Cliff May Design Ready for New Owner in Dallas’ Casa View Oaks

Even though he was never officially an architect, the late designer Cliff May made his mark on the world of architecture in Texas.

May’s list of houses includes a few in East Dallas. One of them, located at 2628 Andrea Lane, is on the market now, ready for its next owner. It’s found in the heavily treed Casa View Oaks neighborhood, east of White Rock Lake. But first, let’s understand what makes a Cliff May-designed home so special.

“It’s really all about what he did as an architect,” said listing Realtor Adam Case with Compass. “This specific house is for a person who knows what it is and understands that stylistically it’s one of his homes.”

May, a San Diego native, born in 1908, became known as the father of the modern California ranch house. Even without an architecture degree, his second house was featured in 1934 in none other than Architectural Digest. The noted designer, met with early success, went on to design about 50 houses in the 1930s in his hometown. Then he moved to Los Angeles where he achieved international attention for his designs published in Sunset Magazine.

His success continued. May’s professional resume included designing the LA home of Zubin Metha, music director of the New York Philharmonic, plus a home for Fiat founder Gianni Agnelli and the winery for Robert Mondavi. He even lent his talents to the Dallas housing market in the 1950s. Along with his partner Chris Choate, May designed popular plans in smaller version for national distribution. Pre-fab panels and their modular designs were snapped up by builders to be built across the country, including booming Dallas.

Stop the Presses! It’s a Cliff May Midcentury Modern

Preservation Dallas Takes Note

This Midcentury Modern with its open floor plan, generous windows, and clean lines is indicative of May’s designs. According to Preservation Dallas, 40 of the plans he sold were built in Casa View Oaks with what was the new idea of prefabricated panels.

Case has had a chance to meet the neighbors who are all wild about the May homes.

“They are fanatics about Cliff May,” Case said. “All those neighbors get together and can tell you about them. It’s a fine neighborhood.”

The homes were built with numbered panels and no vertical studs, Case said. The greatest concentration of those 1950s houses in East Dallas fall on Andrea Lane and Millmar Drive, he said.

In its 1,466 square feet, the house embraces the May mindset. It’s obvious from the first step into the bright living area, too. The Andrea Lane house incorporates many of May’s signature features large areas of glass to take advantage of natural light and to blur divisions between indoor and outdoor living.

“Cliff May was known for his natural light,” Case said. “There’s no attic space, so all of his houses peak where the roof meets, and there are windows there. These houses are very sought after by people who love natural light.”

A ready example is found upon entering through the home’s front door, which is surrounded by windows. More of his trademarks can be found in the living area. The wood-burning fireplace under the living room’s vaulted ceilings shares the living room with clear views of the backyard’s firepit, ready for entertaining.

1955 House Gets Modern Updates

Even though the house was built in 1955, the property has been reimagined for modern life. The house offers three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with the primary bedroom including a remodeled ensuite bathroom plus backyard access. The third bedroom, which could be used as an office, connects to a utility room. The home’s kitchen has been updated with stainless steel appliances and subway tile. The past three years have seen replacing the HVAC condenser, the capacitor, and electrical panel.

There’s more good news. This Cliff May house at 2628 Andrea, updates and all, can suit those with a budget under $400,000. The house is listed at $395,000.

Recently, a house across the street with the same floor plan sold for close to $500,000. This new listing is as chance for someone to take the house’s great bones, give it a little TLC, and make a great investment in something special.

“The reality is that it will go to someone who knows what needs to be done with it,” said Case.