Livermore history: the story of Sunset Homes

Between 1958 and 1977, Sunset Homes, led by developer Masud Mehran, transformed Livermore from a ranching town into one of California’s most ambitious postwar suburbs. With more than 3,500 homes constructed and over 12,000 residents housed, Sunset’s developments became a cornerstone of Livermore’s identity—blending suburban ideals, walkable planning, and modern design at a time when the East Bay was rapidly changing. More than just a builder, Mehran envisioned a fully integrated community—with schools, shopping, recreation, and architectural variety all planned from the ground up.

Masud Mehran came to Livermore in 1951 with a $7,000 loan and big ideas. Within a decade, his modest five-home project had grown into Granada Village—Sunset Homes’ first large-scale neighborhood. Over time, his developments would transform the city into a vibrant suburban landscape that embodied the postwar dream, shaped by Livermore’s unique blend of affordability, sunshine, and science.

Aerial view of neighborhoods built by Sunset Homes. Spanning decades of development from 1958 to 1977, this master-planned community reshaped Livermore’s suburban identity and now houses over 12,000 residents.

Sunset Homes also built The Meadows, at the corner of North Livermore Avenue and Portola Avenue.

From ranchland to neighborhood

Before it became one of Livermore’s largest suburban developments, the land acquired by Masud Mehran in 1958 was mostly open ranchland. He first purchased 506 acres along the city’s southern and western edges—property that had once been part of Rancho Valle de San Jose, a Mexican land grant with ties to early Livermore settlers like Joseph F. Black and Dennis Bernal. Bernal, notably, donated the now-famous Centennial Light, a symbol of Livermore’s local pride and enduring legacy.

This 1878 map of Livermore shows early roads, creeks, and land holdings. The area that would be developed by Sunset Homes was originally part of Rancho Valle de San Jose from colonial times.

This land—once used for ranching, grazing, and farming—became the site of Granada Village. Today, that neighborhood is commonly known as Sunset West. Over the following two decades, Sunset Homes would go on to buy and develop the surrounding ranchland, including areas that would later be grouped under the name Sunsetown in the 1970s.

Master planning in the postwar boom

As America faced a housing shortage in the 1950s and families fled city life, Livermore offered something different: affordable land, a walkable downtown, and proximity to the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, which attracted thousands of workers.

Masud Mehran seized this opportunity. His vision wasn’t just tract housing—it was comprehensive community-building. Granada Village would include schools, parks, shopping, and swim clubs—all within reach of the homes themselves. These ideas reflected a growing national trend toward master-planned communities—but Sunset’s version had a distinctly local character.

Early marketing pitched Granada Village as the future of Livermore. A July 1960 ad showcased Sunset’s Homes at the Alameda County Fair.

This July 1960 Sunset Homes' ad highlights early marketing push to showcase Granada Village’s emerging community lifestyle, emphasizing suburban modernity amid Livermore’s evolving landscape.

The following year, new Sunset neighborhoods appeared on Verona, Elaine, and El Caminito streets—prompting a major annexation that increased Livermore’s land area by a third.

Livermore in 1961 with Sunset neighborhoods on Verona Ave., Elaine Ave., and El Caminito. Livermore increased its size by 1/3 after annexing the neighborhood in the late 50s.

By 1962, Granada Village had grown to over 1,000 homes. A Sunset Homes ad declared it “Livermore’s planned 1,700-home community,” complete with aerial photos of winding suburban streets. It was billed as the East Bay’s “greatest home show,” with prices starting at just $14,900—further proof that Sunset wasn’t just building homes, it was shaping Livermore’s future.

This 1962 Sunset Homes advertisement promotes Granada Village as Livermore’s premier planned community, boasting 1,700 homes. Highlighting the East Bay’s “greatest home show,” it invites buyers to explore the expansive neighborhood, with homes priced from $14,900 to $19,800—a testament to the ambitious scale and appeal of the development during that era.

Designing dreams: model homes and suburban aspirations

By the early 1960s, Sunset Homes wasn’t just selling houses—it wa curating lifestyles. Model homes became a key marketing tool, showcasing not only floor plans and finishes but a vision for modern suburban living. Sunset’s show homes were designed to inspire: wide lawns, sleek ranch architecture, family-oriented interiors, and sales pitches that spoke to the dreams of upwardly mobile buyers.

