A Development Restricted to Houses of Contemporary Design

Located at the end of a high ridge of Brown’s Mountain, six miles from Downtown Knoxville, this project of contemporary houses is a separate subdivision of a real estate development rather ambitiously called “Little Switzerland.” It started with a group of congenial families who wished to build cooperatively and persuaded the designers to join in the venture. The latter prevailed on the realtor to make this portion of the ridge a separate unit and to establish the “contemporary design” restriction. In all, there are twenty 120′ x 240′ lots; to date, ten houses are either built or designed-all by Alfred and Jane West Clauss. Owners are assured permanent protection by clauses in the property deeds; houses have a minimum cost; staggering of houses is required to insure a view and privacy for each, and a 15-foot setback from the access road is mandatory. The road runs level along the top of the ridge, and the land slopes sharply at either side. It is of more than passing interest to learn from the designers that “the project was favored FHA and the bank for a higher loan valuation they would give to isolated houses of modern design.”

Source: Progressive Architecture, February 1946

Survey of 415, 417, 419, 420 Little Switzerland Road and the 2′-0″ strip along southern edge of road.