Ecco Park — tract homes in Dublin (1965)

When many Bay Area subdivisions struggled during the tight-money years of 1966 and 1967, Ecco Park kept expanding.

Built between 1965 and 1969 by Hy Weisel’s Proud Homes, the Dublin subdivision combined small lots, aggressive financing, theatrical model-home features, and unusually heavy branding into one of the area’s largest postwar tract developments.

At its peak, Ecco Park stretched across nearly 650 homes—and included everything from wet bars and oversized garages to the infamous “Sun-Ray” bathroom window built directly into the shower.

1965 newspaper ad for Ecco Park homes in Dublin, California, announcing the subdivision's launch; 40 homes sold in the first 14 days.
From the Oakland Tribune in August 1965—Ecco Park made a splashy debut, selling 40 homes in just 14 days. It wasn’t just affordable—it had flair.

Where is Ecco Park in Dublin?

Annotated aerial map showing the boundaries of the Ecco Park neighborhood in Dublin.
Annotated aerial map of the Ecco Park neighborhood in Dublin, California. Base imagery from Apple Maps.

Ecco Park opens in 1965

Ecco Park opened to the public on Sunday, August 29, 1965, with prices starting at $17,950. The lots were smaller—under 6,000 sq. ft.—but what they lacked in land, they made up for in flair.

Hy Weisel wasn’t just building homes—he was building a lifestyle. One with sunken family rooms, oversized garages, acoustical ceilings (the infamous “popcorn”), cultured-marble vanities, and Redwood fencing that offered privacy from every angle—well, almost every angle.

Hy Weisel marketed Ecco Park aggressively during the housing slowdown of the late 1960s. While neighboring subdivisions like Redwing Valley and Villa de San Ramon struggled, Proud Homes continued expanding—sometimes by purchasing the neighboring projects outright.

Weisel also favored unusually theatrical subdivision names. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, Proud Homes developments carried names like “Yum Yum” and “Ooh La La.”

1966 newspaper photo of Hy Weisel, the developer of Ecco Park, known for colorful marketing and accessible home pricing.
From an August 1969 The Argus—Hy Weisel, the showman behind Ecco Park—and other eyebrow-raising developments.

Selling the tract

Select models in Ecco Park came equipped with the "Sun-Ray" bathroom, a full-length window right in the shower. Was it for natural light? Architectural drama? Suburban exhibitionism? You decide. What’s certain is that it gave new meaning to “good morning, neighbors.”

Newspaper photo from 1966 showing a shower in Ecco Park with a full-length window—aka the “Sun-Ray” bathroom.
From an April 1966 Oakland Tribune—The infamous "Sun-Ray" bathroom—natural light or neighborhood theater?

Vintage photo of the Laguna model’s family room featuring a built-in wet bar, circa late 1960s.
From a January 1967 Oakland Tribune—A proper party starter: the family room wet bar in the Laguna model.

A May 1967 Oakland Tribune showing three pictures of a 5-year old playing lady of the house. She shows off linen closets, a dining room, and a glass shower.
From a May 1967 Oakland Tribune—the show often stared children playing adults in staged photos. Five-year old Tracy Richards plays the "little lady," and shows off features aimed at the woman of the house: linen cabinets, formal dining room, and the safety-glass shower.  

A August 1967 Oakland Tribune photo that shows a little girl pouring tea to serve a man outside through the large window in the garden kitchen.
From a August 1967 Oakland Tribune—Another staged photo with a little girl as she pours tea and prepares to serve. Enabled entirely through a large window that opens to the outside in the garden kitchen. 

Pricing history of Ecco Park homes

  • 1965: $17,950 - $20,950
  • 1966: $20,250 +
  • 1967: $19,450 - $25,250
  • 1968: $23,000 - $26.925
  • 1969: $24,950 - $29,450

The homes of Ecco Park

When Ecco Park opened, buyers toured a carefully staged collection of Proud model homes showcasing the neighborhood’s mix of architecture, indoor-outdoor living, and family-oriented floor plans. Though individual elevations varied, these original models helped define much of the neighborhood’s visual identity.

The four original models opened in 1965 on Amador Valley Boulevard. A fifth model arrived in 1966, and two more opened in 1967.

Map showing the model home complex for Ecco Park in Dublin, California, developed by Proud Homes in the mid-1960s.
Annotated aerial map of the Ecco Park model home complex on Amador Valley Boulevard. Base imagery from Apple Maps.

Model homes of Ecco Park

1. The Newcastle - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,464 sq. ft.

2. The Newport - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,602 sq. ft.

3. The Coronado - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,268 sq. ft.

4. The Bayview - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,060 sq. ft.

5. The Laguna - 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,830 sq. ft. Added in 1966.

6. The Balboa - 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,610 to 1,625 sq. ft. Added in 1967.

7. The El Dorado - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,257 sq. ft. Added in 1967 to lower the starting price of the neighborhood.

Current appearance of the original Newcastle home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Newcastle model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Newport home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Newport model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Coronado home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Coronado model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Bayview home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Bayview model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Laguna home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Laguna model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original Balboa home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original Balboa model today via Google Street View.

Current appearance of the original El Dorado home in Dublin's Ecco Park.
Original El Dorado model today via Google Street View.

Legacy of Ecco Park

Today, Ecco Park still stands out within Dublin’s early suburban landscape. The neighborhood’s compact lots, dramatic model variations, and unmistakably mid-1960s design choices remain surprisingly intact.

And while most tract developments sold buyers on practicality alone, Ecco Park added something else: spectacle.

Even by Tri-Valley tract housing standards, Hy Weisel’s subdivision seemed determined to make suburban life feel a little more theatrical.

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