Sunset East is a Sunset Homes neighborhood in Livermore, California, that marked a turning point in the company's approach to suburban development. Built beginning in 1968, it expanded on the ideas introduced in Granada Village with larger lots, neighborhood parks, schools, and a new emphasis on architectural design.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sunset Homes transformed Sunset East into a showcase for its most ambitious homes. Working with architect Kenneth Gooch, the company introduced distinctive designs with dramatic rooflines, innovative floor plans, and features that made kitchens and family spaces central to everyday living.
More than another subdivision, Sunset East marked the moment when Sunset Homes became known not just for building neighborhoods, but for rethinking how suburban families lived within them. Many of its original home designs remain recognizable—and are still identified by their original model names more than fifty years later.
Where is Sunset East?
Sunset East is located just south of downtown Livermore between Holmes Street and Arroyo Road. Between Sunset Homes' earlier neighborhood Granada Village (Sunset West), the two neighborhoods form one of the largest continuous developments ever built by Sunset Homes.
Street names throughout Sunset East follow two themes: European cities and famous explorers.
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| Annotated aerial map of the Sunset East neighborhood in Livermore, California. Base imagery from Google Maps. |
A neighborhood built around variety
Unlike many subdivisions of the era that repeated only a handful of floor plans, Sunset East emphasized architectural diversity. Between 1968 and 1974, Sunset Homes built more than 1,000 homes across multiple home series, each designed for different lifestyles, price points, and family needs.
The result was a neighborhood with remarkable visual variety while still maintaining a cohesive community feel.
Many homes featured:
- Dramatic tri-level floor plans
- Open-concept living spaces
- Large suburban lots
- Mid-century modern influences
- Innovative kitchen layouts
- Attached two- and three-car garages
- Distinctive rooflines and window designs
More than fifty years later, Sunset East still stands out for its architectural creativity and mature tree-lined streets.
Homes built in Sunset East
- 600 Series homes (Livermore, 1968)
- Young Americans Series homes (Livermore, 1969)
- Ivanhoe Villas (Livermore, 1970)
- Wildwood Series homes (Livermore, 1970)
- Ripplebrook Series homes (Livermore, 1971)
- Quietwood Series homes (Livermore, 1971)
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| A striking example of a 600 Series home—part of the first wave of construction in Sunset East, built in 1968. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Sunset East today
Today, Sunset East remains one of Livermore’s most architecturally interesting neighborhoods. Many homes retain their original floor plans while reflecting decades of careful personalization and updating by homeowners.
Mature landscaping, preserved brick entry monuments, and classic mid-century details continue to define the neighborhood’s character.
Local landmarks include:
- Sunset Park
- Karl Wente Park
- Parkway Park
- Sunset Elementary School
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| A brick monument welcomes you to Sunset East, complete with the original Sunset Homes emblem. |
Legacy of Sunset East
Sunset East represents an important chapter in Livermore history. The neighborhood captured a unique moment when affordability, creativity, and suburban optimism came together in American homebuilding.
More than just another subdivision, Sunset East showcased Sunset Homes’ evolving vision for community planning and architectural variety. Every street and floor plan contributes to the larger story of “Sunsetown,” the ambitious master-planned vision created by developer Masud Mehran.
If Granada Village laid the foundation, Sunset East became the breakthrough that defined Sunset Homes in Livermore.
Collection
Livermore — the places that built a modern city
This collection explores the new-home communities, builders, and neighborhoods that transformed Livermore during the decades when ranches, orchards, and open fields gave way to the neighborhoods that define the city today.
Continue exploring
- Granada Village — Livermore's first master-planned suburban community
- Whispering Pines — Sunset Homes’ multi-series neighborhood in Livermore
- Sunset Homes — how one builder transformed Livermore neighborhoods
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