Ramona Street Architectural District
Why it's listed
Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto holds a compact group of eight commercial buildings put up between 1924 and 1938, just south of University Avenue. Their heights run from one to four stories, and they share stucco walls in muted colors, Spanish tile roofs, arches, balconies, wrought iron and decorative glazed tile. Most are Monterey Colonial or Spanish Colonial Revival, with Craftsman woodwork in several interiors and exteriors. Designer Pedro de Lemos and architects Birge Clark and William H. Weeks created the buildings, some for specific tenants such as a dress shop, a savings and loan and a men's clothing store, and others for the Palo Alto Improvement Company. The Cardinal Hotel, with its classical details, is the one stylistic exception, yet it balances the four-story Medico-Dental building at the corner of Hamilton Avenue. The district was recognized for its unified character, the absence of intrusions and the sensitive handling of later changes, giving the block the feel of a Spanish village.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is an architecturally unified group of 1920s Period Revival buildings with no intrusions and few alterations. Monterey Colonial, Spanish Colonial Revival and some Craftsman elements give the street a cohesive, human-scale character reminiscent of an untutored Spanish village. The buildings were designed by Pedro de Lemos, Birge Clark and William H. Weeks.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86000592, listed March 27, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 518--581 Ramona St. and 255--267 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Clara County |
| Listed | March 27, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000592 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1924-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Designer Pedro de Lemos; architects Birge Clark and William H. Weeks; builders include Wells Goodenough and Damant and Son, Contractors |
| Architectural style | Monterey Colonial and Spanish Colonial Revival, with Craftsman details; the Cardinal Hotel has Classic/Neo-Classical elements |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings are described as in good to excellent condition, occupied, with minimal alterations; one building at 518-522 Ramona was undergoing remodeling and seismic upgrading at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 37.44488, -122.16135 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86000592.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14683727
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.