Alhambra Ave, Martinez

Alhambra Avenue is the main thoroughfare that runs along the western edge of Martinez mostly in a south to north direction. North of the John Moor Parkway (Highway 4) Alhambra is mostly a commercial street with supermarkets, laundries, restaurants, gas stations and the like. After you pass Alhambra High School heading north, you get a smattering of working class houses as you head into Old Martinez. These tend to be rather small and old and some have been converted to apartment buildings. Alhambra ends near the Amtrack station near the courthouses. The neighborhood gets a little dicey around here although there is a heavy police presence.

Alhambra High School is a touch on the mediocre side having few major problems but few outstanding achievements. This northern part of the avenue is a bit run down and has a bit of an urban, worn out feeling to it. I haven’t actually checked but I would assume that rents at the local apartments are reasonable and that it would be a good place to live if you are looking for an inexpensive dwelling located near the Amtrack station.

South of the highway, Alhambra has a much more open suburban feeling. You get a fair number of open hills, and there is a hiking trail just north of the freeway where some people go to jog. The houses in this section are nice middle to upper-middle class homes laid out in little neighborhoods on the edges of the hills. Just as Alhambra comes to an end, you have a pleasant strip mall with a supermarket, drugstore, Starbucks, Burger King, gas stations, weight loss center, and some nice though unspectacular local restaurants. On the other side of Taylor Blvd. Alhambra becomes Pleasant Hill Road as the avenue enters Pleasant Hill.

This southern section of Alhambra is a very nice place to live, just far enough off the beaten path to offer a person a bit of peace and calm, but just close enough to Pleasant Hill to offer all the conveniences of a suburban city life.