Pleasanton's Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows: 1972–1976 homes & subdivision history

Cover photo of a typical two-story home in Pleasanton’s Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows neighborhoods, built between 1972 and 1976 by Standard Pacific Homes. The home features a red tile roof, stucco exterior, and Mediterranean-inspired styling—common design elements in these mid-1970s suburban developments.

Welcome to Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows

As an infill project within Pleasanton’s Del Prado neighborhood, Standard-Pacific Corporation built a collection of 3- and 4-bedroom homes under the names Easy Street, and Pleasant Meadows. Though technically part of the Del Prado neighborhood, Standard-Pacific never used the name to market the development—likely because Del Prado was already synonymous with founding builders Ditz-Crane and Mackay, and had a strong local reputation.

Map showing the location of Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows homes within the Del Prado neighborhood of Pleasanton, California. Streets are labeled, outlining the residential layout and positioning of the two housing areas within the larger suburban community.

Map of Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows homes in Del Prado. Approximately 113 homes (6 duets) were built between 1973 and 1976.

One easy way to identify the later Pleasant Meadows homes is by their tile roofs—an upgrade not offered during the Easy Street phase.

The opening of Easy Street

The first preview opening came in June 1972, with four model homes on Hansen Drive near Hopyard Road. That year, 19 homes were built and sold before Pleasanton’s housing moratorium took effect—an early success.

Vintage newspaper ad from July 1974 promoting the launch of Easy Street, a new housing development in Pleasanton. The ad features bold typography and marketing slogans like “the new home community with everything going for it,” along with pricing for four home plans ranging from $42,490 to $45,490. A snapshot of 1970s suburban real estate advertising.

A vintage July 1974 advertisement announces the grand opening of Easy Street, a new home community in Pleasanton's Del Prado neighborhood. Promoted as “the new home community with everything going for it,” the ad highlights four distinct home designs priced from $42,490 to $45,490—reflecting the era’s optimism and suburban growth.

A second phase followed in late 1973, with 37 additional homes and four new models. Curiously, these model homes were left unfurnished. Standard-Pacific claimed this would help buyers better imagine their own furniture inside. A surprising strategy, especially considering how essential staging is in modern home sales.

Sales were sluggish due to high interest rates, and by 1975, Standard-Pacific began offering discounts up to $3,000 to attract buyers.

Vintage newspaper ad from April 1975 promoting a builder’s inventory reduction sale, offering up to $3,000 off new homes and advertising 7¾% conventional financing. The ad reflects the economic slowdown of the era, with sluggish home sales prompting aggressive marketing and discount strategies.

A vintage April 1975 advertisement announces a builder’s inventory reduction sale in response to a slowing housing market. With up to $3,000 in price reductions and new 7¾% conventional financing, the ad reflects the economic uncertainty of the mid-1970s and the challenges builders faced in selling new homes.

The 1972 homes of Easy Street

The model complex was located on Hansen Drive at the corner of Hopyard Road, four homes launched the development.

Map showing the layout of the Easy Street model home complex on Hansen Drive in Pleasanton, California. The map identifies the locations of the four model homes—The Cedar, Maple, Cypress, and Elm—within the Del Prado neighborhood, illustrating the arrangement of the homes along the street and their relation to surrounding lots and roads.

Map of the Easy Street model complex on Hansen Drive.

Pricing history

1972 (Phase 1): $31,800 +
1973–75 (Phase 2): $36,990 - $45,990

Model homes

1. The Cedar - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,400 sq, ft. The smallest, but with a large country kitchen.

2. The Maple - 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1,520 sq. ft. Included a dining room and family room with a vaulted ceiling.

3. The Cypress - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,652 sq. ft. The largest home in the series.

4. The Elm - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,527 sq. ft. Noted for its built-in bookcase in the family room.

Easy Street today

Here are the former model homes of Easy Street as they appear today.

The Cedar today

Current photo of The Cedar model home at Easy Street in Pleasanton, a single-story house with a compact footprint and simple exterior. Originally 1,400 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, it also served as the builder’s sales office and featured a spacious country kitchen.

The Cedar model, once used as the sales office, is the smallest of the four homes. Its single-story layout and large country kitchen made it a practical and inviting option for growing families.

