Values of Modern Homes Have Fallen
-- but Their Appeal Still Stands Strong

Photo: Ernie Braun

The real estate meltdown may spell the end of the great 21st century housing bubble. But does it spell the end as well for high times for high modern? Don't bet on it.

Modern has become firmly established in the marketplace as a style that people appreciate, says James Ebert, a Los Angeles appraiser who has worked with many buyers and sellers of well-known modern homes. "The original mid-century properties will maintain their strength, just like the classic Mediterranean and Spanish of the 1930s, and like the well-maintained Craftsman style before, have," he says.

Throughout California, in many markets, including San Francisco, the East Bay, and Orange County, both tract and custom-designed mid-century modern homes are selling more quickly, and often for more than their comparable, non-architecturally distinctive rivals, precisely because they are out of the ordinary.

In some markets, prices have already returned to pre-boom levels, including San Mateo Highlands, where values had fallen 20 percent. "We weren't at our absolute high for very long," says Glenn Sennett, a broker in San Mateo. "We're back down now to 2004 prices. From 2004 to 2007, houses went up about 20 percent." But bad news can be found also. Here's the full story.

Eichler Work-in-Progress on the Way Up:
Nineteenth Avenue Park of San Mateo

Photo: David Toerge

By all accounts, the quiet Eichler enclave of Nineteenth Avenue Park has been a marvelous place to live since folks first arrived 55 years ago. "It was awesome," says Sharon Tallman, who grew up in the San Mateo neighborhood from age two, briefly left, but returned to raise three children there herself.

She remembers neighborhood baseball games and talent shows, with parents hauling pianos into their driveways to better entertain the community. "We had barbecues outside for no reason," says Rita Balliet, an original owner and Shannon's lifelong friend.

"There were patio parties and block parties," recalls Dorothy Ragent, who moved to Nineteenth Avenue Park with her husband Boris in 1956. "Kids would play out on the street till five or six in the evening."

And when there were threats, the neighborhood came together. Plans for a cement plant were quickly scotched, Dorothy Ragent remembers. "We took it upon ourselves to fight it," she says. "It helped that Roy Archibald" -- San Mateo's popular mayor back then -- "lived here."

Nor did the neighborhood ever turn surly. This is a place, after all, where longtime resident Dorothy Sussli welcomes newcomers and looks after her elderly neighbors, where car collector Joe Cuevas offers free advice to neighbors with car fetishes of their own, and where David and Linda Koehn, walking the neighborhood shortly after moving in, were invited inside by folks whose home they stopped to admire.

This is also our latest modern development to be honored as 'Neighborhood on the Rise.' Discover why.

Meet the Dazzling Top-10 Oh-So-Modern
Finalists of Our Kitchen Remodel Contest

photo: Mark Compton

Congratulations to the mid-century modern homeowners behind the ten dazzling kitchens profiled this edition of Eichler Network Online. They are the top-10 finalists of 'CA-Modern Magazine's Best Kitchen Remodel Contest.'

It was a challenge for the CA-Modern judges to narrow down dozens of submissions to just ten. Our judges were amazed at the quality of the entries. Both homeowners and the pros spent a lot of time, creative energy, and money on projects -- but a few simply stood out from the pack.

Our top-10 finalists were selected for their overall beauty and functionality and cohesion with the mid-century modern design aesthetic. They are kitchens that work well with the lifestyles of their respective homeowners, and at the same time pay respect to the homes' architectural tradition of clean lines and connection to the outdoors.

From the top-10, two winners will be selected -- one by reader's votes, the other by our own panel of judges. The two winners will qualify for $500 cash each and be profiled along with their homes and kitchens in the Spring 2010 issue of CA-Modern magazine and edition of Eichler Network Online.

Fire-ravaged Architectural Photographer Leland Lee Longs to Keep Legacy Alive

Photo: John Eng

Throughout his 40 years as an architectural photographer, Leland Lee had one goal in mind -- to capture the soul of every building he shot. Lee photographed work by some of Southern California's foremost modern architects and designers, including residences by John Lautner, Pierre Koenig, A. Quincy Jones, Edward Fickett, and John Rex.

Lee, 91, a straight-talking man with piercing blue eyes, a calm manner, and easy laugh, succeeded with his camera because he worked hard, approached his photography as an art, and always sought to bring out what was best in the architecture.

Lee used to store his photography archive in the garage of his Hollywood Hills home. In the 1980s, a ferocious rainstorm sent sheets of water cascading through his garage, destroying much of his archive of negatives, prints, and transparencies, along with copies of the magazines that had published them and his journals. In 2002, completing the job, a fire that began in his car destroyed the rest.

