave.

Situated at the Berkeley/Oakland border, this neighborhood of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival Victorian homes mixed amongst the 1920s bungalows is a legacy to Oakland’s earliest beginnings. In fact, “This Old House Magazine” voted it one of the “best old-house neighborhoods.”

Temescal is enjoying a vibrant renaissance due, in large part, to the wonderful array of unique stores and restaurants that line an approximately 10-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue, lending it a hip, trendy feel. Temescal enjoys a warm micro-climate, and on any given day scores of people are out and about in this walkable community. Easy freeway access to all the major interchanges, local public transportation, two BART stations, and a good range of affordable housing options make Temescal an attractive neighborhood in which to live.