While some deemed his homes charming, others mocked them as conformist eyesores reflective of a warped suburban dream. Either way, real-estate giant Henry Doelger significantly shaped the local landscape with the postwar tract housing he built, including the Westlake District of Daly City. One of the nation's first large tract suburban areas, the neighborhood received positive press in Life Magazine and other publications in the 1950s. But singer Malvina Reynolds indelibly derided its rows of similar midcentury homes in her song "Little Boxes."Rob Keil, who has lived in or near Westlake all his life, remains in the affectionate camp. He has wrote a book and made a documentary on the subject, and will screen the latter,Little Boxes: The Legacy of Henry Doelger,in San Francisco. The 45-minute documentary profiles Doelger, who also built portions of San Francisco's Sunset District, and details the development of the Westlake community. A Q&A with Keil will follow the film.
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