Before the term "active adult community" had made it onto brochures, Sunny Glen was quietly making history as San Ramon’s first over-50 community. Built by Volk-McLain, the community opened with fanfare on June 30, 1963, drawing an estimated 2,000 families to its grand opening celebration.
Located within walking distance of a country club and riding stables, Volk-McLain promised Sunny Glen as a lifestyle that was equal parts peaceful and perk-filled.
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Selling the dream
As Volk-McLain was planning the community, it was originally conceived under the name Carefree World—a title that left little ambiguity about its target market. Plans called for 132 duplex units, 144 apartments, and 296 individual homes spanning both sides of the Alameda–Contra Costa county line.
This was a subdivision strictly for those 50 and up—a feature that was both its selling point and, as the ads made clear, part of the appeal.
The heart of Sunny Glen was its community center, open to all residents. Volk-McLain touted its fabulous amenities and calendar of events, including:
Dinners
Fashion shows
Square dancing
Talent programs
Themed parties (including the occasional luau, of course)
Outdoor facilities featured a swimming pool, whirlpool area, sunbathing deck, and lawn bowling green—a retirement-ready take on suburban recreation.
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| May 1965 Daily Review ad—after a lifetime of wishing kids would run and play, retirement marketing flipped the script: in Sunny Glen, they promised, children would be neither seen nor heard. |
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| September 1964 Daily Review photo—a riotous Sunny Glen luau, where the leis were plentiful, the buffet endless, and retirement meant never saying no to a second helping. |
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| May 1963 Oakland Tribune ad—the Williamsburg model in its heyday: fresh paint, manicured lawn, and all the mid-century optimism a three-bedroom ranch could hold. |
Smaller lots, bigger promise
To create a more open, park-like feel, portions of the tract—especially to the north and west—were originally set aside as open space. Over time, however, these open areas were gradually filled in as development pressure and community needs grew.
The tradeoff? Smaller private lots in exchange for shared tranquility—at least, that was the pitch.
Legacy of Sunny Glen
By mid-1967, Volk-McLain had concluded its sales efforts at Sunny Glen. The development had underperformed, and only one full unit—149 homes and 92 apartments—was ever completed. Dead-end streets suggest the planned expansion into today's Dublin and up the hills, but one can only imagine what that might have looked like.
Volk-McLain sold off its remaining assets in San Ramon Village. including Sunny Glen, in 1967. By 1969, the new owners were ready to re-energize the community—but an incomplete buildout might have left Sunny Glen with a new financial challenge. With fewer households than planned, community upkeep would have to be absorbed by existing homeowners.
Over the decades, several infill projects were added:
Tangerine Court condominiums (~1983, approx. 40 units)
Villa San Ramon and Ivy Park senior complexes (~1990)
Though the neighborhood's original vision shifted, Sunny Glen still holds the distinction of being San Ramon’s first over-50 community—complete with square dancing, AstroTurf, and a whirlpool bath under the sun.
The original Sunny Glen models and sales materials
When Volk-McLain introduced Sunny Glen in 1963, prospective buyers encountered the community through its model homes. The models showcased the different designs, floor plans, and lifestyles the builder was offering to buyers in San Ramon.
The original model homes provide a way to revisit that introduction. The guide below shows where Volk-McLain's models were located, preserves the original sales material where available, and explores the designs the builder offered to prospective buyers when the community was new.
Original model home complex
The model complex was located at Neptune Place and Craydon Circle, with the sales office positioned at Neptune Place and Firecrest Lane. There were six model homes and two furnished apartments on display—essentially three floor plans, offered in variations with different garage sizes and lot configurations.
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| Annotated aerial map of the original Sunny Glen model home complex on Firecrest Lane. Base imagery from Apple Maps. |
Original advertised prices
- Jun. 1963 advertisement: $11,950 - $20,950
- 1964: $16,500 - $29,050
- 1965: From $16,650
- 1966: From $20,950 (model homes)
Original model home designs
1. The sales office - The sales office was located in a modified Plan 3 home, with entry through the side.
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| Original sales office today via Google Street View. |
2. The Plan 1 - This model offered approximately 1,310 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 1 model today via Google Street View. |
3. The Plan 2 - This model offered approximately 1,165 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 2 model today via Google Street View. |
4. The Plan 3 - This model offered approximately 960 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 3 model today via Google Street View. |
5. The Williamsburg - This model offered approximately 1,310 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Williamsburg model today via Google Street View. |
6. The Normandy - This model offered approximately 960 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| The original Normandy model today via Google Street View. |
7. The Plan 6 - This model offered approximately 1,165 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 6 model today via Google Street View. |
Collections
San Ramon — the neighborhoods that built a suburban city
This collection explores the new-home communities, builders, and neighborhoods that shaped San Ramon during its principle years of suburban growth that gradually became the modern city.
The San Ramon Village collection explores the master-planned community that transformed former ranches and orchards into today's Dublin and South San Ramon. Although the name has largely disappeared, the neighborhoods, subdivisions, schools, parks, and shopping centers built as part of the original plan continue to shape the Tri-Valley.
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