MAIN STREET RANCHO SANTA FE
Paseo Delicias

It may only cover a couple of blocks, but Rancho Santa Fe residents will tell you that Paseo Delicias is the heart and soul of their village, impeccably reflecting its unique style and literally offering locals and visitors alike a delightful walk. Tree-lined and adorned with flowers, this main street symbolizes a tightly-knit community that has remained true to its original vision of preserving the natural beauty with which it's blessed. "We love our quaint little village," says Bertrand Hug, owner of the award-winning Mille Fleurs restaurant. "In the 22 years we've been on Paseo Delicias, it has changed without changing. We've done a good job of keeping its beauty."

It's not just luck that's enabled Paseo Delicias to maintain its bucolic, small-town charm in an increasingly high-tech and impersonal world. As Keith Behner, planning director of the Rancho Santa Fe Association, explains in his preface to the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society's book, Rancho Santa Fe: A California Village, "That the community has been able to preserve so much of its rural ambience and historic architectural character is a tribute to its unique system of governance and the steadfast commitment of Covenant residents. The Protective Covenant, which so carefully regulates site planning and architecture, continues to give eloquent and effective voice to the community's most valued desires and aspirations."

This Covenant, established more than 80 years ago to set the standards by which the community would live, is the cornerstone of Rancho Santa Fe's success, and it's impossible to talk about Paseo Delicias without acknowledging its influence. In fact, the street is so steeped in history, you can almost imagine you've gone back in time as you stroll through the Spanish-styled village.

Surrounded by rolling hills, natural foliage and horses, it's not difficult to believe that Rancho Santa Fe was at one time a working ranch. During the 1840s, Juan Maria Osuna, a soldier who helped establish the pueblo of San Diego and served as its first mayor, was awarded a Mexican land grant of 8,824 acres, which he dubbed Rancho San Dieguito. Although two of his family's adobes have been rehabilitated and can still be seen today, by 1906 — due to financial problems and poor management — less than 200 acres remained under the Osunas' ownership. This land was sold to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, which planned to cultivate eucalyptus trees to produce railway ties.

When this proved to be unfeasible, the railroad formed the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company to develop the property. Led by W.E. Hodges (for whom Lake Hodges is named), the company brought in the well-respected firm of Richard S. Requa and Herbert L. Jackson, who had made such a valuable contribution to the look of Balboa Park and whose Spanish-influenced style — self-proclaimed "Southern California Architecture" — became San Diego's signature look during the building boom of the 1920s.

The partners put architect Lilian Rice in charge, believing that her familiarity with Spanish Colonial Revival style and her strong sense of heritage would give the project a distinctive and meaningful look. They couldn't have picked a person better suited for the job.

"I found real joy at Rancho Santa Fe," Rice has been quoted as saying. "Every environment there calls for simplicity and beauty — the gorgeous natural landscapes, the gently-broken topography, the nearby mountains. No one with a sense of fitness, it seems to me, could violate these natural factors by creating anything that lacked simplicity in line and form and color."

Working closely with Charles H. Cheney and L.G. Sinnard — who designed the area's winding roads with the goals of slowing down drivers and showcasing the breathtaking scenery — Rice embarked on the project that would become a model for master-planned communities, a term not taken lightly by the trio.

"A great deal of thought was put into every aspect of the planning, with the idea that everything should work together instead of by happenstance," says Behner. "The Village was intended to be the centerpiece of the community, and Paseo Delicias would define its heart."

To this end, Rice designed the first building in Rancho Santa Fe. Called La Morada (meaning "the dwelling"), this guest house offered accommodations to prospective property buyers and set the tone — both architecturally and philosophically — for the rest of the community. Set atop a hill at the western end of Paseo Delicias, La Morada became the focal point of the village, a role it still holds today. In 1940, the hotel's name was changed to The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and it has become synonymous with luxury and tranquility.

"We're proud to have played a role in creating this very special place," says Kerman Beriker, managing director of the Inn, which captures the feeling of Rancho Santa Fe in its maxim, "A Place Where Human Nature Meets Mother Nature." "We try to be a part of the community as much as we can, but credit has to go to the wonderful people who live here for keeping Rancho Santa Fe so dignified, so peaceful, so civilized."

Guests of the Inn have a bird's-eye view of both sides of Paseo Delicias, which Rice envisioned as the town's civic center. She believed this street should contain community essentials like stores, a school and a post office without sacrificing style. Although the school and post office have long since moved, the character of the Village remains thanks to Rice's unwavering attention to detail.

Walk down Paseo Delicias today and you'll experience the same graceful arches and peaceful inner courtyards that Rice designed to link the past and future, and ground the community in its rich Spanish heritage. The architectural harmony epitomizes Rice's feeling that "true beauty lies in the simplicity, not the ornateness."

While this strong foundation has helped the Village of Rancho Santa Fe remain, as Delicias restaurant owner Stephen Poskus describes it, "a little gem," the outside world does sneak in every once in a while to present challenges.

As rents skyrocket, many retailers have had to close their doors, leaving Paseo Delicias laden with real estate agencies and banks rather than the variety of neighborhood stores that used to make up the street and attract customers. (For more on this issue, read The High Cost of Staying Small in our Business & Wealth section).

"It's a free market economy," says Behner. "But we know that to maintain a vibrant village, there needs to be a mix of stores and businesses, and we're working on improving that."

Although no one expects the situation to change overnight, the mood seems optimistic. Gourmet restaurants like Mille Fleurs and Delicias — which just signed a long-term lease — have regional cachet and continue to bring in customers, while village favorites Caffe Positano, Thyme in the Ranch, and the Rancho Santa Fe Sandwich Shop provide breakfast and lunch to regulars.

According to Tim Cusac, who owns both Caffe Positano and the Rancho Santa Fe Sandwich Shop, "Most of our customers live on the Ranch or work in the Village, and I take the greatest pleasure in seeing them visit with each other during those happy little chance encounters that happen at both shops and in the courtyard and breezeway that connect the two."

Carolyn Jensen, whose Country Squire Gifts and Linens has been a local fixture for 18 years, also credits her local customers for giving her much to smile about. "They're tried and true, and we try to give them the personal attention they come here for."

With such an involved community and solid foundation, there's little doubt that Paseo Delicias will continue to thrive as the centerpiece of Rancho Santa Fe. After all, "It takes a village."
— Lois Alter Mark, photography by Vincent Knakal