The Maple today

Current image of The Maple model home at Easy Street, a 1,520 sq. ft. single-level house with a stone-accented facade and attached garage. This 3-bedroom, 2-bath home reflects contemporary suburban styling of the era.

The Maple model offers a contemporary single-story design with a distinctive stone-faced front, combining clean architectural lines with mid-1970s curb appeal.

The Cypress today

The Cypress model is the largest and most contemporary of the Easy Street homes, designed for families seeking both space and modern design in a single-story plan.

The Elm today

Current image of The Elm model home at Easy Street, a single-level ranch-style house with a straightforward layout. With 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms across 1,527 sq. ft., it reflects the practical, no-frills suburban style of its time.

The Elm model presents a classic mid-1970s ranch design—simple, functional, and well-suited to Pleasanton’s growing suburban landscape.

The opening of Pleasant Meadows

In 1976, the subdivision reopened under a new name: Pleasant Meadows. This time, market conditions were better, and the homes sold quickly—despite the name creating confusion with the already well-established Pleasanton Meadows neighborhood across town. Real estate agents may have panicked, but buyers still found their way.

Vintage 1976 newspaper ad for Pleasant Meadows in Pleasanton, featuring the slogan “Suddenly the country is convenient!” and promoting new homes priced from $47,990. Highlights include commute access to major Bay Area cities and pre-installed air conditioning ducts.

Vintage March 1976 ad announcing the grand opening of Pleasant Meadows in Pleasanton. With the slogan “Suddenly the country is convenient!”, the ad promoted a pastoral lifestyle just a commute away from San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Priced from $47,990, homes came with modern touches—including ducts pre-installed for future air conditioning—catering to forward-thinking suburban buyers.

The homes of Pleasant Meadows

Utilizing the same Easy Street sales office on Hansen Drive, three new model homes were shown across the street. Additionally, buyers could still choose the Elm and Cypress models from Easy Street.

Map showing the layout of the Pleasant Meadows model home complex on Hansen Drive in Pleasanton, California. The map highlights the positions of the three model homes—The Maple, Madrone, and Magnolia—within the Del Prado neighborhood, depicting their arrangement along Hansen Drive and their placement within the residential subdivision.

Map of the Pleasant Meadows model complex on Hansen Drive.

Pricing history

Mar 1976: $47,990 +

Model homes

1. The Maple - 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1,520 sq. ft. A slightly updated version of the same home from Easy Street.

2. The Madrone - 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,636 sq. ft.

3. The Magnolia - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,481 sq. ft.

Pleasant Meadows today

Here are the former model homes as they appear today.

The Maple today

Current photo of The Maple model home at Pleasant Meadows, a single-story ranch-style house with a low-pitched roof and front-facing garage. Originally built in 1976, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home preserves the suburban form and functionality of mid-'70s design.

The Maple model at Pleasant Meadows remains a classic single-story ranch home, offering a slightly updated version of its earlier Easy Street counterpart. Its modest scale and livable floor plan reflect the practical suburban design of the mid-1970s.

The Madrone today

Current photo of The Madrone model home at Pleasant Meadows, a two-story contemporary house with a red tile roof and attached garage. Featuring 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, it reflects 1970s suburban styling with a Mediterranean twist.

The Madrone model stands out with its two-story contemporary design and red tile roof—an architectural nod to California’s Mediterranean influences during the 1970s housing boom.

The Magnolia today

Current image of The Magnolia model home at Pleasant Meadows, a single-story contemporary house with a tile roof and simple stucco facade. With 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, it reflects the practical elegance of mid-1970s suburban development.

The Magnolia model features a clean, contemporary single-level design with a tile roof, showcasing Pleasant Meadows’ blend of California style and efficient floor planning.

A changing landscape

Easy Street sits just north of the original Mackay and Ditz-Crane tracts. Once they wound down operations in the mid-1970s, developers like Standard-Pacific filled in remaining parcels with whatever product made sense for the market.

After Easy Street and Pleasant Meadows, much of the surrounding land sat vacant until the mid-1980s, when new subdivisions like Country Fair appeared. Final buildout of Del Prado wouldn’t happen until the late 1990s, with scattered infill near Hansen Park and along Hopyard Road.

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