The Eichler Effect

In a time of strong economic performance and job growth here on the SF Peninsula, it has become commonplace for new homeowners and real estate investors to tear down and rebuild dilapidated or out of style homes to maximize their market value.  Despite this, the peninsula’s many Eichler tracts have, for the most part, managed to resist these character changing trends.  I attribute this to two factors: activism within Eichler communities to preserve what they believe to be historic neighborhoods, and the Eichler owner’s genuine appreciation for the iconic mid-century modern look.

You’d be hard pressed to find a city more vigilant about preserving their history than Palo Alto.  As such, it comes as no surprise that Palo Alto has been among the most active in fighting to preserve their Eichler neighborhoods.  In 2005, residents of the Green Gables and Greenmeadow Eichler tracts succeeded in having their neighborhoods placed on the national registry of historic places.  While this designation doesn’t expressly prohibit anyone from purchasing and demolishing an Eichler, it establishes a hostile environment towards anyone with those intentions.

But even without a collective effort within a community to preserve them, Eichler neighborhoods seem to resist change more than others.  Take the Atherwood subdivision in Redwood City for example.  Despite being one of the first Eichler tracts (developed in 1950), there have been no major movements to preserve them.  Yet for the most part they remain intact.  We were able to gain some insight as to why that may be recently when we actually purchased one of the Atherwood Eichlers and had a chance to speak with the neighbors.  It was clear that everyone we spoke to felt an attachment to their Eichlers, either for their historical significance, their “bring the outside in” design concept, or a combination of the two.  So when these homeowners decide to renovate, they do so in a manner that is sensitive towards preserving the Eichler style.  They update the homes rather than rebuild them.

Whether or not you appreciate the Eichler style - glass walls and atrium designed to blur the line between outside and in, and vaulted wood beam ceilings over an open floorplan to create an airy living space - these homes represent a unique time in architectural history.  To learn more about Eichler homes, reference my last blog post! Crash Course on Eichler Homes