Paradise Palms

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Paradise Palms is a Mid Century Modern housing tract in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In the 1960s Molasky Development hired the young architectural firm of Palmer and Krisel fresh from their success building hundreds of successful tract homes for Alexander Homes and other custom projects in Palm Springs, California.

"This unique subdivision was the first planned community in Clark County.^{[citation needed]} We used curvilinear street patterns instead of rectilinear. Paradise Palms won the American Builder magazine award for one of the best planned communities in the U.S. "The architects were two young men by the names of Palmer and Krisel. The interior designs were by world renowned C. Tony Pereira." Irwin A. Molasky

[edit] Construction

The tract is sprinkled with several Mid Century Modern home styles. The homes are standard post and beam construction on slab. Most sit on a 40 foot by 40 foot imprint. There were numerous models available, but to make the homes look custom, the footprints were rotated on their lots and flipped with a minimum of 3 different roof lines were available: folded plate roof lines, butterfly roofs, ranch, and dramatic overhangs. The homes also featured unique decorative block work and stone screens and were generally finished in sanded stucco.

"Street side, facades stretched almost the full extent of the 100-foot wide lots. Concrete block or extended stucco walls connecting house and carport were intended to add length to the front of the house for a more imposing appearance. Idiosyncratic decorative elements made use of wood, decorative concrete block, patterned brick, two-tone paint, rock, ironwork, spun fiberglass panels, and other materials." Robert Imber, Eichler Network

[edit] Stardust Country Club

Many of the homes in this tract back up to the Las Vegas National Golf Club. The Las Vegas National Golf Club enjoyed a rather illustrious past. It began as the Stardust Country Club in 1961 (part of the Stardust Resort & Casino properties). In 1969 it was purchased by the Del Webb Corporation and renamed the Sahara-Nevada Country Club. In 1982 it was purchased by American Golf Corporation who partnered with the Las Vegas Hilton in 1994 to create the Las Vegas Hilton Country Club, and was most recently renamed the Las Vegas National Golf Club in 1998. The original course record of 63 was set by Arnold Palmer in 1967 and held that record for 28 years. Over the years it has hosted LPGA Championship Events and PGA Tournament of Champions. And it was supposedly a Rat Pack hangout back in 'the day.'

There are also homes by Molasky Homes and Palmer and Krisel on the Eastern side of the golf course off of Eastern Avenue. The home used to portray Frank Rosenthal's estate for the movie Casino is at the end of Cochise Street between the #1 and #18 fairways (although his actual home was within the Las Vegas Country Club Estates).

[edit] External Links

• Lotta Living Online Community for fans of Mid-Century Modern Design - has discussions on Paradise Palms
• Atomic Age Alliance Volunteer group dedicated to celebrating Mid Century Modern architecture in Las Vegas