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Page 3 of 10
 Downtown Active Homes
Downtown is the heart of historic Santa Barbara. It's the area from Valerio Street down to the beach, and the area "east" and "west" of State Street. It grew up around the old Spanish Presidio (now being wonderfully restored). It's the center of our business, shopping, restaurants, and theater. But it still has a small town feel.
When you walk down State Street, the main commercial avenue, you'll notice that very few buildings are more than two stories and that most of the buildings are a variant of Spanish-Mediterranean architecture. There was an earthquake here in 1925 that ruined many of the old masonry buildings. The town rebuilt in a Spanish Revival architectural theme. Go see the Courthouse: it's recognized as one of the great public buildings in the world. As for earthquakes, state law mandated that all old buildings be retrofitted to meet seismic safety standards. California has strict rules on seismic safety for new buildings.
State Street is a fun place to be. At night it bustles with activity: restaurants, movies, theater, concerts, and night clubs. In the summer months you can hear a babble of French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese on the street.
The beach is the site of the yacht harbor (the Breakwater), Chase Palm Park, hotels, and Stearns Wharf. It's a busy place on weekends. Sundays on Palm Park next to the beach, crafts people and artists line Cabrillo Boulevard selling their works. Restaurants on the Wharf and Breakwater are full. Boats and windsurfers run the Channel. There's surf at Ledbetter beach.
I love Downtown because of the historic old Spanish buildings being restored (Presidio, Casa de la Guerra, many landmark adobes) and some great Spanish Revival buildings built in the 20s and 30s (Courthouse, Arlington Theater, Lobero Theater, El Paseo, the Meridian complex).
Can you live Downtown? Many people do. Once you get away from the commercial corridor there are many small and medium size homes, condos of all sizes, and apartments.
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