Sunmor Estates

Mid-century modern neighborhoods

Located directly west of the Palm Springs International Airport and roughly bordered by E. Andreas Rd. to the South, E. Tamarisk to the North and Farrell Drive to the West, the Sunmor Estates neighborhood dates back to 1955 when developer Bob Higgins enlisted architects Donald Wexler & Richard Harrison to design homes for his newly imagined 213 acre subdivision.

Only 11 houses were built by Higgins though before construction stopped in 1957 and the Alexander Construction Company bought adjoining land tracts to erect their own William Krisel designed homes.

The neighborhood was completed in the early 1960s and still looks surprisingly cohesive considering the different parties involved in its development (which also includes a few custom-builds).

Over the years Sunmor has attracted celebrities too, including one of its first owners, Palm Springs’ own “cowboy mayor” Frank Bogert. In recent years, residents have taken an interest in preservation; restoring their properties and sometimes opening them up to the public during Modernism Week in February.

For more information on the history of Sunmor, visit their Neighborhood Association website… and as always, be respectful of homeowner’s privacy.