May 2018 will be the 20th anniversary of the largest Eichler teardown ever, that of the twin Geneva Towers in San Francisco, built as dream housing for the lower middle class, later to become known as “the ghetto in the sky.”. 11.10.2020 11:26 AM. The Eichler Network did cover the destruction of the towers in 1998 with a feature article, and it is worth considering the towers again on the 20th anniversary of their destruction for what the tale says about Eichler’s socially conscious move into city high-rise living, and how good intentions can lead to disasters. The towers would share a landscaped park and playground, include three- and four-bedroom apartments complete with radiant heat, have laundries on each floor – and provide childcare. While the Geneva Towers cease to exist, the Geneva Terrace townhomes still exist and continue to serve as affordable housing for San Francisco families. Interestingly – indeed, tellingly – Eichler began building Geneva Towers even as the city was awash with vacant apartments. Already Eichler was in trouble with the project. Other Eichler towers: Laguna Eichler (1963) at 66 Cleary Court; Central Towers (1964) at 350 Turk Street; Geneva Towers (1964) in Visitacion Valley demolished in 1998. Another comparable condo, 916 Henry St, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 recently sold for $173,500. Today, Eichler teardowns are in the news, with neighbors in such Eichler-rich cities as Palo Alto and Sunnyvale seeking ways to prevent owners from replacing Eichler homes with new larger homes. The Geneva Towers were the only buildings south of downtown that you could see for miles away driving up 101. Eichler Homes for Sale in Visitacion Valley. Buyer demand is high, and there simply aren't enough homes available to buy to meet that ... By Renee & Barry Adelmann,Eichler For Sale Team. Geneva … Search. He summoned his son, Ned to review the company assets. As the Chronicle reported on May 31, 1964: “It has been estimated that from 3,000 to 4,000 of the 10,000 high-rise apartments, cooperatives and condominium units now ready for occupancy in the city are vacant.”. Geneva Towers. The Photographers Who Defined Modern. Geneva Towers. Discover (and save!) Shortly thereafter, Eichler and his son Ned Eichler sold a controlling interest in the company to two investors. He was building at a time when federal and city officials were willing to work with, and finance, builders of homes for low-income people, and for housing that served both low- and moderate-income residents. It was a dream. Timeline 4: Triumphs, Tragedy in the ‘60s. Joe said no. The Geneva Towers were the only buildings south of downtown that you could see for miles away driving up 101. In today's real estate market (not just the Eichler market but the entire real estate market! Eichlers second project in Visitacion Valley was Geneva Towers, an 18-story twin-tower high rise apartment complex located near the intersection of Garrison Avenue & Schwerin Street in San Francisco's District 10. I hope other builders will be as far-sighted as Mr. Eichler and come forward to assist in fulfilling the demand for such housing.”, The San Mateo Times reported on Eichler’s motive for the towers: “This unique housing project – the largest of its kind in the country – was planned by Joseph L. Eichler with human rather than financial profit in mind.”, The towers were built, the Chronicle reported, “under a special and little-known section of the Federal Housing Program designed to help provide housing for those people whose incomes are too high for public housing and too little for what is known as mass market housing.”, Eichler, who also built residential towers atop Russian Hill and in the gritty Tenderloin, was focused on attracting people to live in San Francisco. In the early 1960s, Joseph Eichler enlisted the help of architect Claude Oakland to design affordable housing in the Visitacion Valley. In the late 1960s, Eichler turned to what might be called the "sore thumb style" of architecture - erecting three residential towers in San Francisco.