5640 Picardy Dr S, Oakland, CA 94605

Lovely condo in 3-unit complex. The Castle at Normandy Gardens was originally built as a duplex. It is believed that the great hall in the castle might have served as a show room for the Normandy Garden's homes when the development was originally built and the homes were first on the market. Picardy Drive, is a divided road with Picardy Drive North and Picardy Drive South on either side of an Island. In the middle of the divided road is where these three condos - also known as The Castle - sit majestically although somewhat whimsically on the tip of the island. The two streets are like the moat that surrounds a castle with neighboring manor houses on the other side of the moat. The castle has a Disney-like quality on the outside. There are crenellated walls, a large turret and small turret like structures that protrude from the main building like those on the castle at Disneyland. The interior of 5717 is the most amazing. The entry hall and the great room have a gothic ambiance and appear to be constructed from blocks of stone. Closer examination indicates a man-made version of stone without the hardness and heft. I haven't met anyone who knows what material was used to make these convincingly stone-like walls and floors. Carved wooden doors lead from entry hall to the great room. Wooden beams with carved shields and fleur-de-lys cross the vaulted ceiling. Wrought iron bars brace the beams while medieval light fixtures hang from the bars. Standing in the great room feels like a mini visit to times of yor. 5714 The Middle unit of this three unit condo complex boasts large bedrooms, a lovely living room/dining room combination and its own garage. This unit is the most modest of the three, but exudes its own, slightly more modern charm. The piece-de-resistance is 5640 Picardy- like having your own house that is part of this castle-like complex. There is a private yard with mature landscaping, again, a lovely one car garage, in unit laundry, beautiful wide open spaces for the living room, dining room and large bedrooms.