The first show home complex opened in 1961 on Grace Street, just off Holmes, and introduced buyers to models like the Palm Beach, Escondido, and Del Rio. Complete with water fountains and lush landscaping, the site signaled that Sunset wasn’t building cookie-cutter homes—they were building aspirational communities.

This December 1961 Sunset Homes ad introduces the 1962 line of homes with an invitation from Masud Mehran himself to tour the “superbly furnished new models.” Featuring an artist’s rendering of a sleek, contemporary ranch-style house, the ad highlights the modern design and quality craftsmanship that defined Sunset’s growing community.

In February 1964, Sunset opened a new show home complex on Camellia Drive, showcasing five model homes with expanded floorplans and updated exteriors. The ad campaign for this grand opening captured the emotional appeal of suburban escape: “Who would dream… just over the hill is the city.” It promised peace, schools, shopping—and a fog-free climate that set Livermore apart from its Bay Area neighbors.

This February 1964 Sunset Homes ad celebrates the grand opening of a new model home complex, inviting families to discover Livermore’s unique blend of suburban convenience and natural beauty. The copy emphasizes local schools, shopping, and easy commutes to nearby East Bay cities, while highlighting Livermore’s fog-free climate and abundant recreational opportunities—appealing to parents and children alike.

By 1965, Sunset Homes leaned into theatrical marketing. A July ad for their newest models in Granada Village featured a euphonium as a visual metaphor for celebration. These homes weren’t just new—they were part of a larger suburban spectacle, designed to thrill and inspire. Model home openings became events, complete with fanfare and eager crowds.

From a July 1965 Oakland Tribune—a grand opening ad that features a euphonium, symbolizing celebration and fanfare as Sunset’s newest homes hit the market.

To support growing interest and showcase construction quality firsthand, Mehran opened a sleek, modernist visitors center in 1968. Positioned as the gateway to Sunset’s expanding neighborhoods, the building gave prospective buyers a chance to learn about design options, explore plans, and get a closer look at Sunset’s construction standards. But when the center was eventually put up for sale “as-is,” it failed to attract a buyer—and was quietly demolished not long after. In future years, Sunset shifted to using one of the model homes themselves as the sales hub.

From a March 1968 Oakland Tribune—Sunset’s sleek visitors center wowed buyers—until it went on the market itself. Listed “as-is,” no one bit. It was torn down soon after.

The mid-1960s also marked a peak in architectural ambition. In 1966, Sunset unveiled the Castillo Marques, a tri-level home that broke sales records with 62 homes sold in a single month. The Castillo series introduced bold layouts, split levels, dramatic staircases, and increasingly sophisticated exterior designs that reflected a new level of confidence in the suburban market.

From a June 1966 Oakland Tribune ad—the Castillo Marques was the star of Sunset’s boldest lineup yet—part of a series so popular, it helped break company sales records in 1966.

Granada Woods: executive suburbanism

In 1963, Mehran launched Granada Woods, a walled enclave inspired by San Francisco’s St. Francis Woods. Underground utilities, wide medians, and 65 custom-home sites made it Sunset’s most elegant neighborhood—built with Lab executives in mind.

Despite its exclusivity, Granada Woods showed Sunset’s broadening vision. While most neighborhoods served working-class and middle-income buyers, Granada Woods catered to professionals, proving that Livermore’s suburban identity could hold both aspiration and accessibility.

Expanding east and south: Sunset East and Whispering Pines

A 1968 map of Livermore shows Sunset East and Sunset South under construction, while Granada Village is fully built out. Holmes Street was softened to accommodate suburban traffic flow. Sunset’s developments were now reshaping the city’s edges—physically and socially.

Following the build-out of Granada Village in the mid-1960s, Masud Mehran looked east and south for the next phase of Sunset’s expansion. In 1964, he acquired two new ranches—one east of Holmes Street, and another stretching south of Concannon Boulevard. These were soon named Sunset East and Sunset South, marking the beginning of a new era for the company’s vision and scale.

In 1968, Sunset East opened as the company's most ambitious neighborhood yet, with nearly 1,000 home sites and two distinct model complexes. The standout offering was a bold new line of homes originally known as the “Sunset East” series, later rebranded as the 600 Series.

