August 17, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Move over Victorians, Eichlers are historic too

by Jocelyn Dong

When people think of historic architecture, finely carved Victorians and stately Colonial homes tend to come to mind. But low-slung Eichlers?

Now, thanks to the efforts of a group of Eichler aficionados, what used to be viewed merely as post-war suburban tract homes have been vaulted to historic heights.

Last month, the National Park Service gave two Palo Alto neighborhoods -- Greenmeadow and Green Gables -- a rare honor by naming them to the National Register of Historic Places.

"This is precedent setting," said Carroll Rankin, a Greenmeadow resident and member of the Eichler Historic Quest Committee, a California-based group of volunteers who spent four years seeking national recognition for the neighborhoods. "The two Palo Alto subdivisions are among the youngest of historic things that have been recognized."

Known for their clean lines, open floor plans, and glass walls that allow residents to look out onto garden areas, Eichler homes were considered forward thinking in their design. They came to symbolize the promise of a better tomorrow to the burgeoning middle class.

Eichlers have attracted a near cult following among those who adore the retro-hip architecture. Today, Greenmeadow homes that originally cost up to $17,000 for a three bedroom are going for $1.1 million.

Palo Alto is Eichler central, boasting the largest collection of the homes in the Bay Area -- 2,700 out of a total 11,000 that were built.

By being accepted onto the national registry, the two Eichler neighborhoods have become the first modern subdivisions of single-family homes to earn the honor in California. One mid-century townhouse development and one apartment complex have also gained the distinction, according to Cynthia Howse of the state's Office of Historic Preservation.

Palo Alto has its share of nationally recognized places -- namely 14 buildings and the two districts of Professorville and a stretch of Ramona Street -- but all are older.

The late Joseph Eichler was a mid-century developer who desired to bring good architecture to the masses. His homes were designed by the internationally-renown firms of Anshen and Allen, Jones and Emmons, and Claude Oakland and Associates.

Rankin said the Eichler developments marked a new era in the suburban lifestyle.

"It was a transition to the less-formal living than we used to have. This was called the idiom of the '50s," Rankin said, seated at his breakfast table near a 1950s-era Lightolier lamp.

As Palo Alto a half-century later grapples with redevelopment issues and tries to strike a balance between housing and retail, some fans of Eichler say the honor lauds the developer's foresight in planning for the needs of a community as much as his choice in architecture.

"It's an enormous honor for the neighborhood, and Joseph Eichler," said Jinny Henke, owner of a three-bedroom Eichler in Green Gables. "No one had planned suburbia before then."

Recognizing the importance for community space as well as housing, Eichler's vision for the 243-home Greenmeadow neighborhood in south Palo Alto included its own community center, complete with a park and swimming pool.

The 63-house Green Gables neighborhood in north Palo Alto was forerunner to the adjacent Edgewood development, which not only added more homes along Eichler's trademark curving roads but also served the needs of residents through the Edgewood Shopping Center.

The Edgewood mall also housed Joseph Eichler's headquarters and stands today as his only commercial shopping center.

Regardless of the historic status, Eichler residents seem pleased simply to own their homes. Henke and her family added a family room onto their house a number of years ago, rather than moving to a larger, non-Eichler home.

Rankin enjoys looking out his floor-to-ceiling glass windows onto his backyard and seeing the egret that visited his fish pond this summer.

Did Rankin know that he and his wife were moving into a piece of history, when they bought their Eichler 40 years ago?

"I sort of did," the retired architect said. "We knew what we were doing."

On Saturday, Rankin and six other members of the Historic Quest committee gathered to celebrate their achievement.

Getting the honor involved plenty of tedious documentation, a process that turned out to have a history all its own. Rankin is happy, but a bit tired.

"When the final word came, the only reaction was not 'Hooray,' it was 'At last,'" he said.

So what exactly does the national distinction mean?

Historic Quest committee members are quick to say the honor is about prestige -- nothing more. It carries no limitations on homeowners, a sore subject in Palo Alto since a historic-preservation battle was waged five years ago.

That should allay the fears of residents who want to remodel or even demolish their houses. However, homeowners who maintain the historic character of their residences may receive some tax benefits, in addition to being exempt from flood regulations, according to Dennis Backlund, the city's historic planner.

Adriene Biondo, a member of the Historic Quest committee and head of the Los Angeles Conservancy's modern committee, said she was hopeful the new designation would prompt Bay Area cities to consider preserving their more modern architectural resources.

As eyes turn to which other Eichlers in Palo Alto might be preserved next, some people would love to see the Edgewood Shopping Center restored.

"Edgewood is an important historical and cultural asset for our city. Given its location on Embarcadero near 101, Edgewood Plaza is an important gateway to Palo Alto, a city which has a wonderful modernist legacy," said local resident Angie Volterra. "I believe that a preserved and restored Edgewood Plaza would be a fitting gateway to this city and showcase Palo Alto's modernist heritage." Senior Staff Writer Jocelyn Dong can be reached at jdong@paweekly.com.

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