As the new homes brochure stated quite eloquently back in 1981 when Cambridge Court was envisioned by the builder Broadmoor Homes: "There's a new kind of urban community growing in Irvine. Here the cultural atmosphere of a major university blends with a maintenance-free style of living in tune with today's needs. Shopping, schools, parks, and churches, a whole world of things to do are just steps or a bike ride from your front door."

"This is Cambridge Court, a unique series of townhomes just across the street from the University of California at Irvine. Cambridge Court is elegant urban living at its best. It recalls the vitality of the great university communities: Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown. Cambridge Court is a friendly, exciting place to live, with a real neighborhood feeling." "Cambridge Court is part of the University Town Center: planned to be a special urban experience that combines homes, commercial shops and services, offices and parks to offer the convenience of city living within a master planned community. It's a dynamic place, where the heritage of the past and the challenges of the future flow together in harmony."

This describes the community back in 1981 and it is as fresh and as vital today as it was when it was first built. Indeed, one of the reasons that the community continues to thrive and evolve is due to its eclectic blend of people who participate in the dynamic mix that lends to the communities' vitality and current focus. And although the Cambridge Court community was built in the difficult economic times associated with extremely high interest rates which ultimately saw the exit of the builder Broadmoor and the subsequent establishment and release of the newer phases of Cambridge Court by the builder Fieldstone, the quality of construction of these townhomes and innovative floor plans won many an award and world-wide acclaim. Indeed, the floor plans of these town houses in Cambridge Court are as contemporary and sought after today, as they were when they were first built between 1981 and 1984.

Each of the three floor plans in the community of Cambridge Court is as unique and as modern as anything built today. The models were named after resident houses at Harvard University.

The Quincy is a single story two bedroom, two bath townhome with a two-car attached garage. It has dramatic volume ceilings in the living, dining, and in each of the two bedrooms providing a light and airy feeling throughout. The wood or gas-burning fireplace separates the living from the formal dining room and provides a cozy cottage feeling to the environment. There is a skylight in the dining room and there is a French door that opens out into a private, enclosed atrium area through which one exits and enters to get to the 2-car garage.

Click here for the Quincy Floor Plan

The Mather is a two-story, two master bedroom suites, with two and one-half baths, a formal dining room and a separate family room leading into a 2-car direct access garage. The two luxurious bedroom suites each have their own private bath. Each bath has its own skylight providing wonderful ambient lighting. There is a dramatic entry. The living room has volume ceilings and a wood or gas-burning fireplace. The formal dining room and the large private atrium offer plenty of space for entertaining or just comfortable living.

The Winthrop is a two-story, 2 bedroom + den or three bedrooms with three baths. There is a main floor bedroom or den plus a shower down, and two bedroom suites each with their own private bath up with each bedroom having volume ceilings. Each bath has its own skylight, and there is an additional skylight on the stairway landing leading upstairs. In addition, there is a formal dining room and a separate family room that opens to a private enclosed atrium area for informal dining and entertaining. The living room has a wood or gas-burning fireplace and the family room has a door leading out to a private enclosed patio area and one leading to a direct access 2-car garage.

Click here for the Winthrop Floor Plan

    The community of Cambridge Court is built across from and on the outer area in which the community of Columbia Square is located in the center. These two communities of townhomes and condos share the Association's pool, spa, sand volleyball, and basket ball courts, as well as tot lot, barbeques, and picnic areas, all located in Columbia Square Park. These two communities also share in the University Town Center's additional facilities which include a Junior Olympic size swimming pool, spa, a large turf playfield, and a set of tennis courts located in Cornell Commons directly behind the Campus Plaza.

Click Here for photos of Columbia Square and Cornell Commons Recreational Facilities

These communities also have access to two additional pools and spas, parks, and tennis courts located a few blocks away on Stanford within Princeton and Stanford Parks.

Click Here for additional photos of Princeton and Stanford Parks Recreational Facilities

Because they were built in the early to mid '80s, the area is lush with greenery, mature trees, and flowering bushes that offer a quiet respite to the hustle-bustle of today's active lifestyle. Here you will find singles, roommates, college-age students, young families, and seniors living and enjoying the wonderful urban environment that Cambridge Court has to offer its residents.

Indeed, many people envision Cambridge Court as a haven for one age group only, i.e., college students. However, look beyond the surface and one will discover that there are many seniors living in the neighborhood who enjoy the youthful, eclectic environment that the University Town Center has to offer. On many occasions, you will find young and old carrying (or pushing in shopping carts) groceries from the local Albertson's supermarket. Indeed, they have even recently put up caution signs within a few blocks of Cambridge Court for motorists to slow down for the "senior citizen crossing". And, of course, there are also housing specific to seniors, i.e. the assisted living residences of Regent's Point, across the street from Cambridge Court townhomes, at Harvard and California, and the Brookdale Inn at the Park, located a few blocks away at 10 Marquette, across from the University Center.

