Alexander Homes
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| Industry | Construction |
|---|---|
| Founder | George and Robert Alexander |
| Defunct | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Palm Springs, California |
Alexander Construction Company was a Palm Springs, California, residential development company that built over 2,200 houses in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California, between 1955 and 1965.
The construction of these homes doubled the size of Palm Springs and caused the city to take on a new shape, direction, and character as an enclave of modern architecture in the Mid-century modern style. These houses, collectively known as "Alexanders," have come to be appreciated for their rational designs, modernist style, and innovative construction and are now highly sought after, selling for a premium over their more conventional contemporaries.
The company was founded by George Alexander and his son Robert, building starter houses of 1,200 square feet (110 m2) priced moderately at $19,500 in south Palm Springs, a location at that time not considered fashionable. Each new development was increasingly ambitious, adding amenities and square footage. By the end of the 1950s, the Alexanders were building in northwest Palm Springs, traditionally the haven of the wealthy and "Old Hollywood" crowd. Joseph C. Dunas was an equal partner with the Alexanders when they built the Twin Palms tract and the Ocotillo Lodge Hotel as well as many other "Alexanders." Alexander, his son, daughter in law and wife perished in a plane crash leaving Palm Springs for Los Angeles.
Many of these later houses exceeded 2,000 square feet (200 m2), with the largest adding another 600 square feet (56 m2). A swimming pool was included in all of these designs, priced then from the high $40,000s to the low $50,000s. The neighborhood, known today as Las Palmas, became the neighborhood of choice for the "New Hollywood" crowd seeking weekend Colorado Desert escapes. Dinah Shore, Dean Martin, Joan Collins, Marilyn Monroe, and Harold Robbins each owned an "Alexander." Frank Sinatra's home by E. Stewart Williams is nearby. Nancy Sinatra still lives in the neighborhood.
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Wikipedia