Fairglen Additions

Last updated

Fairglen Additions (Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3)
Eichler with square plan with an atrium situated between the garage and the bedroom.jpg
Fairglen Addition with square plan with an atrium between garage and the bedroom
Location map San Jose.png
Red pog.svg
Fairglen Additions
Location in Santa Clara County
Location Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, California, US
Coordinates 37°16′53″N121°54′12″W / 37.28139°N 121.90333°W / 37.28139; -121.90333
Area6,000 square feet (560 m2) lots
Built
  • 1959;65 years ago (1959)
  • 1961;63 years ago (1961)
Built by Joseph Eichler
Architect
  • Anshen & Allen
  • Jones Emmons & Associates
  • Claude Oakland Architect & Associates
Architectural style Mid-century modern
NRHP reference No. 100004036
Added to NRHPJune 6, 2019

The Fairglen Additions is an example of Mid-century modern-style tract housing located in San Jose, California, US. Comprising 218 single-family houses within the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, this district was built between 1959 and 1961. The additions were developed by real estate developer Joseph Eichler and designed by architectural firms Anshen & Allen, Jones Emmons & Associates, and Claude Oakland Architect & Associates. Thirteen distinct home plans were executed on approximately 6,000 square feet (560 m2) lots. These residences feature open floor plans that accentuate privacy and the seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living, characteristic of Eichler homes and subdivisions. The Fairglen Additions was officially recognized and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 2019. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Fairglen Addition with garage and entry to living area Eichler with garage and entry to living area.jpg
Fairglen Addition with garage and entry to living area

The Fairglen Additions neighborhood forms the core and most expansive segment of Joseph Eichler's Fairglen project in Willow Glen. [1] Between 1950 and 1974, he constructed more than 11,000 residences in California recognized as "Eichlers". [3]

Comprising 218 residences, the Fairglen Additions were built between 1959 and 1961 across three parcels of land. The initial design of site plans and residences was undertaken by architectural firms Anshen and Allen from San Francisco, and Jones and Emmons & Associates from Los Angeles. Completion of the project was handled by Claude Oakland Architect & Associates, based in San Francisco. Situated within a 1952 urban expansion zone southwest of San Jose's early Willow Glen neighborhood, the subdivision features single-family homes on separate lots, forming a cohesive community. These detached, one-story residences typically have flat or gently pitched gable roofs. Emphasizing privacy, they have open floor plans and modest facades, often integrating garages facing the street. Their construction employs a mix of post-and-beam framing, extensive glazing including clerestory windows, and concrete slab foundations with radiant heating—hallmarks of Joseph Eichler's Mid-century Modern designs. Despite occasional individual modifications such as altered rooflines or added second stories over time, the neighborhood retains significant architectural elements indicative of postwar housing developments. [1] [4]

The Fairglen Additions are situated along various streets, encompassing Booksin, Fairwood, Fairlawn, Fairorchard, and Fairorchard Avenues, Fairhill Lane, Fairdell and Fairglen Drives, Andalusia Way, Fairvalley, Fairoak, and Fairgrove Courts. The additions were on ranch property formerly occupied by fruit orchards. The development extended over more than five blocks and was organized in a southwestward layout. Referred to collectively as The Fairglen Additions, consisting of Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3. Unit 1, comprising 73 lots, commenced construction from the southwestern intersection of Curtner and Booksin Avenues, following a grid pattern with cul-de-sacs interspersed throughout. Unit 2, with 61 lots, extended the grid pattern from the western edge of Fairglen Avenue, gradually transitioning into a grid layout along the southern stretch of Fairlawn Avenue. Lastly, Unit 3, featuring 84 lots, progressed from the northern side of Fair Orchard Avenue, concluding with a winding grid pattern along the southern side of Andalusia Way. [1]

Design

Fairglen Addition with double-car garage and entry Eichler with double-car garage and entry to living area.jpg
Fairglen Addition with double-car garage and entry

