Neighborhood in Berkeley · Alameda County
Westbrae
Westbrae’s Gilman Street shops and nursery sit near the Ohlone Greenway, with Cedar Rose Park and the Hopkins Street shopping area farther south.
Hopkins Street housing, Greenway access and local services
About Westbrae
Westbrae’s Gilman Street shops and nursery sit near the Ohlone Greenway, with Cedar Rose Park and the Hopkins Street shopping area farther south. North Berkeley BART provides regional rail access. The Greenway is undergoing a city construction project, so its detour maps matter for walking and cycling connections.
A Hopkins Street rental example
An AndreaRentals listing for the two-bedroom apartment at 1497 Hopkins Street #2B documents a balcony, one included parking space, a storage unit and shared on-site laundry. The owner paid water and garbage; the tenant paid PG&E and cable. One cat was permitted with an additional pet deposit.
The unit was recorded as rented in April 2025 at $2,700 a month. This is a dated example of the space and bills bundled into one Westbrae rental, rather than a current offer or an estimate for all two-bedroom homes here.
Greenway construction and detours
The Ohlone Greenway is a walking and cycling connection through this part of Berkeley, but the city currently lists its safety improvement project as under construction. The published schedule runs from spring 2026 through winter 2027, covering Virginia Gardens to Santa Fe Avenue, including crossings at Cedar, Rose, Hopkins, Peralta and Gilman.
The city’s April 2026 detour packet has separate maps for pedestrians and cyclists. Those maps are useful for station and shopping trips while work moves along the corridor. Wider path sections, improved lighting and the Peralta Avenue gap connection are planned project improvements; they are not all confirmed complete.
Cedar Rose Park and its playground plans
Cedar Rose Park at 1300 Rose Street has lawn, picnic space, restrooms near the tot lot, sports courts and a Greenway connection. Regular park hours are 6 a.m.–10 p.m., unless posted otherwise. The city describes a fenced tot lot and a separate unfenced playground near Rose Street; tennis and pickleball court reservations are available.
The playground renovation is planned in phases, starting with the ages 5–12 area along Rose Street. Funding for construction of the ages 2–5 area is not yet allocated. The project page still shows design status and an undated summer construction target. For current playground access and work dates, the project contact is Echan@berkeleyca.gov.
North Berkeley BART access
North Berkeley BART is at 1750 Sacramento Street, south of the Gilman Street shops. The station serves the Richmond–Berryessa/North San Jose and Richmond–Millbrae/SFIA lines. Its street-level elevator entrance is at Sacramento and Delaware streets.
BART lists daily-fee parking at $3.80 and single- or multi-day reserved parking at $6.60 per day, including the local parking tax. The station page links its parking map, elevator alerts and timetable. Greenway construction affects the connecting corridor, so the project’s detour maps belong alongside the station map when planning the approach.
Plants and garden supplies on Gilman
Westbrae Nursery is at 1272 Gilman Street, with plants, potting supplies and garden tools. Its current operator site lists regular hours of 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. every day. Leashed dogs are welcome.
The nursery closes on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas and New Year’s Day, and may close early in bad weather or on quieter holidays. For a delivery or a larger load of plants and soil, the shop number is 510-526-5517.
Check these on a visit
Try these in person before you commit to an address in Westbrae.
- North Berkeley BART’s street-level elevator is at Sacramento and Delaware streets.
- Cedar Rose Park has a fenced tot lot and a separate unfenced playground near Rose Street.
- Westbrae Nursery’s regular hours are 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; holiday and bad-weather closures vary.
Neighborhoods and districts near Westbrae
The closest neighborhoods and districts in Berkeley, measured center to center.
Under 1 miNorth BerkeleyNorth Berkeley’s Shattuck-and-Vine shops and Thursday farmers’ market form one daily-life center, with Live Oak Park farther north on Shattuck.- 1.8 miSouth BerkeleySouth Berkeley’s Adeline corridor connects Ashby BART with the Lorin commercial district toward the Oakland border.
- 2.4 miElmwoodElmwood’s College Avenue shops and Rialto cinema cluster around Ashby Avenue, south of UC Berkeley.
Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information
Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.
Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.
- Two-bedroom apartment; April 2025 rental record, included parking and storage, laundry and utility responsibilitiesAndreaRentals — 1497 Hopkins Street #2B, past listingSource checked Archived example, not a current vacancy or neighborhood rent estimate. Date Rented and Past Listing labels take precedence over old availability copy.
- Construction status, Virginia Gardens–Santa Fe Avenue limits and spring 2026–winter 2027 schedule
- Separate pedestrian and cyclist detour maps during constructionCity of Berkeley — April 27, 2026 Greenway detour presentationSource checked Maps linked for route information; no claim that every mapped closure is active on the review date.
- 1300 Rose Street; regular park hours, play areas, restrooms, sports and Greenway connectionCity of Berkeley — Cedar Rose ParkSource checked
- Separate playground phases, design status and project contactCity of Berkeley — Cedar Rose Park playground renovationSource checked Page gives an undated summer construction target; no confirmed current closure or reopening date inferred.
- 1750 Sacramento Street; rail lines, elevator location and station parking chargesBART — North Berkeley stationSource checked
- 1272 Gilman Street; daily hours, phone, holiday exceptions and leashed dogsWestbrae Nursery — contact and hoursSource checked