College Hills, Glendale, CA

College Hills climbs the slope above Glendale Community College, and the campus on Verdugo Road sets the rhythm of the neighborhood. It sits between the flats of central Glendale and the bigger lots of Oakmont up the canyon. The housing is mostly midcentury. Hillside homes from the 1960s and 1970s line the winding streets, many built into the grade so the living rooms look out over the valley. Ranch houses, Tudor-style bungalows and a few new contemporary builds fill in, and condos and townhomes near the college widen the range beyond what the neighboring hills offer. Verdugo Park, about 40 acres just up Canada Boulevard, works as the neighborhood's backyard. It has ballfields, basketball courts, playgrounds and the Verdugo Skate Park, all under the mountains. For something steeper, the Sunshine Preserve trails follow the Verdugo ridgeline, and the Beaudry Loop trailhead is a short drive north. Rocky's Gourmet Pizza anchors the small plaza on Canada Boulevard, a family-owned shop that has been making its dough fresh every day for more than 25 years. Flame Broiler shares the plaza for quick rice bowls, and the Starbucks on North Verdugo Road is the default coffee stop by campus. Getting around College Hills is easier than in the higher neighborhoods. Beeline and Metro buses run along Verdugo Road toward downtown Glendale, and the 2 Freeway sits close by. The downside is the college itself. During the semester Verdugo Road carries more cars, and street parking near campus is in demand. Up the hill, the valley lights spread out past the campus below, and the evenings are noticeably quieter than the mornings.