This February 1968 grand opening ad for Sunset East features bold, space-age styling—inviting buyers to discover “homes of tomorrow.” With expansive layouts and modern features, it signaled a new era in suburban design.

Built primarily on Vancouver Way, these homes were known for their creative floor plans, including dramatic tri-levels, signature kitchen designs, and even rare 3-car garages. Naming conventions blurred—“Sunset East” referred both to the neighborhood and the new home series, leading to some confusion that lingered long after.

A Design 600 tri-level home still stands on Vancouver Way today, showing how Sunset’s ambitious 1968 designs continue to define the neighborhood’s unique character.

One of the most iconic features of this period was the “Kitchen in the Round,” designed by Ken Gooch. This futuristic, circular kitchen layout became an instant draw, helping Sunset sell nearly $1 million worth of homes in just 40 days—a record-breaking pace that underscored how Mehran was evolving both form and function to meet buyer demand.

From March 1968, this ad celebrated the “Kitchen in the Round”—an architectural centerpiece that blended form and function. Buyers were captivated by its novelty, and sales soared.

While homes continued to rise in Sunset East, Mehran began carving out the northern edge of the southern ranch. This would become Whispering Pines, the first of three neighborhoods within Sunset South.

Grading began in mid-1967, but the first homes didn’t go up until 1969. The lots were expansive—most over 10,000 square feet—with familiar street names like Lomitas Avenue, Stonebridge Road, and Lexington Way. Some early homes from the 600 Series were built here, especially in the northern section, but much of the neighborhood would later be filled in by subsequent home series throughout the early 1970s.

Sunsetown and the 1970s: Reinventing Suburbia

A new decade, a new identity

By 1970, Sunset Homes had transformed Livermore’s landscape, but founder Masud Mehran wasn’t done. Seeking to unify his developments under one bold vision, Mehran introduced a new name: Sunsetown. The term didn’t refer to a single neighborhood but to an entire network of interconnected, master-planned communities across Livermore.

A new sign appeared along Holmes Street, declaring:
Sunsetown
growing beautifully
population 12,500

A pop culture footnote: a parody Sunsetown sign appears in a 1985 music video ("Lets Go All the Way") by Insane Clown Posse, satirizing suburban idealism.

The Sunsetown name was meant to signify not just population growth, but a lifestyle—spacious homes, curving streets, parks, schools, and modern amenities—all thoughtfully planned under one development umbrella.

The 1970–1973 neighborhood boom

The early 1970s saw a major expansion, as Sunset Homes moved beyond the original Granada Village and Sunset East areas. Mehran opened four new neighborhoods:

1. Three Fountains (1971) - Nicknamed “the planets” for street names like Saturn Way and Mars Road.

2. Southern Whispering Pines (1972) - The southern portion of the earlier Whispering Pines development with large estate-style lots.

What south Livermore used to look like. The southern portion of Whispering Pines opened on May 7, 1972.

3. Shadowbrook (1973) - A showcase of progressive planning: 1/4 to 1/3 acre lots, 42 acres of open space, and parkland integrated from the start. Wide streets and striking views defined this hillside neighborhood.

4. The Meadows (1973) - Located off North Livermore Avenue. Touted for freeway access and sweeping valley views.

These neighborhoods marked the transition from pure expansion to refined, low-density development, reflecting a growing public concern about overbuilding and the loss of Livermore’s rural charm.

New model homes: Wildwood, Ripplebrook, and Quietwood

Alongside new neighborhoods came a new approach to home design. In a major departure from past practice, three series of model homes were introduced in 1970–71 and could be built in any Sunsetown neighborhood—a flexible, mix-and-match model that allowed for greater buyer choice and economic diversity.

1972 ad announcing the grand opening of Sunsetown Livermore’s new home series, featuring the Ripplebrook, Quietwood, and Wildwood models. Highlighted in the ad is the innovative round kitchen, adding a unique, functional twist to modern suburban living.

The new series:

• Wildwood - Debuted in Sunset East on Asti Court. Spacious homes geared toward growing families. Became the flagship model line until it was retired in 1974.

