Rancho Rinconada, Cupertino, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rancho Rinconada
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Neighborhood
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 Rancho Rinconada
Location in San Jose, California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Santa Clara |
| City | Cupertino |
Rancho Rinconada is a neighborhood in the eastern part of Cupertino, California. It's a place where many families live. It is surrounded by different areas. To the east and south is West San Jose. To the west is central Cupertino. To the north is the city of Santa Clara.
This neighborhood is served by local schools. Students here attend Cupertino High School, Sedgwick Elementary School, and Hyde Middle School.
Contents
How Rancho Rinconada Started
The houses in Rancho Rinconada were first built in the 1950s. They were designed to be simple and affordable. Builders Stern & Price created these single-story homes. They were called "ranchos" or "ranch houses."
A famous architect named Cliff May designed these homes. They were even marketed as "Miracle Houses." The outdoor spaces were designed by landscape architect Douglas Baylis. Similar projects were also built in other California cities. These include Palo Alto and Long Beach.
The way these homes were built helped keep costs low. They used a "modular construction" method. This meant parts were made off-site and put together quickly. This method saved money on materials and labor. A house could even be built in just one day!
Changes Over Time
For many years, Rancho Rinconada was not part of any city. It was only under county rules. This meant that people could change their houses more easily. Many homes were remodeled without strict building rules.
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An aerial view of the Ranch Rinconada site under development
As time passed, families needed different things from their homes. In the 1960s, two-car garages became popular. Rancho homes only had carports for one car. Kitchens also needed more power for new appliances. The 1970s brought microwave ovens. But Rancho kitchens had only a few electrical outlets. The whole house had only two electrical breakers.
Later, in the late 1980s, computers became common. These also needed more electricity. The original Rancho homes were not built for all these modern needs.
Growth and Challenges
Over the years, the land around Rancho Rinconada became very valuable. This was because of the growing high-tech industry nearby. Rancho Rinconada was no longer a quiet farming area. It became a community in the middle of the tech boom. It was surrounded by educated workers.
However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the neighborhood faced some tough times. It saw a decline before its value started to rise again.
Even though it wasn't officially part of Cupertino for a while, Rancho Rinconada had a Cupertino mailing address. This helped make land values higher. The neighborhood also benefited from the excellent Cupertino schools.
As more engineers and managers from Asia moved to the area, Cupertino became very popular. Their culture often values education highly. Rancho Rinconada offered a way for families to get into these great schools at a lower cost. Many families wanted bigger houses for their extended families. Rancho was a place to find larger homes for the best price, especially for access to Cupertino schools.
Rebuilding and Modernization
By the mid-1990s, the old Rancho homes had lost most of their value. The land they sat on was worth much more than the houses themselves. It became too expensive to update the old, cheaply built homes. It was cheaper to tear them down and build new ones. This also allowed builders to create modern houses.
Many builders, especially some Asian contractors, started knocking down the old homes. They built much larger houses to make more profit. This led to many new, big homes. These were often two stories and around 3,000 to 3,500 square feet. They were built on standard lots of about 5,500 square feet.
Towards the end of the 1990s, a part of Rancho Rinconada joined the city of San Jose. Builders then started building large, fancy homes there. Rancho Rinconada became a popular spot for wealthy Silicon Valley executives. The county's building rules allowed people to build very large homes. Also, the county did not require community input on building plans. This meant people bought property, tore down old houses, and built huge "monster houses."
Joining Cupertino
In March 1999, the people living in the part of Rancho Rinconada that was not yet in a city voted. They chose to join Cupertino. They hoped this would bring stricter building rules and better services. Later that month, the Cupertino City Council passed a new law. This law required neighbors to give their opinions on building plans. It also limited how much of a lot a building could cover.
Around the year 2000, there was a lot of excitement in the economy. This led to even more changes in Rancho Rinconada homes. Not only were houses built larger, but they also used very expensive materials. These homes were marketed to high-income families. Even with new rules limiting how much could be built above ground, some builders found a way. They started building living spaces underground to keep homes very large.
As of 2020, Rancho Rinconada is a mix of different homes. You can still find some of the original 1950s houses. But there are also many modern, high-end homes built in the 2000s and 2010s.
37°18′59″N 122°00′00″W / 37.3164°N 122°W
