Wexler's Historic Steel House #4 Restoration Complete

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Dec. 18, 2013 - PRLog -- In 1962, Donald Wexler set out to build a tract of modern, all steel modular homes in the now-historic Racquet Club Estates neighborhood of Palm Springs. In the end, only seven of these iconic homes were constructed creating a unique niche that attracts a certain breed of buyers. Paul Kaplan, owner of The Paul Kaplan Group describes the typical Mid-century modern home buyer, “These buyers love the clean lines and the simplicity of the modernistic style. In addition, they are often committed to preserving a unique piece of architecturally significant Palm Springs history. Wexler’s Steel House #4 has just been  listed for sale for the first time in many years.

The steel and glass two-bedroom, two-bath home awash in white sits as testament to typical Wexler design philosophy: bright and airy, spacious rooms, and simple design elements that don’t conflict with the surroundings. “The current owners took to heart the historical significance of this home and have maintained the elegance of the original Mid-Century style with a few modern conveniences and elements added.” For instance, the baths have been upgraded with modern fixtures that maintain the continuity of design without looking dated or outdated.

Using a combination of design elements and materials that were chosen for their cost-effectiveness, each home features a slight variation on these basic tenets. Wexler used expanded eaves to create deeply shaded areas over the windows to protect from the harsh summer sun while letting light in during the winter months when the sun is lower on the horizon. Steel walls shield against sweeping desert winds while the use of native flagstone, rock and gravel create a water-saving desert landscape around well-placed plantings of hardy palms in deep-shaded atriums. Kaplan added, “What is remarkable about this and its six counterparts is the uniqueness of their construction: they were fabricated offsite and assembled onsite, and save for the foundation, plumbing, and electrical, were constructed almost entirely of steel. Part of the reasoning behind the all-steel construction was in its ability to withstand the windy nature of the Palm Springs desert.  Another was the cost-effectiveness of steel materials.” Each of the homes could be constructed on a site-poured concrete slab in about two days and originally sold for an affordable $14,000. An unexpected spike in steel prices quickly doused plans for construction of the remaining homes.

All seven homes are designated as Class 1 Historic Sites by the City of Palm Springs, with House #2 recently being added to the National Register of Historic Places, the first Mid-century home in Palm Springs to be honored with that distinction. Steel House #4 features approximately 1477 square feet of living space, two bedrooms, two baths, den, pool, elevated spa, mountain views, and a private, generously-sized  yard. Priced at $689,000, the home is represented by Palm Springs based The Paul Kaplan Group. Kaplan added, “Thanks to the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation and a resurgence of interest in Mid-Century Modern design, these beautiful and unique architectural gems are being painstakingly restored and preserved.”

The Paul Kaplan Group is a real estate firm specializing in mid-century and modern homes as well as vacation properties in the Palm Springs area. The Paul Kaplan Group can be reached at 760-459-1396 or through their website atwww.PaulKaplanGroup.com.