• Ripplebrook - Debuted on Heidelberg Drive. Cozy, efficient homes for buyers seeking smaller footprints or starter homes.

• Quietwood - Debuted on Alden Lane in Three Fountains. Mid-size homes that balanced Wildwood’s space and Ripplebrook’s charm.

Slow-growth movement & Sunset’s shift in strategy

In 1972, amid concerns about suburban sprawl, Livermore voters passed a building moratorium. Mehran adapted quickly.

“Fewer homes mean higher values,” he reminded buyers, using it as a marketing angle.

This shift led to lower-density developments, more preserved open space, and an intentional slowdown in buildout. 

Shadowbrook became the face of this new strategy, integrating parks like Ravenswood and Independence Park and balancing development with Livermore’s semi-rural character.

Winding down: the final model complexes

As Sunset’s inventory of undeveloped land dwindled, the home series were phased out:

• Ripplebrook and Quietwood: Retired by late 1973

• Wildwood: Retired mid-1974

To support the final neighborhoods—Shadowbrook and The Meadows—two new model complexes opened:

1. The Meadows (1973) - Located on Cromwell Street. Introduced all-new floorplans tailored to the neighborhood’s scenic setting.

April 4, 1976 ad promoted The Meadows’ hillside lots and easy freeway access.

2. Shadowbrook (1974) - Located on Superior Drive. Introduced the final “Shadowbrook Series,” featuring elevated style, larger lots, and more refined architectural details.

A $100 million community planned and built by Masud Mehran, the grand opening of the Shadowbrook model complex from June 9, 1974.

By March 1977, both neighborhoods had sold out. And with that, Sunset Homes’ era of large-scale development in Livermore quietly came to a close—leaving behind more than 3,500 homes and a model of suburban planning that still shapes the city today.

A lasting legacy

When Sunset Homes completed its final major neighborhood in 1977, nearly one in three Livermore residents lived in a Sunset-built home. What began in 1958 as a modest five-home project grew into one of California’s most ambitious postwar suburban communities—shaped by the vision of Masud Mehran, a first-generation Iranian-American developer who believed in the power of thoughtful planning and quality construction.

Though Mehran would go on to achieve even greater commercial success at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon Sunsetown remained his most personal and celebrated accomplishment. Its neighborhoods—Sunset West, Sunset East, Whispering Pines, Shadowbrook, The Meadows, and Three Fountains—weren’t just housing tracts; they were carefully planned communities that reflected the optimism and evolving ideals of the postwar American dream.

From round kitchens and tri-level floorplans to parks, wide boulevards, and environmental buffers, Sunset Homes didn’t just build houses—they shaped how people lived.

In a final flourish, Mehran’s son returned in 1978 to develop Sunset Oaks, a small 21-home infill project at Via del Paz and Desconsado Avenue. While modest in scale, it marked the quiet end of an era that had transformed the southern edge of Livermore forever.

Today, the legacy of Sunset Homes lives on—not just in the roofs and roads they laid, but in the generations of families who continue to call these neighborhoods home.

Related posts by neighborhood

• Sunset West history: Livermore’s 1958–1968 neighborhood development
• Sunset East history: Livermore’s 1968–1974 neighborhood development
• Whispering Pines history: Livermore’s 1968–1973 neighborhood development
• Three Fountains history: Livermore’s 1971–1973 neighborhood development
• Livermore's The Meadows: 1973–1976 homes & subdivision history
• Livermore's Shadowbrook: 1973–1977 homes & subdivision history

Related posts by homes series

• Sunset Granada Village 1961-1964
• Sunset Granada Woods 1963-1965
• Sunset 300 Series: 1964–1965 homes in Sunset West, Livermore
• Sunset Castillos Series: 1965–1968 homes in Sunset West, Livermore
• Sunset 600 Series: 1968–1970 Sunset homes in Livermore
• Young Americans Series: 1969–1970 Sunset homes in Livermore
• Wildwood Series: 1970–1974 Sunset homes in Livermore
• Livermore’s Ivanhoe Villas: 1970–1971 townhome history
• Ripplebrook Series: 1971–1973 Sunset homes in Livermore
• Quietwood Series: 1971–1973 Sunset homes in Livermore
• Sunset Oaks 1978-1979