William Lyon Homes in San Ramon: California Classics, Danridge, and American Classics

William Lyon Homes encompass a remarkable chapter in San Ramon’s suburban development, featuring three distinctive home series built between 1968 and 1973 across two neighborhoods.

Location of The Classics neighborhood in San Ramon, California. California Classics and American Classics homes were built in this neighborhood.

Location of the Danridge neighborhood, where Danridge, California Classics, and American Classics homes were built.

The story begins with the California Classics series, an award-winning collection of award-winning floor plans. These homes, built by the prolific William Lyon Homes, offered 2 to 4 bedrooms—each distinguished by the signature Terrace Kitchen, with its wall-to-wall gold anodized aluminum windows.

From a November 1968 Oakland Tribune ad—the future arrived, and everyone loved it.

Originally launched in San Ramon with a model home complex on Randolph Place, California Classics set a high standard for mid-century suburban living. Later, the homes were also built in the Danridge area, much to the dismay of some neighbors.

From an April 1969 Contra Costa Times—Terrace Kitchens, wrapped in glass and filled with light, won over buyers regardless of their compact size.

California Classics model homes

At the end of Randolph Place stood six marvelously decorated model homes, representing a selection from up to ten available floor plans (though not all plans were shown).

Site of the California Classics model homes complex. The sales office was at the corner of Tareyton, but demolished.

1. Unknown Plan – 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,453 sq. ft.

The original first model today.

2. The Plan 1– 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 888 sq. ft.

The original Plan 1 model today.

3. The Plan 3 – 4 bedrooms or 3 bedrooms plus den, 2 bathrooms, 1,153 sq. ft.

The original Plan 3 model today (with addition).

4. The Plan 2 – 2 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 bathrooms, up to 1,407 sq. ft., featuring a convertible second-floor space that buyers could finish as additional bedrooms or leave unfinished. This was the most popular model, later renamed the Plan 42, Bonus Room House, and Look Ahead House.

The original Plan 2 model today.

From a December 1970 Contra Costa Times—in the bonus room upstairs, chalking her cue in a flowing ’70s dress—pool table, Pepsi-Cola glow, and a night made for style and games.

5. The Plan 4 – 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,383 sq. ft.

The original Plan 4 model today.

6. Unknown Plan– 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,448 sq. ft., introduced after the sales complex opened.

The original final model today.

Pricing during this period ranged from approximately $19,990 to over $31,000, reflecting both plan size and year of construction.

Danridge neighborhood and model homes

Danridge opened in 1969 on the northeastern edge of San Ramon and was marketed as homes for “country gentlemen.” William Lyon showcased four models with Terrace Kitchens, some of the largest homes built in San Ramon to date. Notably, some featured the innovative “parent saver retreat,” where master bedrooms were separated from other bedrooms.

From a May 1969 Oakland Tribune ad—"homes for country gentleman”—positioning Danridge as aspirational, private, and distinctly upper-tier.

A few models were displayed on the north side of Casa Grande Drive near San Pedro Place, and a welcome center was built near Alcosta and San Ramon Valley Boulevard to sell both Danridge and American Classics homes.

From a July 1970 Contra Costa Times—from countertop to backyard cocktails—because a good host never has to leave the kitchen.

From a November 1969 Contra Costa Times—designed for privacy. Perfect for introspection, polyester, and whatever was in that cocktail.

Danridge models included:

The Plan 1 – 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,500 sq. ft.

The original Plan 1 model today.

The Plan 2400 – 4 or 5 bedrooms, 3 or 4 baths, 2,309 sq. ft., with multiple exterior elevations.

The original Plan 2400 model today.

Pricing initially ranged from $27,500 to $35,950, reflecting the upscale positioning of these homes.

Originally planned as 111 homes, only 51 Danridge homes were built before building contracts expired. Market shifts led William Lyon to discontinue the Danridge line in 1970 and begin building smaller, more affordable California Classics and American Classics homes in the neighborhood’s center.

American Classics: the missing model complex

In 1971, William Lyon introduced the American Classics series—smaller, affordable homes priced between $19,990 and $25,990—built in The Classics and Danridge neighborhoods.

From a September 1971 Oakland Tribune ad—when homes sold for under $21K, the real upset wasn’t the buyers—it was the neighbors.

American Classics homes filled the physical gap between the two earlier neighborhoods, ultimately uniting the area into one larger community with three distinct series. The American Classics sales office operated in the welcome center on San Ramon Valley Boulevard, separate from the Randolph Place California Classics model complex.

From a June 1971 Contra Costa Times—“Sock it to me… and show me the bonus room!” Ruth Buzzi greets guests at the grand opening, Laugh-In style.

Despite the series’ quick sales success, the location of the American Classics model homes is unknown, but it may have been on Kittery Avenue.

The Plan 5 - 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 905 sq. ft.

The Plan 6 - 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, 938 sq. ft.

From an August 1971 Oakland Tribune—Plan 6 — 938 square feet of carefully arranged optimism, possibly in San Ramon... or maybe just a clever photo from somewhere else.

The Plan 7 - 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,595 sq. ft.

From a July 1971 Contra Costa Times–the Plan 7 was the East Bay’s cheapest 4-bedroom in ’71 — small as a Cracker Jack box, but big on style and avocado dreams.

Legacy and community

William Lyon Homes was known for adapting to market conditions, shifting from wood siding to fiberglass and scaling home sizes to meet economic realities. However, these changes sparked resistance from existing homeowners, especially in Danridge, who feared diminished property values. NIMBY movements and lawsuits arose, underscoring tensions around affordable housing development in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Despite these challenges, the neighborhood completed buildout in 1973, with Larwin Group taking over and finishing the Danridge area with Encore San Ramon. The William Lyon neighborhoods today stand as a testament to mid-century suburban innovation and the evolving housing market, combining architectural distinctiveness with the complexity of community growth.