More Miranti

In December 1962 the official announcement came out that builder Tony Miranti would soon be adding over 100 homes to the Paradise Palms community.  Standard features on these homes included central vacuum systems, dishwashers, garbage disposals, built in ranges and ovens.  Several options were offered to each buyer allowing for each home to be semi-custom, including paint and bathroom tile colors and the option to choose between carports or a garage.  Interior design was by Los Angeles decorator Martharue White (1911-1995) with original models located at the southeast corner of Burnham Avenue & Sombrero Drive.  Original prices of these homes in 1963 were $23,500 to $25,500, or $179,300 to $194,600 in 2013 dollars.

 

Las Vegas Review Journal, 12/05/62

Original Miranti Models location, southeast corner of Burnham Avenue and Sombrero Drive

Sales were robust and all 110 Miranti Homes on the north side of Desert Inn Road were sold by the end of 1963.  In 1964 Miranti acquired a small strip of land on the north side of Twain Avenue, between Algonquin Drive and 300 feet west of Spencer Street.  Also included in this tract was the lot at the immediate northwest corner of Algonquin Drive and Twain Avenue, and the first three lots on the east side of Algonquin Drive at the northeast corner of Twain Avenue, which were all dubbed ‘Paradise Palms West’.  By June 1964, popular demand had brought housing prices to $28,500 to $32,900, or $214,700 to $247,900 in 2013 dollars.  

Miranti Sales Manager Mike Ponzianna showing off the signature Miranti kitchen with original gingerbread-style door faces and 'bow-tie' drawers 

Similar Original Miranti today with original cabinets and counter (Photo Courtesy Brian Moy)

Miranti Homes Monterrey Model on Twain Avenue at Paradise Palms West

Miranto Homes Prima Donna Model on Twain Avenue at Paradise Palms West

In addition to the grand opening of Paradise Palms West, featured in this advertisement from 1964 were the grand openings of Miranti’s Executive Estates and Holly Hills Homes.  Executive Estates was at the southeast corner of Kenny Way and Palomino Lane while Holly Hills Homes is at the northeast corner of El Camino and Valley View.  Executive Estates was a semi-custom infill development, and it appears only a very small handful of homes were mixed in among the existing custom 1950s ranch-style homes, while about 120 tract Holly Hills Homes were built.  

Grainy Paradise Palms West Grand Opening Ad 6/28/64

Miranti Holly Hills Homes example, southeast corner of El Portal Avenue and El Greco Street

September Paradise Palms Social Club

Paradise Palms DOCO MOMO Open House Day 2013

In conjunction with Docomomo, Paradise Palms presents Paradise Palms Open House Day on Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 12:00 - 4:00 PM. Five private classic mid-century modern homes plus several for-sale properties will be available for exclusive viewing as part of Docomomo’s National Tour Day. 

A happy hour cocktail reception for all tour guests and participants will follow from 4:00-6:00 PM at the Rat Pack Bar & Grill located within the Las Vegas National Golf Course Clubhouse.  We look forward to seeing all our friends and fans there. 

Tropical Estates & The Casino House Connection

Tropical Estates Ad - 10/20/63

The Casino House Built by 'Val' and Lee Valentine, Completed 1964

In August 2011 we learned that a portion of Paradise Palms had been carved into a place called Tropical Estates.  Towards the final two years of Paradise Palms’ build-out most of the individual home builders began distinguishing themselves and their homes through sub-marketing names, a trend which we still see carried out in present-day master planned communities.  Priced between $33,000 and $66,500 – a hefty $248,600 to $497,300 in 2013 dollars – Tropical Estates were modern ranch-style homes which lined both sides of Pawnee Drive between Sioux and Oneida Way, all 300 feet of Nakona Lane, and Commanche Drive between the western edge of the Algonquin Circle cul-de-sac and Nakona Lane.  It also appears that Tropical Estates stretched into the western portions of Seneca Lane, Ottawa Drive and Seneca Circle - including the handful of large two-story models that are on those streets, which explains the heftier price tags that Tropical Estates garnered. 

 

Valentine's Day Themed Tropical Estates Ad - 2/2/64

Featured in the Tropical Estates models were sunken Roman Baths, showers with planters in them and decorative concrete block-enclosed courtyards.  Some of the most unique concrete block patterns are found in the Tropical Estates homes that aren't seen elsewhere in Paradise Palms.  It’s these features that help to spot the difference between the Americana Homes and Tropical Estates homes on Seneca Lane and Ottawa Drive - as the Tropical Estates homes start mid-block, the tell-tale Tropical Estates features are the presence of the front courtyards and unique decorative screen block, features that Americana didn't offer. 

Original Tropical Estates Royal Blue Sunken Roman Tub (Photo Courtesy Brian Moy)

Examples of Tropical Estates Decorative Concrete Block, Typically Not Seen On Other Paradise Palms Homes

Examples of Tropical Estates Decorative Concrete Block, Typically Not Seen On Other Paradise Palms Homes

In August 1964 the Las Vegas Sun ran an article featuring husband and wife team Val and Lee Valente, owners Vallee Development who were the builders behind Tropical Estates, standing in the backyard of their newly constructed home on the 1^st and 18^th holes of the Stardust Country Club, at the end of Cochise Lane.   This home is more commonly referred to as ‘The Casino House’ for its starring role in the 1995 film Casino, and is one that draws quite a few visitors to Paradise Palms.  The article gives some great insight into builders Val and Lee Valente, who built the home based on a modified version of one of their Tropical Estates homes. 

