Silva Ranch

Silva Ranch is pretty much apartment city. Bookended by El Camino Real on the eastern end and Taylor Middle School on the western end, Silva Ranch is pretty much just one boxy apartment building after another. These are pretty typical apartment buildings. Some are of the older variety, shaped likes U’s around a central courtyard. Others are of the 1970’s style apartment campuses with smaller buildings housing 8 or so units separated by winding paths from other similar buildings with covered parking nearby. There are even some newer, more pricey units.

In general getting a one bedroom here costs about $2000, while a 2-bedroom runs about $2500.

Taylor Middle School is a consistently high performing school with test scores well above both the California and national averages. Though apartment living is not really conducive to family living, the schools here do make Silva Ranch a good destination for those looking for affordable living.

Overall this is a pretty good spot for those looking for apartment living in the Peninsula.

Silva Ranch is a lower middle-class community within the outer periphery of downtown Millbrae. In fact, it’s a great location (walking distance) for those on a strict budget and working within the downtown vicinity. However, there are only a few blocks within the neighborhood’s limits, and offers very limited options. For your commercial needs, the northern portion of the area provides a couple department store shopping options.

The neighborhood as a whole is made up of Richmond Drive, and portions of Magnolia Avenue, Broadway and El Camino Real. Silva Ranch’s neighborhood quarters are situated along a small, skinny sliver of land towards the westerly half of the neighborhood. Most of its living accommodations are bland, two-story apartment buildings and small, squarish homes with little attractive landscaping. Richmond Drive is the neighborhood’s main drag, a wide street which accommodates residential parking and sub-standard living areas.

The neighborhood’s prominent commercial hub is built along El Camino Real. Locals head here for every small-town shopping need. Towards the easterly part of the neighborhood, you’ll come across a couple unnamed office parks and large, attached parking lots. Residents tend to do their household shopping on Broadway. The area provides a Walgreens, Trader Joe’s, Kohl’s, Mervyn’s, Office Depot, laundry mat, etc.

For outdoor recreation, Silva Ranch’s Central Park is wedged between Palm Avenue and Lincoln Circle. The park provides picnic tables, a large playground for children and a walkway that surrounds the parkland. Elsewhere, the Milbrae library and a couple local government buildings lie within the neighborhood’s quarters.