Located across California Street, a short distance from Cambridge Court townhomes, there are a variety of shops and services which have evolved over the years to include, of course, a Starbucks Coffee Shop, a necessary beginning to many a people's day, and Jimmy Z Grill, a restaurant offering wonderful ambiance, food, and music for a pleasant dining-out experience, along with the convenience of a supermarket, bank, and a myriad number of local retail establishments within the Campus Plaza shopping center. A wide pedestrian promenade winds through the University Town Center, linking Cambridge Court's townhouses with other adjacent neighborhoods, parks, and the community's town square commercial center originally named the Market Place but renamed the University Center as to not be confused with the Market Place on the Tustin/Irvine border.

One of the reasons for moving to the community of Cambridge Court is its locations within the award-winning Irvine Unified School District's Turtle Rock Elementary School, awarded a California Distinguished school in 2002 and highly sought entry for its high scores and special program for gifted children (GATE), for Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, also well rated in terms of school scores, and University High School, consistently ranked nationally as one of the best high schools in the country, and which boasts a large number of advanced placement classes, students awarded merit scholarships, and large class admission to the top University of California schools as well as the top private colleges and universities. Univerity High School has been named both a California Distinguished School and a National Exemplary School.

In addition to great Irvine public schools, the community of Cambridge Court is located in close proximity to two Montessori preschools, the University Montessori School located on the U.C. Irvine campus and the Village Montessori School located in University Park, several church-related preschools, and additional private preschools, all within a few minutes commute. Finally, there is the UC Irvine Farm School which boasts a history of innovative teaching techniques within a semi-rural environment with its staff of teachers and assistants all drawn from the prestigious U.C. Irvine campus.

Also located across the street on Harvard, bordering Culver Drive and University Drive is William R. Mason Regional Park, well-known for its gathering of friends and family for the festive, annual celebration in the spring of the Persian New Year. Indeed, the regional park is host to many a company and family picnic as well as kite and model plane flying, model boat racing, jogging, biking, strolling or just plain relaxing around the duck pond.

A few blocks toward the U. C. Irvine campus, one can see ones favorite art movie at the Edwards University Town Center in the University Center, or attend a live concert, dance program, or other venue at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. If exercising is your passion, but you prefer the indoors, there is a 24-hour Family Fitness center also located in the University Center to burn off those excess calories you put on eating an In-and-Out Burger close by.

For those who enjoy a longer bike ride, jog, or stroll, one can pick up the trail from Harvard and University Drive along the Santa Ana river bed that will take you all along the Upper Newport Ecological Reserve where you will see an amazing array of migratory birds, as well as an occasional, coyote or raccoon, and flora and fauna native to the area. This trail, if taken its length, will lead you past the UC Irvine crew clubhouse and toward the Newport Dunes where you can dine in a restaurant overlooking the bay or rent a kayak or rowboat for a fun-filled boating excursion. The Friends of the Newport Bay often host tours on the weekends throughout the year, if you would prefer something a bit more educational, and, of course, there are various charity marathons and walks in which you can participate that utilize these trails at different times of the year.

As a resident of the Cambridge Court community, one is also close to major business and commercial centers and major shopping centers, such as the Irvine Business District, South Coast Plaza, and Fashion Island, as well as being in close proximity to freeway access (the 405, the 5, and the 55 Freeways, as well as the 73 and the 133 Toll Roads; John Wayne Airport (Orange County Airport) is within a ten minute drive, and the Upper Newport Ecological Reserve, is a bike ride, jog, stroll, skateboard, or short drive from all the townhome communities within the University Town Center.

In sum, the community of Cambridge Court within the greater University Town Center has much to offer. If Robin can further elaborate on anything contained herein or if you have any questions regarding the neighborhood of Cambridge Court, or any of the other neighborhoods within the University Town Center including Columbia Square, Princeton Townhomes, or Oxford Court, please do not hesitate to e-mail Robin.

Robin has been assisting buyers and sellers within the University Town Center's community of Cambridge Court since 1986, and would delight in assisting in any way possible your move to the community. Eric has been involved in the financial, business and investment side since 1979. Together Robin and Eric have raised two children, Luke and Jed,  in the local school district, and are actively involved in the community.

Please feel free to e-mail Robin with any questions regarding real estate.  Robin and Eric Fenchel would be delighted to assist in any way possible your move to the community of Cambridge Court within the village of the University Town Center or any of the adjacent villages such as Quail Hill, Rancho San Joaquin, Turtle Rock or Turtle Ridge in and around the University of California at Irvine, CA. 

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