Eichler Partygoers Take a Trip Back in Time

The compact neighborhood of Eichler homes in San Jose’s neighborhood of Rose Glen is a friendly spot, the kind of place where, relative newcomer Megan Blaine says, “After moving in, people came over and introduced themselves, showed us where they lived and talked about their houses.”

Still, Susan Price-Jang, an old-timer going back in the tract to 1986, thought it would be a good idea to throw a ‘Mid Mod Mad Men Party’ for the neighborhood for people to get to know each other.

That’s because, even though Megan, a building designer, and her husband Keith, an architect, just arrived a year ago, since they arrived many other newcomers have followed.

“There has been so much turnover in the last couple of years,” Megan says. “There have been five to six sales on these three streets. Almost everybody moving in is around our age with young kids.” The Blaines themselves have a six-month- old boy.

Susan says, “Suddenly we have babies and toddlers living here after years of zero kids.” She helped organize the party with several neighbors, including Celeste Smith, a member of the Rose Glen Neighborhood Association board.

The invitation to neighbors promised “Soda, Water, and ‘50’s Music” and asked folks to bring “Beer & your favorite 50’s snack food to share with your neighbors.” “’50’s style attire is encouraged”

Like many people who came to the party, Celeste and her husband Dave dressed the part, Dave as a greaser.

Also giving the party a bit of 1950s flair – many adults were waving cigarettes. “No adults were smoking at this party, but most people were posing with candy cigarettes, because that’s what people did in the 1950s,” Susan says. “They smoked like fiends.’

“It was an opportunity at the party to meet new neighbors,” Megan says. “There are only three streets, it’s a small little niche area.”

“We met people from the two other streets,” she adds. “There are people who have been living here many decades and newcomers like me. It’s nice to mingle.”

“The  party was great,” neighbor Karina Marshall says, adding, “There was lots of talking, laughing, eating.”

“This feels like it would have been 60 to 70 years ago,” she says of the party, “with one big change. The ladies were standing around talking and all the husbands were taking care of the kids.”

“It seems like a real gem. It’s special. My husband and I have always loved Eichlers and we were trying to get one for a while. We couldn’t be happier with the architecture of it.”

The party, which attracted about 50 people, featured a historical display arranged by Karina, who delved through the archives of architect A. Quincy Jones in UCLA to find original plans and drawings for the neighborhood, which was originally called Morepark and was built in 1952 and 1953 near San Joe City Collage.

These pre-atrium homes were designed by Jones & Emmons and Anshen & Allen.

“This neighborhood is going through a lot of, I don’t know if it’s a revival, maybe,” Karina Marshall says, adding, “It’s good to know the history of it. It’s the first San Jose neighborhood built by Eichler.”

“Over the last year there were five or six houses that have gone on sale. Everyone who purchases one are young families with kids,” she says. “There haven’t been a lot of kids in the neighborhood. We’ve all become friends and hang out. When you get together it feels like what you would have seen in the ‘Fifties when this neighborhood was first occupied and the neighborhood was coming to life.”

“And they all care about the Eichler look,” she says of the new arrivals.

The tract retains a bit of small town feel in another way – “a neighborhood feral chicken named Rosie who hangs out in hospitable front yards. She has been hanging around for at least four years,” Susan says, “and has evaded hawks (I witnessed one encounter) and cars, cats, etc. One tough bird. Kids walking to school love to see her.”

“I’ve never lived in a neighborhood that’s this close as this neighborhood,” says Megan, who has also lived in Los Angeles and London. “It’s so sweet. People pop by. Tonight we’re going to night to a neighbor’s house.”

“I feel Rose Glen is often an overlooked Eichler neighborhood,” Megan says. “In my view that’s been a benefit to the neighborhood. But it’s nice to get a little recognition.”

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