The residences have expansive 50 ft (15 m)-wide open floor plans, designed to enhance privacy and seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living spaces. Their modest facades typically incorporate integrated fencing and garages facing the street. Six different floor plan layouts generally fall into two categories: L-shaped plans featuring a front courtyard nestled between the garage and the living/dining area, or square plans with an atrium situated between the garage and the bedroom wing. [1] [5] [4]

The initial interior materials and finishes were chosen with a focus on simplicity, ease of upkeep, longevity, accessibility, and affordability. The ceiling is formed by the stained underside of 2 inches (51 mm) by 8 inches (200 mm) tongue-and-groove redwood roof decking. Interior walls have deep-toned Philippine mahogany veneer paneling. Flooring consists of 12 inches (300 mm) asphalt tiles covering concrete slab on-grade foundations with radiant heating. A notable feature in many models is the built-in breakfast bar, designed to swing into the multipurpose room and extend out into a spacious dining table. [1]

The homes have integrated landscaping elements such as divided-concrete driveways, pathways, organic-shaped courtyard patios, and terraces set back from the floor-to-ceiling windows to accommodate landscaping. Additionally, they feature benches and front privacy fences with vertical grooves that blended into the front elevations. [1]

Historical status

The Fairglen Additions was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 2019. [2] and registered on June 6, 2019. [1]

The Fairglen Additions is historically significant in architecture as a recognizable example of mid-century modern postwar architecture, crafted by master builder Joseph Eichler. The period of significance is from 1959 to 1961, aligning with the construction timeline of the subdivision. [1] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Maybeck</span> American architect

Bernard Ralph Maybeck was an American architect in the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century. He was an instructor at University of California, Berkeley. Most of his major buildings were in the San Francisco Bay Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. Quincy Jones</span> American architect

Archibald Quincy Jones was a Los Angeles–based architect and educator known for innovative buildings in the modernist style and for urban planning that pioneered the use of greenbelts and green design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranch-style house</span> American domestic architectural style

Ranch is a domestic architectural style that originated in the United States. The ranch-style house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and wide open layout. The style fused modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period of wide open spaces to create a very informal and casual living style. While the original ranch style was informal and basic in design, ranch-style houses built in the United States from around the early 1960s increasingly had more dramatic features such as varying roof lines, cathedral ceilings, sunken living rooms, and extensive landscaping and grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Eichler</span> 20th century American architect

Joseph Leopold Eichler was a 20th-century post-war American real estate developer known for developing distinctive residential subdivisions of Mid-century modern style tract housing in California. He was one of the influential advocates of bringing modern architecture from custom residences and large corporate buildings to general public availability. His company and developments remain in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Haven, San Jose</span> Neighborhood of San Jose in Santa Clara, California, United States

Palm Haven is a historic residence park and neighborhood in the Willow Glen district of San Jose, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holmes Run Acres</span> United States historic place

Holmes Run Acres is a community of 355 houses in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. Nearly all of the neighborhood is within the Holmes Run Acres Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Westwood Highlands is a small neighborhood located in south-central San Francisco, California, northeast of the intersection of Monterey Boulevard and Plymouth Avenue. It is bordered by Westwood Park to the south, Saint Francis Wood to the west, Sherwood Forest to the north, and Sunnyside to the east. Mt. Davidson, the highest point in San Francisco, lays just northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willow Glen, San Jose</span> Neighborhood of San Jose in Santa Clara, California, United States

Willow Glen is a district of San Jose, California, in Santa Clara County. Willow Glen is known for its historic downtown, dining and shopping, and is one of the most expensive neighborhoods to live in San Jose. Willow Glen was originally an independent town, until it voted to be annexed by San Jose in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haas–Lilienthal House</span> Historic house in California, United States

The Haas–Lilienthal House is a historic building located at 2007 Franklin Street in San Francisco, California, United States, within the Pacific Heights neighborhood. Built in 1886 for William and Bertha Haas, it survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire. The Victorian era house is a San Francisco Designated Landmark and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was converted into a museum with period furniture and artifacts, which as of 2016 received over 6,500 visitors annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta Hanchett Park, San Jose</span> Neighborhood of San Jose in Santa Clara, California, United States

