Ask anyone on the Riviera what Franceschi Park is and you will probably hear about the old house and the view from beside it. That answer has always left out most of the park. The site covers 17.2 acres off Franceschi Road. The house and its overlook sit on a small corner of that hillside. Most of the rest has been hard to reach on foot, and that is where the park's history actually grows.
In late summer the City began changing that. Its trail work links the parking lot to the bust, the upper meadow and the existing trails, the parts of Franceschi Park that hold the strongest tie to the man it is named for.
What the Crews Have Been Building
On August 26, 2026, the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department announced a multi-week trails project at the park. The main piece is more than 1,500 linear feet of new trail connecting four points that have never been well linked:
- The parking lot
- The large sandstone bust of Dr. Francesco Franceschi
- The upper meadow
- The existing trail system
The City describes the upper meadow route as passing through eucalyptus, towering cacti and oak trees, with views across Santa Barbara, Goleta and the ocean. The new trails get compacted tread and drainage built to prevent erosion and standing water, which matters on a slope that steep.
The work also covers the trails already there. Cracked or crumbling concrete on paths and stairways is being repaired. Overgrown vegetation is being cleared, eroded and unstable sections are being addressed, and uneven surfaces are being leveled. Trails the City considers unsafe or redundant are being decommissioned, with natural materials laid down so the hillside can gradually take them back. Three new benches made from repurposed wood are going in along the way.
The project is paid for from the City's General Fund. The City's schedule had trail work running into October, with native habitat restoration to begin in winter. If you want current trail conditions before heading up, Parks and Recreation is at (805) 564-5418.
Why the Bust and the Meadow Are the Real Destination
The trail map makes more sense once you know what Franceschi actually left behind. According to the City, he ran a nursery and botanical garden on this land from 1903 to 1913 and introduced hundreds of exotic plant species, some of which still survive in the park. The redwood Craftsman house went up in 1905, and the house and garden together were called Montarioso. Alden Freeman bought the property in 1926, made changes to the house, and gave the land to the City in 1931.
The house you see today is Freeman's altered version. The hillside is closer to Franceschi's work. A history in Pacific Horticulture lists Montarioso plantings that included dragon trees, a palm collection, cactus, aloes, agaves and lippia. It names Agave attenuata as one of his introductions to California, while noting that credit for some other introductions is disputed. The towering cacti on the City's upper meadow route belong to that same story.
At a Historic Landmarks Commission hearing in January, architect and commissioner Robert Ooley made that point plainly. He spoke with the Santa Barbara Independent after the meeting:
"The value of Franceschi is not in the house."
Ooley told the Independent that the park carries Franceschi's name because of his horticultural work, and that the house was heavily modified after his time. He also said the original plants will not last forever, and that keeping Franceschi's vision alive means replacing them carefully as they age. Read that way, the new trails do more than add walking distance. They lead to the part of the park that history-minded commissioners describe as the actual legacy. The winter habitat restoration fits the same idea of a landscape that needs looking after.
Where the House Stands, and How Long It Will Take
The trail work was scheduled in weeks, while the house project is measured in years. This is where things stand as of fall 2026, drawn from the City's Reimagining Franceschi House page and local coverage:
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Has demolition been approved? | No. In January 2026 the Historic Landmarks Commission voted unanimously to continue the project indefinitely, with feedback. |
| What is proposed instead? | A 19-foot-wide garden terrace with a standing wall displaying a selection of the house's 85 decorative medallions |
| What happens to the medallions that do not fit? | Not decided. Storage, documentation, or placement along park paths have been suggested. |
| Funding in hand | $950,000 in City Capital Funds for preliminary design and environmental review, with no construction funding allocated |
| Timeline | A multi-year environmental review starting in 2026, with final approvals and construction documents targeted for 2028 |
The Independent reported that the January vote let the design process move forward while making sure elements like the medallions and architectural details are documented or worked into the terrace. Construction, if approved, could happen in phases over several years. The house holds more than medallions. The Independent's list includes stained-glass windows, an ornamental stairway, a small fireplace imported from New Jersey, and three sculptural herms by artist Ulrich H. Ellerhusen.
Commissioners were broadly supportive. Noozhawk quoted commission Chair Anthony Grumbine: "We recognize that the building is not salvageable but that the park can be improved and the history can be told." The concept also includes parking and accessibility improvements, a better view perch, signage and landscaping. It would remove seven trees and plant 17 new ones, a swap the Parks and Recreation Commission has already approved.
Some details drew objections. Noozhawk reported that several public commenters were unhappy about the plan to remove the picnic tables. City staff said the tables sit where an accessible path needs to go and that public input would be considered. Speaking for the Pearl Chase Society, Cheri Rae asked that historic interior features be made available for use elsewhere if they cannot be reused on site. Project planner Holly Garcin said those elements would be reviewed during environmental review. In the Independent's account, several residents at the hearing described the house as an informal gathering spot, with years of sunset picnics and daily visits.
Put the two timelines next to each other and the near future of the park is clear. For the next couple of years at least, the house will probably stay a fixed, unresolved landmark. The trail work across the rest of the hillside is where Franceschi Park is changing now.
A Walk That Uses the New Connections
The park's official address is 1501 Franceschi Road, and parking on site is free. Once trail conditions allow, here is an order of stops based on the connections the City described:
- Start at the lot. The parking lot is one of the four points the new trails were planned to connect.
- Head to the Franceschi Bust. The City calls the large sandstone bust one of the park's lesser-known features, and the new connections are meant to make it easy to reach.
- Climb to the upper meadow. This is the eucalyptus, cactus and oak stretch with the wide view toward Goleta and the water. Look for one of the new repurposed-wood benches.
- Finish at the house and view perch. Seeing the house last, after the plantings, puts it in the context Ooley described.
A few practical points. City park rules set Franceschi Park's opening time at 8 a.m. Dogs are welcome on leash. The parking lot is locked every night, and any car left after closing stays inside until the next morning. That last rule matters most if you are timing a sunset visit.
Two More Dates for Plant-Minded Neighbors
If walking among Franceschi's surviving specimens makes you want to start your own, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden holds its Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, November 7. The public sale opens at 1 p.m., reservations are required, and stock is refilled every hour. The nursery closes November 4 through 6 to get ready. Garden members get an early window that morning from 9 to 11 a.m., with 10 percent off plants. Also at the Garden, "Still Growing: 100 Years of California's Native Plants" runs through March 21, 2027, as part of its centennial.
Closer to the holidays, Old Mission Santa Barbara hosts its annual Sip & Stroll Holiday Market on December 4 from 5 to 8 p.m., with local wine, beer, food and artisan goods.
I live a few minutes from the Riviera, and I keep up with projects like Franceschi Park because they change how a hillside feels day to day long before they show up on any map. If you have a question about this park or another Riviera project as it moves through review, Live In Santa Barbara is always glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
