Art Moderne House, c.1938-40

658 Larch Avenue

Teaneck's tree-lined suburban streetscapes are generally graced by trim houses in the popular period styles of the pre-and post-World War II building boom. It is refreshing to find, amidst the Tudor and Colonial Revivals, a house with unmistakably modern trappings - pipe railings, porthole and ribbon windows, sleek stucco surfaces, metal details and even frosted glass. The architect of this "streamlined moderne" gem is presently unknown, although a similar house was built in 1938 to the designs of Erik Kaeyer in the nearby Standish Road development. it fits very comfortably on its large corner lot, and the massing jogs and turns defly to acknowledge various internal and external conditions. In its lines and splendid details one can see the strong influence of the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition and 1939 New York World's Fair, with their confident visions for the future of architecture and modern living.