Beyond the Tract: The Custom Eichler Townhomes in Santa Clara

The Pomeroy Green & Pomeroy West Eichlers in Santa Clara: Why Joseph Eichler Built Them

Overview & Significance

In the early 1960s, Santa Clara was undergoing explosive transformation—from farmland and orchards into the suburban heart of Silicon Valley. Amid this rapid change, most developers produced conventional ranch homes, leaving little room for architectural experimentation.

Against that backdrop, Pomeroy Green and Pomeroy West stand out as two of the only modernist townhouse communities ever built by Joseph Eichler, and among the few modern-style planned developments in the city. Their rarity is tied to both their architectural pedigree and their social purpose.

Eichler was not simply adding more homes to Santa Clara; he was introducing a new idea:
attainable, community-oriented modern living for the middle class—rooted in the same design ethics as his single-family homes, but in a denser, more collective form.

These two developments are sister communities, built side by side along Pomeroy Avenue, and together they represent the largest concentration of Eichler townhomes in the South Bay.

Why Joseph Eichler Built Pomeroy Green & Pomeroy West

Eichler’s decision to build these townhouse developments was driven by a mix of philosophical, economic, and urban planning impulses:

1. Expanding Access to Modern Architecture

By the early 1960s, land costs were rising sharply across Santa Clara County. Eichler feared that the price of large single-family lots would limit access to his modern homes. Townhouse communities allowed him to:

• reduce per-home land cost

• offer modern design at more attainable prices

• attract young families, teachers, engineers, and first-time buyers

In essence, Pomeroy Green and Pomeroy West were built to democratize mid-century modern living.

2. Experimentation With Community Living

These developments let Eichler explore a concept that fascinated him:
shared green space as an anchor for community life.

To Eichler, courtyards and atriums weren’t just architectural gestures—they were social tools. With Pomeroy Green and West, he scaled that idea to a neighborhood level. Both tracts were designed around:

• park-like central lawns

• pedestrian pathways

• car-free interior zones

These features were meant to encourage genuine neighbor interaction—an increasingly rare quality in suburban development.

3. Architectural Innovation at a Smaller Footprint

The Pomeroy townhomes allowed Eichler’s architects—Jones & Emmons and Claude Oakland—to reinterpret the Eichler identity in a denser format:

• attached townhomes with private patios

• long, low massing

• dramatic glass walls facing shared landscape

• exposed post-and-beam interiors

• radiant floor heating

• clerestory windows and atrium-like entries

They were modern to the core, but compact and efficient.

4. A Social & Ethical Mission

Eichler famously opposed discrimination in housing. His integrated communities, fair-selling policies, and progressive stance set him apart nationally.
By building lower-priced modern homes in a desirable and fast-growing city like Santa Clara, he was:

• opening doors to families historically excluded from the conventional housing market

• promoting diversity (racial, economic, and generational)

• creating neighborhoods explicitly designed for community, not status

Pomeroy Green and West embody Eichler’s belief that well-designed housing improves lives—and should not be reserved only for the wealthy.

Historical Context

Built around 1962–1964, the two Pomeroy developments emerged during:

• the rise of microelectronics and early tech industries

• a boom in Santa Clara population

• a shift toward suburban density

Unlike Saratoga or Los Altos—where custom or isolated mid-century modern homes appeared sporadically—Santa Clara had more land for tract development. Even so, very few developers embraced modern architecture. Eichler saw Santa Clara as fertile ground for:

• middle-income modern living

• innovative site planning

• alternative ownership models

The two Pomeroy communities became prototypes for how medium-density modern housing could coexist with suburban surroundings.

Design Characteristics & Architectural Identity

Although Pomeroy Green and Pomeroy West contain attached homes, their architecture is unmistakably Eichler.

Core Design Features

Indoor–Outdoor Living

• Large glass walls opening to patios or common greens

• Private courtyards that act as mini-atriums

• Homes designed to feel bigger than their footprint

Post-and-Beam Construction

• Exposed structural elements inside and out

• Clean, rectilinear lines

• Honest expression of materials (wood, concrete, glass)

Low-Pitched Roofs & Horizontal Emphasis

Both developments maintain the long, low silhouettes that typify Eichler’s single-family homes.

Open Interiors

• Minimal hallways

• Vaulted ceilings in some models

• Flexible great rooms

Community-Oriented Layout

Both tracts were built around expansive shared greenspaces—a hallmark that distinguishes them from nearly every other townhouse development of the time.

Why Two Separate Developments? Pomeroy Green vs. Pomeroy West

Despite their proximity, Pomeroy Green and West were designed with slightly different intentions:

Pomeroy Green

• Oriented around a larger central greenbelt

• Slightly more suburban “park community” feel

• Emphasizes pedestrian movement and shared landscape

Pomeroy West

• Includes a pool and private recreation spaces

• Homes cluster around internal courtyards and walkways

• Slightly more enclosed, village-style planning

Together they offered buyers options—either a more open, park-like environment or a more intimate, courtyard-based layout—while still staying within Eichler’s philosophical framework.

Preservation, Renovation & Ongoing Challenges

As land values in Santa Clara have increased, the Pomeroy townhomes have faced the same pressures affecting all Eichler properties:

• upgrades needed to meet modern efficiency standards

• homeowner associations balancing preservation with practicality

• owners deciding between restoring original elements or modernizing

Thankfully, many residents recognize the architectural value of these communities. A large percentage of homes still retain:

• original beams

• glass walls

• radiant heat systems

• unaltered rooflines

Because these are attached homes governed by HOAs, large-scale alterations are less common, which has actually helped preserve architectural consistency.

