The Northgate Eichlers Walnut Creek

About the Northgate Eichlers

Eichler’s brochure called the tract Walnut Grove, though residents now mostly say Northgate Eichlers. The Eichler Network dates the houses from 1969 into the mid-1970s, not long before Eichler died in 1974. The brochure planned 86 houses on lots of 10,000 square feet or larger; 34 were built.

All were designed by Claude Oakland. Per the brochure the homes run 2,305 to 2,500 square feet, most with four bedrooms and atriums. Unlike earlier Eichlers they came with fiberglass insulation in the roofs and exterior walls, and utility lines run underground.

The site was a walnut orchard, and the brochure said as many trees as possible were saved; residents later planted redwoods. The tract is split in two, with Belford Drive a block from the other Eichler streets.

built

1969–mid-1970s

Eichler homes

34 built of 86 planned in Eichler’s brochure, per the Eichler Network (2019)

architect

Claude Oakland

builder

Eichler Homes

city

Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County

Streets

Eichler was one of several builders in the Northgate area, so these streets also have non-Eichler homes.

Sources: Eichler Network, “Eichlers in Bloom” (2019) and “Eichler Enclave Retains Its Shady Looks” (2019); UC Berkeley Environmental Design Archives, Oakland & Imada project index.

Eichler sales on these streets

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Closed sales reported to the MLS whose listings mention Eichler, on this tract’s streets. Homes that sold privately, or whose listings don’t say Eichler, won’t appear.

Buying or selling a Northgate Eichler

• Radiant heatMost Eichlers were built with hot-water radiant heat in the slab. Ask whether the original system still runs, has been repaired or was replaced, and get a radiant-heat specialist to look before you remove contingencies.
• The roofThe low-slope roofs and their insulation are a common upgrade. Ask for the roof’s age, material and any permits.
• Glass and wallsOriginal single-pane glass and thin wall panels are typical. Many owners have upgraded; ask what was done and whether it was permitted.
• Walnut Creek rulesWe found no Eichler-specific rules. Walnut Creek’s zoning code, as published on a third-party code site, exempts most additions to detached houses from design review unless they pass set limits, such as 4,500 square feet in total or a large or close-to-the-line second story in R-8 to R-10 zones. Confirm the zoning and current rules with the city’s Planning Division.
• Atrium framing and insuranceThe Eichler Network reports owners who found rotting atrium beams and an insurer that treated the open atrium as a roof defect. Check the atrium framing and line up insurance early.
• Past alterationsSome owners have converted garages or removed atriums, per the Eichler Network. Ask for plans and permits for any changes.

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