Other men would have cried. The loss was devastating to Lee. "It represents a legacy of what I did during my existence," he says. But rather than despair, he set off on a quest to recreate his lost archive. "Otherwise, all I have left are fragments," he says.

The Eichler Network would love to see Leland Lee's wish come true. Can you help? Start by reading Lee's story -- and view some of his marvelous photos that survive the fire. 'Soul searching' awaits.

Cutting-edge and Crazy: Time Machine
to the Mid-Century's Laughing Stock

Some funny things happened on the way to the second half of the 20th century: America found new ways to laugh and new places to do it. And the Eichler Network would like to take a step back in time, lighten things up a bit, and revisit some of the cutting edge comedians from that era who gave us some classic great laughs.

From the bounty of funny folk who once kept us in stitches, we've singled out a baker's dozen of some of the best, most meaningful, and most memorable. Join us on a time machine ride back to the 1950s to relive and acknowledge Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Shelley Berman, Phyllis Diller, and a cast of others. Don't miss 'Laughing stock of the mid-century.'

Remembering S.F. Architect Bob Anshen:
Inventor of Eichler Homes -- and Himself

Photo: courtesy John and Frances Anshen

By all accounts Eichler architect Robert Anshen should have been in pictures -- though he did not have matinee idol looks. "Anshen was aggressive, loud, sarcastic," says Ned Eichler, son of the builder Joe Eichler, who was Anshen's second most important client back in the 1950s. "Also, he was absolutely ugly. He was like a character out of Dickens. He had a small body, and the size of his head bore no relation to the size of his body."

Still, when Anshen was onstage -- and he was always onstage -- he absolutely commanded attention -- so much so people barely noticed his lifelong architectural partner and best friend, Steve Allen, even though Allen was a large man and Anshen short and thin, weighing in at roughly 125 pounds.

"I think to some degree Anshen invented himself," Ned Eichler says, adding, "Anshen was one of the greatest characters I've ever met."

Anshen and Allen, best known today as the original designers of Eichler homes, were responsible for several defining innovations, including the homes' orientations to the backyard, and the atrium. The firm worked on Eichler homes from 1950 to 1960, when Claude Oakland, an employee who had been doing much of the design, formed his own firm and took over the account.

Our ace staffer Dave Weinstein dug deep into the life of Bob Anshen for 'Bob Anshen: self-made man,' and for the first time the world will learn about the persona behind the man who designed the first Eichler homes. "Bob Anshen's life itself had the arc of a drama, a picaresque tale that veered from hero quest to mystery story, leavened throughout with comedy," Weinstein reports. Read on.

Original Claude Oakland Eichler Plans
Now Available thru Houseplans.com

Ever think about building your own Eichler home? Now you can do it, through an innovative Marin County business, Houseplans.com.

The venture, whose editor is Daniel Gregory, a former longtime editor at Sunset magazine and author of the recent book on builder Cliff May, offers four plans designed by Claude Oakland and his associate Kinji Imada in the 1960s for Eichler subdivisions in Oakland and Mill Valley. The plans include gabled and A-frame models -- and one rare two-story.

Gregory acquired the Eichler plans from U.C. Berkeley's Environmental Design Archives, which receives a portion of the proceeds. More Eichler plans will soon be added.

Houseplans.com, designed to help people build new homes or remodel existing ones, offers plans ranging in style from Colonial to modern and has nearly 29,000 plans in their portfolio. The firm can also customize the plans.

Cliff May Neighborhood Wins Protection
in Long Beach with 13-foot Height Limit

The city of Long Beach in July banned second-story additions and demolitions in one of its most unique neighborhoods--Rancho Estates, a collection of 700 single-story homes built in 1953-'54 to designs by Cliff May and Chris Choate.

The effort to "preserve and enhance the unique character of the Rancho area" got a boost in 2007, when the city declared a moratorium on second stories and demolitions while it studied the matter. Public hearings showed strong support for the plan. Only a handful of residents fought the proposal. About a dozen houses in the neighborhood have second-story additions.

The City Council's action imposes a 13-foot height limit on homes in the neighborhood and bans demolitions of the homes. But no restrictions are placed on changes in materials or other characteristics of the homes, with their courtyards, clerestory windows, and ample glass. At one point, some neighbors had contemplated seeking a historic district overlay, which could have imposed stricter rules.

