across the u.s.mid-century modernarizona
Ralph Haver homes, Phoenix
Ralph Haver designed modest modern tract houses across the Phoenix area from the late 1940s into the 1960s. Built by local builders such as Fred Woodworth and Perry-Brignall, they’re known for low gable roofs, clerestory glass and brick or concrete-block walls. Most Haver tracts carry no historic designation; Town and Country Scottsdale, a Scottsdale district since 2005 and on the National Register, is the exception.
The housesThe rulesBefore you buy
- architectRalph Haver1915–1987
- tract eralate 1940s–1960sfrom Southdale, 1947
- roof pitch1:12the typical low gable
- designated62 homesTown and Country Scottsdale
the houses
What makes them distinctive
- Low gable roofsModern Phoenix’s Haver Archive gives a typical roof pitch of 1:12, with the main gable beam jutting out past the eave.
- Clerestory glassTrapezoidal clerestory windows and narrow window bands sit just under the roofline; Marlen Grove’s ads touted glass gables and strip clerestories.
- Brick to blockEarly houses used red brick and plaster, Superlite concrete block became standard from the mid-1950s, and later houses used slump block.
- Carports and patio-portsTapered or angled carport posts are a signature, and Town and Country homes added the patio-port, a large carport that can double as a patio.
- Open interiorsInterior block walls divide rooms without reaching the ceiling, under beamed ceilings.
- Walls of glassFloor-to-ceiling and corner-to-corner windows open the main rooms, with round steel posts supporting some window walls.
the tracts
Haver tracts
| Tract | City | Built | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlen Grove | Phoenix | 1952 | none |
| Northwood | Phoenix | 1952 | none |
| Starlite Vista | Phoenix | 1954 | none |
| Windemere | Phoenix | 1955 | none |
| Town and Country Manor | Phoenix | 1956 | none |
| Town and Country Scottsdale | Scottsdale | 1958–1960 | Scottsdale district, 2005; National Register |
| Town and Country Paradise | Phoenix | 1960 | none found |
Tracts and years from the Modern Phoenix Haver Archive; house counts aren’t documented for most of them.
protection
Designation and the rules
- Phoenix HP overlayHaver tracts aren’t among Phoenix’s 36 residential historic districts. Where a property does carry HP or HP-L zoning, minor exterior work needs a Certificate of No Effect, and bigger changes such as additions or new carports need a Certificate of Appropriateness after a public hearing; demolitions are reviewed.
- Scottsdale historic districtScottsdale’s Historic Preservation Commission reviews exterior alterations and demolition requests for properties on the city’s historic register, which includes Town and Country Scottsdale (designated 2005).
- National RegisterTown and Country Scottsdale is also on the National Register, which alone doesn’t restrict private owners; Scottsdale’s local review is what governs changes.
before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Confirm the statusIn Phoenix, check the zoning for an HP or HP-L suffix; in Scottsdale, confirm whether the house is in the Town and Country district and ask for the city approvals behind past exterior work.
- Roofline and roofMany Haver roofs in Marlen Grove and Windemere have been flattened, extended or raised. Ask for the roof’s age and permits, and whether the roofline is original.
- Enclosed carportsCarport enclosures are common; confirm that any enclosure was permitted, and in a historic district expect review for new carports or enclosures.
- Brick and blockNote whether the masonry has been painted: Modern Phoenix warns that paint is very hard to remove from clinker brick, and Phoenix’s preservation office discourages painting masonry that was never painted.
- Windows and coolingGlass walls and clerestories define these houses, and in Town and Country Scottsdale window replacement has gone through city review. Ask the age of the cooling system.
Sources disagree on Haver’s output (Atomic Ranch credits his firm with more than 20,000 residences; Modern Phoenix verifies a dozen-plus tracts totaling hundreds of homes) and on Town and Country Scottsdale’s dates (1958 or 1959; National Register 2009 or 2010).
sources
Where this comes from
Checked October 20, 2026.
- Modern Phoenix: The Ralph Haver Archive, chronologyHaver’s dates, the Nunn partnership, tracts, builders, home-count caveat.modernphoenix.net/haver/chronology.htm
- Modern Phoenix: The Ralph Haver Archive, characteristicsRoofs, clerestories, brick and block, carport posts, interiors.modernphoenix.net/haver/characteristics.htm
- Modern Phoenix: Town and Country Scottsdale62 homes, 2005 designation, National Register, patio-ports.modernphoenix.net/haver/towncountry.htm
- City of Phoenix: Residential historic districtsThe 36 districts.www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd/historic-preservation/phoenix-historic-property-register/residential-historic-districts.html
- City of Phoenix: Historic preservation FAQHP zoning, certificates, demolition review, masonry paint.www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd/historic-preservation/historic-preservation-faq.html
- City of Scottsdale: Historic Preservation ProgramCommission review of exterior alterations and demolition.www.scottsdaleaz.gov/historic-preservation-program
- City of Scottsdale: case 51-HP-2019Window replacement reviewed in Town and Country Scottsdale.eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/bldgresources/Cases/Details/50314
- Atomic Ranch: Windemere, Phoenix (2017)Windemere and the 20,000 figure.www.atomic-ranch.com/architecture-design/preservation-corner/windemere-phoenix-arizona/
- National Park Service: National Register FAQNational Register listing places no restrictions on what a non-federal owner may do with their property.www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/faqs.htm
questions
Questions we hear
Are Haver neighborhoods historic districts?
Only one Haver tract is designated: Town and Country Scottsdale, on Scottsdale’s historic register since 2005 and on the National Register. None of Phoenix’s 36 residential historic districts is a Haver single-family tract.
How many homes did Ralph Haver design?
There’s no verified total. Modern Phoenix documents more than a dozen tracts bearing Haver’s name, totaling hundreds of homes, and treats a widely repeated figure of about 20,000 as unverified.
What makes a house a Haver?
Look for a low gable roof (about 1:12) with the beam jutting past the eave, clerestory glass under the roofline, brick or concrete-block walls and tapered carport posts.
more to learn
Keep going
- Mid-century modern across the U.S.Every guide in the series, coast to coast.
- Mid-century modern homes in Silicon ValleyThe style at home: where it is, what to look for.
- Silicon Valley Eichler tractsEvery Silicon Valley Eichler tract we cover, with live listings.
- Builder FilesThe builders and architects behind Bay Area homes.
General information from the sources listed, checked October 20, 2026; not legal, preservation or construction advice. Confirm designation and permit rules with the local preservation office before you buy or remodel. The Boyenga Team represents buyers and sellers in Santa Clara County, bay-side San Mateo County and San Francisco.
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