Behind a canopy of mature redwoods in Alamo, California, the Ball Estate has spent more than a century evolving from a grand country retreat into one of the East Bay’s best-known legacy properties. For decades, the estate was tied to the Ball family, whose construction company helped shape much of California’s highway and infrastructure system.
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The property dates back to 1912, when Walter Arnstein, developer of the Oakland and Antioch Railroad, commissioned architect Arthur Brown Jr. to design the home. Brown later became known for projects including San Francisco City Hall and Coit Tower. Gordon and Dorothy Ball purchased the estate in 1946 and used it as both a family home and, for a period, the headquarters of heavy construction firm Gordon H. Ball Co.
Originally part of a much larger 60-acre ranch property, the estate is now entering a new phase as portions of the surrounding land are redeveloped into a residential community, while the original estate home and its immediate grounds remain preserved…