Bonita Woods

Bonita Woods in Bonita, CA, was maybe 1/2 – 2/3rds complete as a tract development by Drogin Homes (Leonard Drogin) when we moved in, February of 1965.

Leonard Drogin was a prominent Mid Century developer in San Diego. He hired the architectural firm Palmer and Krisel to design the destinctive and beautiful Drogin tract homes.

“Pacifica” in San Diego one such development just before creation of Bonita Woods. Drogin’s instruction to architect Bill Krisel designing Bonita Woods was to “tone down” the modernism. “Bonita is horse country!,” He told Krisel.

Leonard Drogin described Bonita as “Horse Country” and his Bonita Woods was intended to complement and utilize that description

Bill Krisel’s portfolio wasn’t limited to tract homes. His custom designed homes, particularly in Palm Springs, earned him international acclaim. He was also a prolific commercial architect. Some of his well known projects include the towers at Coronado Shores and the Del Prado condo tower over looking Balboa Park.

Krisel was an extraordinarily prolific architect, designing more than 30,000 homes, and more than 40, 000 condo units. And that doesn’t include the retail, office, and hotel/motels he designed. He was not only busy in Southern CA, but his resume includes work in Las Vegas, Florida, and Arizona.

Krisel lived long enough to witness and enjoy a second wave, a revival of interest and appreciation of his work, long after he retired. In fact in retirement he found himself busy once again, but this time supervising restoration projects of some his most celebrated work.

Sadly no such focus emerged in Bonita Woods. The term “loss of design integrity” came to that neighborhood. Another term “remuddeling” applies. For those of us who grew up in Bonita Woods, it’s pretty hard to recognize the neighborhood today.

Source: dsoderblog | Dan Soderberg | Bonita Woods and the MidCentury Development of Bonita

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Editor's Note: Check out those prices!

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