TractTales | The making of Tri-Valley suburbia

Published October 20, 2025 Tucked against the rolling, oak-studded hills of what is now the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, Highland Oaks emerged in the mid-1960s as one of west Pleasanton's first large-scale housing tracts. Built in four phases between 1965 and 1969, the tract brought approximately 363 homes to the edge of what was then still a small, agrarian town on the brink of suburban transformation. The tract was constructed by Schulte-Blackwell, a builder known for creating family-oriented neighborhoods with modern comforts. Though sales began in October 1965, the official grand opening wasn't until January 1966—by which time more than 100 homes had already been sold, a testament to the area’s appeal and the shifting demand for suburban living among Bay Area families. Mapping Highland Oaks Highland Oaks was built off Foothill Road. Familiar streets include Highland Oaks Drive, Driftwood Way, Desertwood Lane, and a portion of Muirwood Drive. Annotated aerial map o...

Published October 16, 2025 Perched on the rolling hills of west Dublin, the Briarhill housing tract stands as a symbol of postwar optimism and suburban luxury in the Tri-Valley region. Spanning 106 acres of undulating land with commanding views of the Amador Valley, Briarhill was more than a housing development—it was a vision for a new kind of suburban living, one that blended architectural ambition, exclusivity, and the aspirations of the Bay Area’s burgeoning middle class. Mapping Briarhill Annotated aerial map of the Briarhill tract in Dublin, California. Base imagery from Apple Maps. The birth of Briarhill: 1963 The story begins in 1963, when San Leandro-based Perma-Bilt Enterprises broke ground on the Briarhill housing tract. At the time, Dublin was still emerging from its agricultural roots and grappling with the rapid pace of suburbanization spreading eastward from Oakland and Hayward. Briarhill marked a turning point: it was Dublin’s first true "upscale" neighb...

Published October 14, 2025 On October 26, 1969, Kaufman & Broad unveiled their latest housing concept in north Livermore: The Expandables . This housing tract was a direct response to the growing challenge of affordability for first-time homebuyers at the tail end of the 1960s. Rising home prices and tightening credit standards were making traditional homeownership increasingly out of reach, particularly for younger families. Kaufman & Broad, drawing on the success of a similar development in Huntington Beach, brought this innovative model to the Tri-Valley area. Mapping The Expandables Kaufman & Broad pointed to location as one of the tract’s main draws. The site—bounded by East Jack London Boulevard (then still known as East Las Positas), Olivina Avenue, and Murrieta Boulevard—was chosen for its long-term appeal. Proximity to downtown Livermore, strong local schools, emerging institutions like Las Positas College, and nearby parks and recreation reinforced the area’s ...

Published October 10, 2025 In late 1975, a new chapter began in San Ramon’s suburban evolution. Shapell Industries, newly arrived from Southern California, initiated a bold and modern housing tract called Rancho Ramon —their first foray into northern California homebuilding. Over the course of three years, they would build approximately 262 homes that marked a stylistic and cultural shift from the familiar ranch houses of earlier decades to something larger, more vertical, and more aspirational. The timing was significant: this was the first large-scale housing project in San Ramon in four years, signaling renewed growth and confidence in the area. It also reflected a deeper desire—shared by homebuyers and developers alike—for homes that embodied space, modernity, and status. The mid-1970s were a moment of architectural experimentation and social optimism, despite larger economic uncertainties. Energy concerns were growing—California was reeling from the energy crisis of the early ...

Published October 3, 2025 By 1973, inflation was rising, gas was rationed, but Mackay Homes still believed in giving home buyers their  casita de ensueño . After completing its 1968 housing tract, which Mackay also marketed under the name Del Prado, the builder opened a second Del Prado housing tract farther into the Del Prado neighborhood, closer to the swim club. Although sales began in late 1973, it wasn't until early 1974 that five model homes opened on Hansen Drive at Calle Reynoso. Valley Avenue hadn’t been completed then, so Hansen was the primary route into the tract. Mapping the 1973 Mackay Del Prado Mackay Homes’ 1973 housing tract was built around Calle Reynoso in the Del Prado neighborhood. Some of Mackay’s earlier homes Del Prado homes also stand in this section. Annotated aerial map showing the location of Mackay Homes' 1973 Del Prado housing tract within the Del Prado neighborhood in Pleasanton. Homes and architecture When Mackay Homes introduced its secon...