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stnlctures and improvements within these diJtriets areas will playa critical role in shapin!' Pleasanton's character in years to come.lle-tmpOFtanl in ortler 10 preser'/e lhe distineti-.'e eharaeter of eaeh distriet [moved belowLDowftlOWft Plea3ftnt6n's Do..nto..n is.\ t,"astlre that 0.0.11 older but gro..inl', eommunities ha. e long sinee Imt. It Ie fleets the Cit) 's heritage and is a so",ee of plide to its residents. Older commercial and residential buildi"gslend riehne.... 10 the area, and ne.. de.clopment has generall) bem designed to eomplethent tl.e alder :H:l:ueture3 antI rcinfvrec the 31nnll :ici\lc character. The hi:itoric building::l, :Ha:d tU:Ci, tl'1XIl} r"-ltaurants, speeiall"" ing. and "treet furnit,lfe ..long ..ith uni'lue "lUll" all mhanee the pedestrian .le..le and .llIraeti.eness of Do.. nto.. n Plea"anton. l~ntries to the Do.. nlO.. n, consisting of bridge ew"ings and ..dlland.leaped streeU, .de di"tineti. e ..ith the potential fm e.en further ..uengthe"in!',. In addition, Do.. nIG.. n i" the location of public building.l 1'10. iding ser. iee.. and information to residmts. These include the City II all, Public Library, Vcterans Building. .,nd tl.e ,\o..ldOl l.i. Cll"OlC Valle) I li..torieal Soeiel) 1\Iu.leun.. Historic-Arells Resources ~111C Downtown and surrounding residential neighborhoods contains most of Plcasanton's recognized historic resources. Howcver, there arc other stnlctures, including the Alviso Adobe and Century House. which serve as reminders of Pleasanton's heritage of more than a century and a half. Pleasanton has retained some of its early Spanish and l\lcxican roots not only in buildin!,s such as the Alviso Adobe. but in other names. For example. the City named Bernal A venue for its first !\Iexican settler - Aurustin Bernal. while Pleasanton residents still refer to "creeks" as "arroyos" and students at Amador Valley High School as "Dons" - meanin!, "sirs" in Spanish. '111e City has recornized GQver ~80 individual buildings ha. e been recogni,.ed as historically significant. Historic resources arc discussed in more detail in the Cultural Resources section of the Conservation and Open Space Element. In addition to buildings, m!\lany heritage trees also assist in giving Pleasanton a unique character and inlage. "hieh is often missing from other communities. \Valnut trees hark back to Pleasanton's agricultural past while sycamore. valley oak. black locust. elm ash and other trees evoke Pleasanton's small-town heritage. 9awntaWft (tnovcd here] Plcasanton's Dowlltown-i:i retuains a treasure that lnost older but growing cOlnmunities have long since lost. It reflects the city's heritage and is a source of pride to its residents. Older commercial and residential buildings lend richness to the area, and new development has generally been designed to complement the older stmctures and reinforce the small-scale character. '111e historic buildings, street trccs, lnany restaurants, special paving, and strcet furniture, along with unique shops, all enhance the pedestrian scale and attractiveness of Downtown Pleasanton. Entriesyways to the Downtown, consisting of bridge crossings and well-landscaped streets, arc distinctive with the potential Community (;haractn 011607 rl-dlinc 10-6 12/7:l/1JkK,