Distant Cousins?  The former Valentine Residence (Above) and a Tropical Estates Home (Below)

Lee Valente, a diminutive platinum-blonde, had been building houses in Bakersfield, Visalia and Lemore California with her husband Val until 1962 when the decided to transplant their large family-owned and run business to booming Las Vegas.  Building semi-custom homes at Tropical Estates was their first foray into building in Las Vegas, which was soon followed by Bella Estates at the southwest corner of Decatur and Edna.

Vallee Development employed children, in-laws, siblings, nephews, aunts and uncles and of Val and Lee.  The 5,400 square-foot nine-room, five bathroom home on Cochise Lane was a perfect place for family gatherings when the Valentine’s weren’t hard at work.  It’s unclear what became of the Valentines as ownership of their home on Cochise Lane was in a different name by 1966, and construction of phase one of Bella Estates ended in 1965 with six years passing before phase two resumed in 1971; however, their nephew, Don Spence lives nearby in the home once occupied by Lee’s sister and brother-in-law, near Sahara and 15^th Street.  

Las Vegas Sun , 8/16/64

While the photo quality is a bit grainy, seen in the background is the brand-new Stardust Golf Course, with newly planted pine trees.  Seen across the driving range and 1st and 9th fairways are the backs of the green and white custom ranch-style home on Spencer Street, the Palmer & Krisel Model 8B to the south of it, and the custom home that neighbor Tim O. owns to the south of that.

All About Americana: First Look Inside Original Models & Rediscovery of Original Tracts

Americana Homes ad appearing in the 12/01/63 Review Journal

We've known that Americana Homes was behind the houses built on Seneca Lane, Seneca Circle, and on Ottawa Drive between Spencer and Algonquin (first shown here in 2011); however, recent research unveils a bit more information and confirms a few facts that show Americana Homes built more of Paradise Palms than originally thought.  These ads individually confirm that at various times Americana had model homes at Spencer and Ottawa, Spencer and Twain, Tioga and Geronimo and at Cherokee and Spencer, establishing that Americana was the builder behind the Maricopa Way cul-de-sac and the Tioga/Geronimo Way ‘island’.

The article below from February 1964 announces Americana Homes had bought 31 lots, including the last 9 lots available on the Stardust Championship Golf Course.  Those 9 lots were individually spread out along Ottawa Drive, Pueblo Way and Tioga Way. The remaining 22 lots indicated in the article comprise the Maricopa Way cul-de-sac, the first six lots on the west side of Spencer Street north of Cherokee, and the first four lots at the southwest corner of Cherokee and Spencer. 

 

02/22/64

Americana announced a second sales office opening in Paradise Palms, eventually located on the west side of Tioga Way between Geronimo and Cochise.  Home buyers were offered a range of tract and semi-custom home options with sixteen different elevations to pick from.  Home sales were so robust in 1964 that Americana had begun offering fully-furnished models for sale, including the original models on Ottawa Drive just west of Spencer.  A second model was constructed and furnished at the northwest corner of Twain and Spencer, which was sold by the fall of that year.  The 1964 Americana Homes weren’t cheap either – priced between $31,200 and $40,950, translating into $235,100 to $308,500 in 2013 dollars - meant that original buyers were willing to pay a premium for Paradise Palms. 

 

Second Americana Sales Office Opening, 03/08/64

Former Americana Model & Sales Office, northwest corner of Twain & Spencer 49 years later - home still retains the original wood shake roof

Americana Homes Ad 3/15/64 - Models at Twain & Spencer and at Tioga Way

This second article from August 1964 indicates that the home located on the southwest corner of Cherokee and Spencer was the newest Americana model, a home which had the distinction of once hosting the French Colony for a cocktail & swim party.  Current aerial imagery indicates that the unique pool with built-in snack tables described in the article is still intact and in existence.   We also learn from this article that Marshall Secrest was the owner and founder of Americana Homes, and that his prior building activity had been exclusively limited to California.   The remaining following images offer rare glimpses inside the Americana Models and the handiwork of interior designer C. Tony Pereria.

If you still can’t get enough Americana, our friend Jack LeVine at Very Vintage Vegas has a beautifully preserved and intact Americana Homes Plan A2, The Devonshire, for sale on Seneca Lane.  Check out these great images of that home here.

08/16/64

Later Americana Homes Ad - Models at Cherokee & Spencer 06/28/64

Sketch of Americana Home, 05/17/64

Well-preserved 1964 Americana home located on Spencer Street, just north of Cherokee.  Home is mirror-image of sketch above, still boasting original five-panel garage door as depicted in builder’s rendering. 

5/24/64 - Check out that couch!

Typical Americana Homes streamlined fireplace & original wood paneling 49 years after construction, similar to photo above (photo courtesy Jack LeVine)

Americana Homes Model Bedroom as it appeared 3/22/64

Americana Homes Model Kitchen as it appeared 2/09/64

Preserved Americana Kitchen 49 years later - even boasts original kitchen light fixtures (photo courtesy Jack LeVine)

August 2013 Historic 'Hoods Bowling Challenge: Paradise Palms vs. Huntridge

A sea of Palmers on the lanes

Once again the Paradise Palmers banded together in the dungeon of Sam’s Town to defeat our neighbors to the north, the Huntridgians.  More Palmers than ever showed up for event and we even got meet new neighbors Tina and Deborah who made their inaugural appearance.  We got off to a late start, hoping that more Huntridgians would show, but after 45 minutes we realized that only three chose to represent their ‘hood.  In our standard challenge format, two games were played, multiple beer pitchers were downed, and plates of healthy bowling alley food appeared.  Despite all these plusses, somehow Huntridge took control, and it was too late for the Palmers.  Final score:  Paradise Palms 113.4, Huntridge 117.2.  Good job Huntridge, don’t let it happen again.