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All along this long stretch of Montano, the storefronts are well-maintained and the pedestrian population well-dressed. Various restaurants, shops, galleries, and boutiques crowd the boulevard, catering in part to the business district to the east. The pleasure derived through exploring this area has much to do with the grand buildings lining the street, examples of Renaissance, Gothic, and Mission style architecture.
Toward the west end of the blocks, the razing of a fine row of old brick office buildings to make way for a squat parking structure has detracted somewhat from the pleasant quality this street has had in the past. In general, though, neighborhood has an aura of quiet, unobtrusive comfort. The landscaping around the various businesses is an obvious attempt to minimize any negative urban impact, through the use of native and naturalized plants characteristic of the Southwest. Further to the west, the area begins to become a mixture of commercial and residential.
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