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鈥淐arefully planned by one of the most brilliant architectural firms in the country, (Eichlers) make other homes seem obsolete by comparison,鈥� a 1949 promotional brochure reads. 鈥淪cores of families have already learned that living in an Eichler-built home brings a whole new way of life鈥攁 life made easier, more convenient and pleasant because of the advances in modern design that are built into every Eichler home.鈥�

This unique architecture that dominates southern Palo Alto was created by real estate developer Joseph Eichler. Though he first worked as a dairy businessman, living in a home designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright inspired him to think of ways he could bring modernist home elements to the general public. In 1949, he founded Eichler 麻豆放映免费s Inc. and partnered with various architectural firms to deliver on this objective.

Eichler 麻豆放映免费s Inc. marketed three key priorities: design, community and affordability. These concepts are best illustrated through Palo Alto鈥檚 Greenmeadow neighborhood, an area of the city bounded by Alma Street, East Charleston Road, Middlefield Road and San Antonio Road. There, Eichler sold homes featuring open floor plans, post-and-beam construction and clerestory windows鈥攚indows located at the top of a structure鈥檚 wall. When they were first introduced to the market in 1950, the homes were sold at a modest price of $17,000. They were also in close proximity to the Greenmeadow Community Center, which housed a pool and a clubhouse to host various events. According to Greenmeadow resident junior Naya Nebriaga, the community center continues to be an integral part of the neighborhood today. 鈥淓very weekend (there鈥檚 always) something going on,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have barbeques, wine tastings for the adults and home renovation tip sessions.鈥�

In many aspects, Eichler鈥檚 architectural legacy has endured the test of time: Out of the 2,700 Eichler homes originally built in Palo Alto, Atria Real Estate Founder Kevin Swartz estimates that roughly 2,000 of them still remain. Some Eichler owners, such as Nebriaga, have opted to modernize their homes to make them more suitable for 21st-century living. 鈥淲hen we moved, we had to redo all of the plumbing and electrical and add insulation to the walls,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his past summer, we also invested in HVAC units for all of the rooms.鈥�

While renovations are oftentimes necessary, Eichler Network Director Marty Arbunich noted their potential to detract from the classic Eichler aesthetic. 鈥淢any remodels are off the mark, and this could be attributed to one key factor: not having a clear understanding of the architecture at the onset,鈥� he wrote in an email. While remodeling their Eichler, Nebriaga鈥檚 family recognized this risk and ensured that the new changes would complement qualities such as the interior-exterior fluidity. 鈥淲hen we renovated the house, we made sure that the floorings were very similar to the outside concrete area, so that it was a seamless transition,鈥� she said.

Along with Eichler鈥檚 architectural legacy, his community ideals still pertain today, according to Swartz. 鈥淭he sense of community, parades and block parties are really unique to Eichler homes,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people who are buying and living in these homes all love their Eichlers and have a common denominator between them. It鈥檚 a great asset to the neighborhood and families, being able to participate in that.鈥� Nebriaga also enjoys the sense of community that owning an Eichler affords her. 鈥淥ur neighbor next door wants to renovate, and they鈥檙e asking us questions on what to do because renovating an Eichler is different from renovating a regular home,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f I have a friend who lives in an Eichler, it鈥檚 also really cool to see their layout, because in a way, the houses are supposed to be very similar, but each one is super different depending on what they decided to do with the interior design.鈥�

Despite their numerous benefits, Arbunich does not foresee similar community-oriented developments being built in the future. 鈥淚n the Bay Area, we鈥檝e simply run out of space to develop new tracts of any kind,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen Eichler was building in the postwar (period), there was plenty of available land, but so much of that has been filled over the past 60 to 70 years.鈥�

Unlike design and community, Eichler鈥檚 third ideal of affordability has fallen short of maintaining a modern-day relevance. In February, the median sale price of a home in Greenmeadow was $1.97 million, over 10 times Eichler鈥檚 original asking price adjusted for inflation. According to freelance writer Bo Crane, Eichler鈥檚 reasonable asking prices facilitated racial integration in Palo Alto. 鈥淓ichler was the first local builder to proclaim that he favored selling houses to buyers of various racial and ethnic backgrounds,鈥� he wrote in a Palo Alto Online article published in February. 鈥淭he Greenmeadow tract welcomed Eichler鈥檚 first Black homebuyers.鈥�

Although Eichler鈥檚 socially progressive values resonate with many, the Bay Area鈥檚 low housing supply and high demand have impeded their continued application. 鈥淚鈥檝e heard many Eichler homeowners and buyers comment on how they were aligned with the history of how he was inclusive and wasn鈥檛 discriminating,鈥� Swartz said. 鈥淏ut there are a lot of people who want to live in an Eichler, and they鈥檙e looking for where they could possibly afford one. The price is definitely a big barrier.鈥�

Nevertheless, Arbunich believes that when it comes to fostering a strong sense of community, few neighborhoods can match Eichler neighborhoods鈥� camaraderie and cohesion. 鈥淓ichler owners are different in that regard,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would take a lot of education and instilling pride in home ownership to build a (similar) support network behind most other communities.鈥