"This is pretty much what people want at this time," says Doug Kramer, a real estate broker who focuses on the 'Ranchos,' as the neighborhood is called. "It has been a two-year process, involving three town hall meetings, three City Council meetings, a planning department meeting, and a lot of neighborhood input. We are very excited and thankful."

Passionate Artists and the Mid-Century Modern Architecture that Inspires Them

Artist Danny Heller
Photo: John Eng

Our homes are often seen as the backdrop upon which we enrich our lives and embellish our style. Even for devotees of Eichler, Streng, Cliff May, Palmer & Krisel, and other California mid-century modern homes, the house structure is, essentially, their canvas.

For some emerging artists, that particular mid-century modern canvas has itself become the focus. Because of its unique combination of neutrality and singularity of design, the mid-century modern look plays a dual role in the aesthetic of Americana: It symbolizes nostalgia and family security, as well as a sense of rebellion -- a departure from the traditional way we choose to relate to our surroundings.

For some artists, that duality provides rich fodder for paintings that, in different ways, explore what it means to grow up in suburban America, and how our surroundings shape our attitudes.

While young artists in their 20s such as Danny Heller of Chatsworth and New Yorker Megan Berk embrace the homes as symbols of suburban life, to be celebrated but also criticized, 58-year-old Los Angeles painter Nat Reed (whose grandfather, Eli Hedley, incidentally helped introduce America to Tiki design) sees a revolutionary notion within the homes' design.

All of these artists, however, share a passion for modern architecture -- both as symbols of Americana and as aesthetic masterpieces themselves -- that drives them to render the homes in their work. These artists, their work, and their personal experiences are at the core of our fascinating new feature on 'art about the house': 'Art Imitates Life.'

Group of 150 Launches New Community of Eichler Photo-Sharing on Flickr Site

Curious about what your neighbor's house looks like inside? Check out Ramon Colcer's Eichler Flickr group -- you just may find out. Colcer, who lives in San Jose's Fairglen tract, hoped that photos of his Eichler renovation would inspire others, and even provide useful remodeling ideas.

"People saw them and started to comment. 'It's very helpful; I'm trying to do the same thing.' I thought, 'There's definitely something to this,'" Colcer said. "Maybe there's a chance to build a little community through Flickr."

More than 150 people have posted hundreds of photos or comments on the site, the first (and perhaps only) dedicated Eichler site on the photo-sharing service. "For many people," Colcer said, "it's more of the vanity thing. People want to post pictures of their beautiful homes." Other participants are simply fans who take photos of Eichlers while cruising the neighborhoods.

Colcer notes that similar Flickr groups exist for Cliff May, Palmer & Krisel, and Streng homes. "Flickr is really a treasure trove for people who appreciate mid-century modern homes," he says.

Visit the Eichlers at this Flickr link.

Return of the Neutra House of Los Altos:
Speaker Series Celebrates Its Renewal

Neutra House committee organizers King Lear and Russ Quacchia at the entrance to the restored home
Photo: David Toerge

The Neutra House of Los Altos, originally designed by legendary architect Richard Neutra in the 1930s and recently relocated and renewed, is now being successfully run as a conference facility.

It also serves as a mini-museum devoted to modern architecture, with small displays about Neutra and a big screen TV that shows films, some produced by the Neutra House's Architecture History Committee, about modern architecture and design.

With modern at its core, the Los Altos Neutra House Association recently launched an 'Architecture Speaker Series' at the Neutra House that includes:
• February 11: Jonathan Pearlman and Russ Quacchia, architects, on the history of modern architecture
• March 18: Michael Duncan, an architect with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, on the firm's work in Asia and the West Coast.

Speakers present from 6-7 p.m., followed by a reception from 7-8 p.m. for premium ticketholders. Seating limited. For info and availability, call 650-941-4164, or visit neutrahouse.org. The Neutra House is located at 181 Hillview Ave., Los Altos.

Sacto Streng Website Finds Success
-- a Viable Model for Others to Follow?

River City Commons, one of the more active Sacramento neighborhoods built by the Streng Bros. and designed by architect Carter Sparks, has found success with a comprehensive and useful website that could serve as a model for modern neighborhoods nationwide.

Since going live in mid-2008, the site, www.rivercitycommons.com, has "encouraged more people to attend neighborhood events and get to know their neighbors," says Tasha McLaughlin, the full-time mom and part-time web designer who created it. She's lived in the community of 197 homes, built from 1978 to 1981, for five years.

The site, run by the River City Commons Association, acknowledges folks who improve their homes through its 'property kudos' section, announces events such as movie nights in the community park, posts the association newsletter and all relevant association documents, provides crime warnings, and hosts a lost-and-found section. ("Luckily, nothing at this time," a recent post read.)

