Background
The Treehouse Project is the vision of Stan and Mary Gafner (S&M) and will follow life at "Treehouse" in Leucadia, California, starting with construction and evolving with the residence and lives of S&M, in the birthplace a California dream. The treehouse concept was developed in collaboration with longtime friend, Dean O'Sullivan, renown and visionary architect currently residing in Austin, Texas. Dean created a masterpiece for me to build and for Mary to finish, and the result is awesomef!
This website provides a view into the experience of building the Treehouse and now, life and evolution Treehouse. You may find some useful tips and links to some great resources, here, and you will also find the always entertaining, completely unabridged story of our experience as the builders and inhabitants of Treehouse, our soverign urban island nation. We'll share helpful resources and have a lot of fun... and ya gotta check out our treehouse schwag... it's out there! Thanks for checking us out and come back often. We'll be here... building dreams.
Note: No, this is not a house built in a tree, but a house that will be open and airy and surround you with a peaceful, calming environment. Constructed of concrete block, steel siding, and lots of glass, looking to the pacific ocean in the west, the Treehouse project incorporates earth conscious strategies and an eco-friendly attitude. The original home structure and "alien" landscape have been repurposed and we now move on to bring a fresh new look and feel to the area. We intend for the Treehoue to be a stellar example of today's earth-friendly materials, building techniques, and comfortable environmental design for inhabitants. For us, this is a place of creativity, serenity, and absolute fun for all, cuz baby, we do like to party!
See you in the treehouse!
Leucadia, History of the Bohemian enclave by the shore
Leucadia was founded in 1885 by British immigrants. The name, Leucadia, means "sheltered paradise" and appropriately describes this unique area of 6,250 residents. A mix of agriculture (the flower industry thrives here), residential and retail shops make this a fabulous community for those seeking a less hectic pace than California's second largest city, San Diego, with its 1 million plus people. Leucadia has always been a very special stop along Highway 101. A great resource for more history and information about the area is the San Dieguito Historical Society.
The Land...
This is the property that my grandparents, Forest and Walt Gafner bought in 1942..... or so. Someday I'll have to verify that date. Forest and Walt came to Leucadia from La Jolla, where my grandfather owned the better butcher shop when my dad was born in 1919. My grandmother had a real estate office in old Leucadia and eventually retired for good here. Being at the edge of civilization, typical city-type services, like sewers and storm drains, were non-existent in the area in the area for years to come. My grandmother and another local couple were primarily responsible for getting sewer systems and storm drains established in Leucadia in the 50's. This is an excerpt from the Leucadia Wastewater website. "Mrs. Forest Gafner, the namesake for Leucadia's Forest R. Gafner Water Recycling Facility, also played a major role in the formation of the sewer agency along with three other publicly elected board members." And it's a good thing, or the golf course at La Costa would look like a desert since all of it's water for irrigation and landscape features is reclaimed and treated sewer water from the Forest R. Gafner Water Reclamation Plant! They say you can drink it, but maybe it's better left for growing golf greens.
End of an Era
Two generations of Gafners have passed since the family matriarch originally purchased 950 Saxony. As recently as July of 2010, Walter Junior Gafner passed on after living for two and a half years just a mile south of 950 on Saxony at the Seacrest Village Retirment Community. Unfortunately, Alzheimer's Disease kept him from knowing he was spending his last years in paradise, just down the road from his mom and dad's place. In all, four generations of Gafners and two generations of Smith's (aunt link to cousin Sheryl) have called 950 Saxony... home, from time-to-time. The end of the era of the establishing generations has passed, and now the evolutionary, revolutionary generation takes over. Partnered with Healey, the Gafner clan is building again. The Treehouse is a sanctuary of rational thought, love, art, and style, as never seen in Southern California, or the world, before now. Enjoy the journey!
For information regarding our project management and design/consulting services, click on "Contact us" below.
