Love It and Leave It - Page 2

Old-growth redwood blanketed the Oakland Hills before being harvested for lumber in the 19th century. Only one such tree remains, nicknamed The Grandfather, but there are many second- and third-generation redwoods and a 32-inch-wide stump that is one of the largest anywhere.

The Sacramento Northern Railroad ran through the area in the early 1900s before Highway 13 was built there. When the region was first subdivided in the 1920s, a merchant 'village' arose in the flats that seems modeled after those in the Bavarian Alps. The Montclair Merchants Association business district is currently fundraising for an improvement project to make the 213-storefront district even more pedestrian-friendly.

All that convenience lies just a short trip down the hill from Saroni Drive, a street which in itself is another thing Fodor and Richardson will miss about this house.

"When Saroni closes to cars," they write of Halloween, "the street comes alive with neighbors and families roaming, visiting, laughing freely. We would project movies ('Beetlejuice,' 'Nightmare Before Christmas') on the garage door, with the driveway sloped like a little amphitheater for the kids…"

Aside from the opportunity to be the neighborhood movie theater, the house has a lot to offer. Start with recently refurbished kitchen and bathrooms that "pay homage to the period."

"I think this house is such a great refuge," effused Clark, noting that besides four bedrooms, "It's actually got a few bonus rooms [too]."

Now that the pandemic has subsided, Clark and associate Maya Willner have become excited about hosting open houses, with the next one scheduled from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 6.

For more information about 6576 Saroni Drive, click here.