Particularly valuable, even to outsiders, are historical materials about the neighborhood, landscaping tips, and a lengthy illustrated guide to the homes' remarkable architecture.

The site allows residents to publicize their businesses and helps folks find local contractors. "We're just finding more and more uses for it," association president Pat Sandlin says of the website.

Renowned Photographer Maynard Parker
Goes Live with His Big Archive of Photos

Fans of modern architectural photography have a new favorite site to bookmark -- the Maynard Parker Archive, which has recently been placed online by the Huntington Library. More than 6,000 images, primarily of mid-century modern architecture, from a collection totaling 58,093 images, can be perused online -- and more are being added regularly.

Los Angeles photographer Maynard 'Mike' Parker, who died in 1976, shot work by A. Quincy Jones, Cliff May, Thomas Church, William Cody, and hundreds of others.

The collection was donated to the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, in 1996, and catalogued and put online thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is part of the Online Archive of California, which draws from many different libraries and museums.

To enjoy Parker's work, visit www.huntington.org and search for 'Maynard Parker.'

'Southern California Eats': New Book Profiles Mid-Century Modern Eateries

Photo: John Eng

Fans of Googie coffee shops, 'Polynesian paradises,' and other roadside restaurants that helped define mid-century America should appreciate 'Southern California Eats,' a new book from two CA-Modern magazine stalwarts, Adriene Biondo, our coordinator of SoCal public relations, and John Eng, staff photographer.

The soft-cover book, now available from Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., has 269 vintage and recent photos and lists for $24.99.

The authors describe 'Southern California Eats' as "a pictorial essay of the independent, unusual, zany, or under-appreciated eateries of Southern California."

1950s Film Footage of Joe Eichler at
Poolside Resurrected in Walnut Creek

You'll see young moms in swimsuits, children kick-boarding in unison the length of the pool, superb examples of the back stroke, and swan diving like you wouldn't believe.

It's May 1, 1959, opening day of the pool at Eichler's Rancho San Miguel subdivision in Walnut Creek, preserved forever on eight-millimeter film and recently discovered and posted on You Tube by neighbor David Smethurst in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Rancho San Miguel Swim Club.

Joe Eichler himself makes an appearance, at 3:55 into the film, smoking a cigar and clearly enjoying himself. Judging by his outfit, though, he's not taking to the water. Joe is wearing a bow tie and tux.

Inside Frank Sinatra's Legendary Home
-- Hollywood Lore Meets Desert Modern

Photo: Joseph S. Pickett III

Frank Sinatra -- 'the Voice,' the 1950s' greatest crooner, perhaps the greatest ever -- was made for Palm Springs, a town that's all about relaxing with style. Or was Palm Springs made for Frank?

Twin Palms, Frank Sinatra's first house in the desert, became a Palm Springs landmark as soon as it was completed, in 1947 -- but not because it was big or spectacular. For a house of a star, the four-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot house was modest, even as a weekend home. It is, in essence, a typical postwar ranch-style house, albeit more elegant and modern than most.

It is also an architecturally important house as the first home designed by E. Stewart Williams, who would go on to become one of Palm Springs' most important architects. CA-Modern's Dave Weinstein got inside Twin Palms, and also dug up the story behind Ol' Blue Eyes' tenure there. You can read his account as 'One Voice, Twin Palms.'

How MCM Homes Turn to Rooftop Solar in Face of Rising Electricity Costs, Emissions

Randy Feriante of Dura-Foam Solar Center
Photo: Adam Feriante

While some homeowners stuff their hard-earned dollars under mattresses in an uncertain economy, others hang them outside for all to see -- on rooftop solar panels.

California is the nation's leader in rooftop solar, with well over half the country's installed capacity. There's good reason why: California's electricity rates have historically increased by 6.7 percent per year, and prices continue to rise. The state's present goal is to improve its energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reach 3,000 megawatts installed by 2018.

California's mid-century modern homeowners are taking advantage of rooftop solar and like the benefits. "The thing I like most is that it completely isolates us from any rate increases, and we make so much more [electricity] than we use," says Kevin Gray, an Eichler owner residing in Thousand Oaks.

CA-Modern writer Tanja Kern recently investigated the present state of solar technology in California and the costs, and sought out homeowners and solar providers for interviews. In the face of rising electricity costs and the battle of greenhouse emissions, 'Sun Power Rising' puts the current state of residential solar into perspective.