Until WWII, the vast majority of the builder/developers in the Del Ray area were locals. One did come in from outside, and although he contributed much to the infill of the Del Ray area, we should probably be glad we do not have to claim him as our own. Two years after a nearly a quarter-million young Americans died in Europe defeating Nazi Germany, he was still writing anti-Jewish covenants into his deeds.

 

These were declared unenforceable by the Supreme Court in 1948, but in terms of the Del Ray landscape his contribution, still evident today, was his pioneering of “affordable housing.” His houses were simple rectangles, the cheapest shape to build, in a standardized configuration. He introduced variety by adding front and side porches and some craftsman-ish decorative trim. The pleasing results demonstrate how simple touches can make a big difference.

 

He launched headfirst into Del Ray with standardized two-family homes. He got building permits for one each in July, August, and September 1932; then in July, August, September, and October 1933; and finally, one in March 1934. These were clustered along East Bellefonte Avenue, two in the 100-block, and no fewer than six in the 200-block.

 

Not only were they distinctive in appearance, but they also differed from the local norm in being designed from the start as rentals. These houses were designed for two families, one on each floor, although they did not look like multiple units, having only one front door. The two floors were identical in plan except for the stairs. They had a footprint of 21x40 feet, yielding 840 square feet for each floor/unit. In addition, each floor had a porch eight feet long that stuck nine feet out from the side of the house.

 

They remained as rentals until 1965, when the Raymond children sold them. All these really cool houses still stand, almost all intact. An architectural blessing to the neighborhood.