Market Dynamics & Buyer Appeal

Today, Pomeroy West and Pomeroy Green remain highly attractive because they offer:

• authentic Eichler design at lower prices than single-family Eichlers

• walkable layouts and shared greens rarely found in newer townhome complexes

• a close-knit feel that reflects Eichler’s ideal of community

• a unique architectural identity in a city dominated by conventional suburban housing

Their rarity—both historically and architecturally—means demand remains strong whenever one enters the market.

Cultural & Architectural Importance

The Pomeroy Eichler communities matter not only because they are beautiful or rare, but because they represent:

• Eichler’s commitment to modern design for everyone

• a pioneering experiment in community-based housing

• one of the few intact mid-century townhouse developments in Silicon Valley

• a bridge between traditional suburban living and modernist ideals

They stand as physical reminders of a developer who believed architecture could elevate everyday life and bring people together.

Active / Recently Marketed (Eichler & Eichler-Adjacent)

Pomeroy West — Mid-1960s Eichler Townhome (Active / Recent)

Architectural vibe: classic Eichler attached design: exposed beams, private patios, clerestory windows, floor-to-ceiling glass facing greenbelts, radiant slab heat.
Why it matters: Pomeroy West is one of the very few true Eichler townhome communities in Santa Clara. Every listing showcases how Eichler translated his single-family modernism into a compact, community-focused format.

Pomeroy Green — Mid-1960s Eichler Townhome (Active / Recent)

Architectural vibe: long horizontal rooflines, open-plan interiors, interior courtyards, walls of glass, community greenbelt access.
Why it matters: Often priced more accessibly than Cupertino/Palo Alto Eichlers, Pomeroy Green gives buyers townhome convenience without losing the authentic Eichler post-and-beam identity.

Sold / Documented

Recent Sale Example — Pomeroy West Townhome

Architectural vibe: low-slung attached structure, atrium-like entry, indoor–outdoor flow, open living/dining volume, signature Eichler glazing.
Why it matters: Demonstrates the strong buyer pool for preserved Eichler details—radiant heat, unaltered beam structure, period-correct materials—within a centrally located Santa Clara enclave.

Recent Sale Example — Pomeroy Green Interior-Court Unit

Architectural vibe: sheltered courtyard entry, glass-lined living room opening to communal lawn, clean mid-century geometry.
Why it matters: Confirms that Eichler townhomes benefit from both architectural scarcity and community-driven amenities (large shared greens), helping them command premium $/sqft versus conventional ’60s condos.

About the Two Pomeroy Tracts (Context & Heritage)

Pomeroy Green — Eichler; ~300 units; early 1960s

Architectural vibe: pedestrian pathways, park-centered planning, expansive common greens, floor-to-ceiling glass, radiant heat.
Why it matters: One of the biggest surviving Eichler townhouse communities in the Bay Area; exemplifies Joseph Eichler’s push for affordable, community-oriented modern design.

Pomeroy West — Eichler; ±92 units; early 1960s

Architectural vibe: private patios, low profiles, indoor–outdoor living, classic Eichler beam structure.
Why it matters: The companion community to Pomeroy Green—together they form Santa Clara’s largest Eichler cluster and illustrate Eichler’s vision for medium-density modern living.

Nearby Eichler & Mid-Century Context (for comps & narrative)

South of Pomeroy — Single-Family Eichler Pockets (Santa Clara & Cupertino border)

Architectural vibe: atrium models, gable-roof Eichlers, dramatic glazing, open-beam ceilings.
Why it matters: These single-family neighborhoods establish pricing benchmarks for authentic Eichler architecture and help explain why the Pomeroy townhomes remain in demand.

Lawrence Expressway Corridor — Non-Eichler MCM Influences

Architectural vibe: post-and-beam ranches, open living rooms facing yards, clerestory windows—a lighter mid-century touch without full Eichler pedigrees.
Why it matters: Helps show how Eichler’s ideas influenced other builders in Santa Clara during the 1960s, even in non-tract or mixed-style neighborhoods.

Quick Map Notes (How to Tour Efficiently)

Cluster 1 — Pomeroy Avenue Corridor

Includes: Pomeroy Green & Pomeroy West (north of Benton, east + west of Pomeroy Ave).
What to look for: courtyard entries, long rooflines, shared greens, preserved beam structures.

Cluster 2 — Lawrence Expressway Fringe

Includes: scattered MCM ranches influenced by mid-century modernism.
What to look for: open-beam living rooms, glassy rear façades, subtle Eichler echoes in stand-alone homes.

Cluster 3 — Single-Family Eichlers (South Santa Clara / West Cupertino)

Includes: atrium and gallery models off Lawrence + Homestead.
What to look for: pure Eichler DNA for price comparisons—useful when positioning Pomeroy Green/West for buyers seeking entry-level Eichler ownership.

Eric & Janelle Boyenga
Founding Partners | The Boyenga Team at Compass
📞 Call/Text: 408-373-1660
📧 Email: homes@boyenga.com
🌐 www.BoyengaTeam.com | www.EichlerHomesForSale.com
CA DRE #01254724 / #01254725