Triangle, Emeryville, CA

Triangle packs a surprising mix of uses into its small, wedge-shaped grid. Pre-war cottages and slender townhomes line the quieter mid-40s streets, while the edges bustle with big-box retail, coffee shops and grab-and-go dining. Weekends might start with a pick-up soccer game or kids climbing at Temescal Creek Park Playground, roll into errands at East Bay Bridge shopping plaza, and finish with happy hour ramen on San Pablo. Everything is a short walk or bike ride away, and AC Transit buses zip straight to Berkeley, Oakland or the transbay stop for San Francisco. Residents choose Triangle for value and convenience. Condos and small-lot houses price below most of Emeryville, yet still offer quick freeway access and an eight-minute pedal to MacArthur BART. The trade-off is city grit: traffic hum from San Pablo and Adeline, limited street parking on weeknights and a fair share of late-night activity near the card club. Still, with ongoing infill projects and the Greenway extension in the works, the neighborhood feels on an upswing-offering first-time buyers an attainable foothold in the inner East Bay.