Shasta Hanchett Park is a historic residence park and neighborhood in the greater Rose Garden district of central San Jose, California, near Downtown San Jose and The Alameda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arden Park–East Boston Historic District</span> Historic district in Michigan, United States

The Arden Park–East Boston Historic District is a neighborhood located in Detroit, Michigan, bounded on the west by Woodward Avenue, on the north by East Boston Boulevard, on the east by Oakland Avenue, and on the south by Arden Park Boulevard. The area is immediately adjacent to the much larger and better-known Boston-Edison Historic District, which is on the west side of Woodward Avenue, and also close to the Atkinson Avenue which is just south of Boston-Edison. There are 92 homes in the district, all on East Boston or Arden Park Boulevards. Arden Park Boulevard and East Boston Boulevard feature prominent grassy medians with richly planted trees and flowers. The setbacks of the homes are deep, with oversized lots. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willow–Spence Streets Historic District</span> Historic district in Texas, United States

The Willow–Spence Streets Historic District is a neighborhood that lies east of downtown Austin, Texas. Its houses, churches, and commercial buildings were built in the early twentieth century. It is bounded roughly by Interstate 35 to the west, East César Chávez Street to the north, and Spence Street to the south. It extends a few houses east of San Marcos Street along Willow and Canterbury Streets. It thus includes portions of Willow, Spence, Canterbury, San Marcos, and Waller Streets. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House at 313 Albany Avenue</span> Historic house in New York, United States

The house at 313 Albany Avenue, in Kingston, New York, United States is also known as the Hutton House. It is a frame house built near the end of the 19th century.

Anshen and Allen was an international architecture, planning and design firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Boston, Columbus, and London. The firm was ranked eighth for sustainable practices, and nineteenth overall in the "Architect 50" published by Architect magazine in 2010. They also ranked twenty-eighth in the top "100 Giants" of Interior Design 2010.

John Calder Mackay was an American post-war real estate developer, best known for his modernist tract homes built by the company he co-founded, Mackay Homes. He also served on the board of directors for the Children's Health Council and was one of the founders of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-100 (house)</span> United States historic place

The X-100 is an experimental steel house designed by A. Quincy Jones with his partner Frederick Emmons for Eichler Homes and built in 1956 at the San Mateo Highlands development in California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl and Virginia Young House</span> Historic house in California, United States

The Earl and Virginia Young House, also known as the Young-Sartorette House, stands as a historic residence in Campbell, California. Constructed in 1928, it served as the home for Earl Young, a successful orchard farmer in the Santa Clara Valley, and his family. The house is historically significant in the Tudor Revival architectural style, which gained popularity in the mid-twentieth century. In 1981, the Herz family relocated both the house and garage to prevent them from potential demolition. The Young-Sartorette House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 8, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest & Emily Renzel House</span> Historic house in California, United States

The Ernest & Emily Renzel House is a historic residence in San Jose, California. The house was the residence of San Jose mayor Ernie Renzel, and for being one of the first Ranch style homes built in the Naglee Park conservation area. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 23, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messina Orchard</span> Historic Orchard in California

The Messina Orchard is a historic orchard, located in San Jose, California, US. The 4.96 acres (2.01 ha) tract of land has two residences associated with the Messina family. It holds significance in the realm of agriculture for its connection to the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley, as well as for its architectural value due to the presence of two period-revival family homes. The Messina Orchard was officially recognized and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 9, 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sally Notthoff Zarnowitz (April 30, 2019). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "California State Historical Resources Commission To Consider Nine Nominations for Action". California Department of Parks and Recreation. January 22, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  3. "JOSEPH L. EICHLER (1900-1974)". US Modernist. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. 1 2 3 "Sample Nominations - Multiple Property Documentation". National Park Service. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  5. Sal Pizarro (August 14, 2019). "Eichler neighborhood in San Jose added to historic register". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved March 19, 2024.