The Monte Vista Villas
Last night, I was making my way back home along 580 East and I saw a structure that I’ve had my eyes on to shoot for years. I don’t know why I never stopped (insert excuses here), but last night was going to be the night. So I got off the next exit, and made a left to get back onto the freeway in the opposite direction. But when I made that left, what laid before me was another site that I had my eyes on: The Monte Vista Villas. I’ve always seen these from the freeway and really admired the way light reflects off the staggered windows of the villas set within the Oakland foothills. Especially at sunset and during the golden hour. Except on this day, the sun already set. But the lights coming from within these super cute townhomes (honestly, a lot of people had their blinds WIDE open) against the dark sky, and the way the lamp posts lit up the streets outside, I had no choice but to explore this community. Ok, pit stop. Or so I thought. What I planned to be a few minutes turned into over an hour.
There’s not much info that I could find on the villas themselves. It is a modern townhome community of roughly 400 residences. Like I mentioned, it is set within the Oakland foothills, and breathtaking views of the East Bay are included. Now believe me, I HATE most contemporary residential designs because they’re incredibly bland with no character to them whatsoever. But somehow, it just fits here. There’s a quaintness that makes this neighborhood feel cozy. Maybe it was just the vibe of the night. There were couples out for walks hand-in-hand, dog owners walking their pets, it was just so calm and peaceful. With large, green common areas and the wild nature in the open hills to the backside of the villas, it was easy to forget about the hustle and bustle of the bay just a few hundred feet below (or maybe not even that far down - my sense of distance is pretty bad). I did notice a few units up for sale so I got curious and took a look for myself. Let’s just say I’ll continue to admire these as I pass by along the freeway.
