Piedmont Pines Display Homes

Happy New Year!

A bit more history of the display or model homes in the Piedmont Pines neighborhood. There seems to be a lot of information on these homes, and local architects (now famous) designed many.

Spanish View Home – Ascot Lane

“The Spanish View Home is completely equipped with the latest ideas in modern home construction”

Oakland Tribune 1932

The Spanish View Home and the one next to it were designed and built by Thomas Sharman.

Oakland Tribune June 26, 1932
“Spanish View Home” 31 Ascot Lane – Google Maps

Architectural Prize Home – 1933 – Unknown Location

I haven’t been able to locate the address of this house. If you recognize it, please let me know.

Oakland Tribune November 19, 1933

The Architectural Prize Display Home was designed by Miller & Warnecke. The design was chosen from among 19 individual plans submitted by 11 different architects during a competition in the spring of 1933.

Oakland Tribune December 10, 1933

It opened in December 1933. Thirty-nine hundred and eighty-five visitors walked through the home on its opening day, and by the end of the first two weeks, over Seventy-five hundred people had visited the house.

The home was created with these three principle points:

  1. Moderate in price -well within the means of the average family.
  2. It had to fit the site in Piedmont Pine and take full advantage of the contour of the lot, the size of the lot, the view, and the trees.
  3. It had to set a standard for the future homes to be built in the area.

Miller & Warnecke had this in mind when they designed the home.

Oakland Tribune Dec 1933

There are seven large rooms, including the rumpus room or recreation hall, in the basement. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the patio level. The bedrooms are elevated a half story above the living room.

Oakland Tribune November 26, 1933

The home was furnished by Breuner’s of Oakland, and L’Hommedieu were the selling agents.

8 thoughts on “Piedmont Pines Display Homes

    • Hi is this the Tommy Mortensen I lived by. This is Jennifer White. My brother Teddy and I lived on Longwalk Drive

      • Greetings! I am one of the 3 ‘Viera girls’ who grew up in Piedmont Pines. First we lived on Clive and then on Ascot. Our dad designed and built both houses and we remember the painted rock down ‘at the fork’! Also remember you, Jennifer, and your family.

        • Hi, I recognize the name Viera, I have seen it a few times in the newspaper. Was you sister married to Arthur Horn? Dorothy

  1. Thank u. Loved this as I grew up in Piedmont Pines in the home my parents built in 1930 off Ascot Dr on Longwalk Dr. Wish I could buy that house back! What a treasure it was! Jennifer

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