Allen Elementary serves varied neighborhoods of sturdy brick ranches, colonials, and tri-levels on the east and southeast sides of the city. Allen School itself lies behind historic Cobblestone Farm and year-round city recreation favorite Buhr Park, which features a swimming pool, outdoor ice rink, barn with farm animals, and sports fields. Many small ranches here were built in the 1950s as the area was hooked up to Ann Arbor water and sewer services.
The single-family neighborhoods north of Washtenaw have a split personality: Unpaved streets and large, wooded lots give the homes on Chalmers and Woodland a country feel, in contrast to the bigger, newer houses of the Woodcreek subdivision. The same contrast is visible north along the river, where tract mansions tower over the smaller, architect-designed homes of the Thornoaks sub, which Pittsfield Twp. designated as a Local Historic District in 2018 to preserve its unique mid-century modern charm. South of Michigan Ave. is the Hickory Pointe subdivision with 65 homes, 5 parks, and a swim club. Just north, at Platt and Textile, sit the 60 attached multifamily condominiums and 104 detached single-family homes of the Pittsfield Glen Estates subdivision.
The Allen district includes the ranch-style 103-unit Carleton Court apartments at Packard and Platt. Students also are bused in from 3 huge rental complexes south of I–94: the 582-unit Pines of Cloverlane and 440-unit Hamptons of Cloverlane, both off Michigan Ave., and the 609-unit University Townhouses co-op off Ellsworth. Another source of affordable housing is Creekside Court on the east side of Platt south of Packard. A new mixed-income community, the Veridian at County Farm, is currently taking reservations for homes; powered by solar, it will be one of the nation’s first mixed-income net-zero energy communities, and a third of the landscape will be dedicated to food production, along with a local farm store.
Depending on their neighborhood, Allen grads go on to Scarlett or Tappan, and from there to Huron or Pioneer.
Bike lanes: Platt, Packard, and Stone School Rd. have bike lanes. Washtenaw Ave. has an off-street path.
Walking: Allen School has a Walk Score of 32. The Woodcreek subdivision area is close to Arborland area shopping, with groceries and more, but many areas are not within walking distance of retail.
Park & Ride: 4125 Washtenaw Ave.
