The latest East Bay buzz is about how people are flocking to see Walnut Creek homes for sale, especially commuters and millennials drawn to downtown housing for its increasingly hip urban-suburban vibe.

New condos built near the Walnut Creek BART station are the latest draw for buyers, especially first-timers who are priced out of San Francisco. The Riv condo project, for example, just added 48 homes to the market, and developers recently broke ground on the THREE luxury condos by Lenox.

That got us thinking about other exciting downtown Walnut Creek developments. Check out these new and soon-to-be favs:

Patrick Dougherty's architectural artwork.

Stickwork
World-renowned sculptor Patrick Dougherty, who weaves willow tree saplings into giant whimsical shapes, has created a temporary public art installation titled "Sure Enough" in Civic Park, thanks to a National Endowment for the Arts grant secured by the city and Bedford Gallery. Dougherty, with the help of local volunteers, used 10 tons of wood to create this maze-like sculpture that he called a “trip through an illusionary forest” in an interview with the East Bay Times. The installation debuted on May 26 and will be on view for two years at 1375 Civic Dr.  Read more here.

 

A food hall, inspired partly by S.F.'s Ferry Building, is coming to W.C.

Food hall breaking ground in 2019
Attention all foodies! The planned Foundry food hall at 1250 Locust St., across from the Century movie theater, will have space for 23 food vendors, an outdoor beer garden, play space for kids, and more. Plans call for a shipping container with a movie screen on the outside, a courtyard for live music, and space for private events. We are looking forward to a 2020 opening.

 

New downtown dishes and drinks
Check out these newer restaurants and bars: Bourbon Highway (1677 N. Main St.) features with country music, ping bong, comfort food like waffles and fried chicken, craft cocktails, and bourbon, of course. Head to Limon Rotisserie (1524 Locust St.) for Peruvian food and highly praised paella. Lokanta (1520 Locust St.) serves California-Mediterranean cuisine. We want to try the Flaming Halloumi Cheese next time we’re there, since it literally comes to the table on fire!

 

Amazon goes analog
Amazon Books debuted a brick-and-mortar shop in Broadway Plaza with books and products curated based on Amazon.com customer ratings, pre-orders, and sales. Paired with a Peet’s coffee. 1259 Broadway Plaza. The irony is too obvious to comment on, right?

 

Pedal power
LimeBikebike-share program expanded its brightly colored fleet to downtown this year. The bikes can be “unlocked” through a mobile app for $1 per half-hour. When you are done, you can leave them anywhere (within reason). We’re all for fewer cars on the roads.

 

So cute we can barely stand it!
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truckwill visit the Broadway Plaza on June 2, bringing Sanrio-themed petit fours, macaroons, pocket pies, and collectible merch. Look for the truck at the plaza near Macy's between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

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Want to know more about why we love the area, or interested in Walnut Creek homes for sale? Contact Abio’s expert agents! 888-400-ABIO (2246) or hello@abioproperties.com. And check out our listings of Walnut Creek homes for sale here.