A Return to Westlake, America's Most Perfect Ticky-Tacky Suburb

10 December 2006

A Return to Westlake, America's Most Perfect Ticky-Tacky Suburb

Following up on our previous exploration of "America's Most Perfect Ticky-Tacky Suburb," we recently returned to the fascinating Westlake District of Daly City, California, just south of San Francisco, to attend a lecture by Rob Keil and to take a lot more photos.

First, let's hear from Rob Keil. He's the author of "Little Boxes: The Architecture of a Classic Midcentury Suburb," and his mastery of his subject is impressive. Here are a few notable tidbits about Westlake excerpted from his lecture and his book:

>> Henry Doelger, the man who developed Westlake, chose to live there as well. He built a home for himself in the neighborhood at 112 Northgate Avenue, and raised his children there.

>> To save money, Doelger built his own lumberyard to supply his own building materials. The resulting cost savings enabled him to purchase higher-quality lumber, so Westlake houses are built almost entirely out of long-lasting, water-resistent redwood.

>> Westlake was created over the course of 20+ years. Grading of the land began in 1947. Ultimately, the development included 6,500 houses, 3,000 apartments, two shopping centers, churches, restaurants, and a medical facility.

>> A typical Westlake lot was 33 feet wide and 100 feet deep. The houses were designed sort of like a Mr. Potato Head toy; by mixing and matching basic architectural elements, in 1950 it was possible to transform seven basic floorplans into 260 different facades.

>> Westlake homes began selling for about $10,000 in 1949. In 1950, 96 percent of Westlake homes were purchased while still under construction, and some were on the market for as little as 30 minutes.

A few days after hearing Keil's talk, we returned to Westlake on a rainy and overcast afternoon to take a few more photos. Click the link below to go on a virtual tour of the neighborhood.