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In 1975, the energy crisis, gasoline prices, and high interest and mortgage rates prevented Texas Traditional Homes from continuing their development in periphery areas beyond the beltway of Houston. As a result of this adversity James A. McBride II was offered a position in Indonesia as the architectural and construction consultant for Roy M. Huffington and the Pertamina Oil Company to design and build the town community in Bontang of East Kalimantan known as Borneo for the next 7 years.
In 1982, the architect returned to Texas and realized Houston was in an over built stage of residential and commercial construction. Gilliam Investments recruited McBride in 1985 to live and work in California to design and coordinate the construction of restaurant and nightclubs known as Bentleys, Denim and Diamonds, and others in key locations in California. Also the Righteous Brothers singing group developed the Hop, a 1950s and 1960s singing group. McBride was the architect for 4 Hops' facilities; and then gravitated towards Palm Springs, California, the playground of the 1940s and 1950s movie stars.
McBride had the good fortune to remodel several projects of significance such as the "Ship of the Desert," the adobe residence of Charlie Chaplan and Lawrence Tibbet, former residences of Lucille Ball and Clark Gable and others. In 2000, McBride remodeled the "Spanish Inn" for condominium conversion in Palm Springs, previously owned by the Alan Ladd family. In 2003, McBride remodeled the Mel Haber residence in Palm Springs, California, prior to returning to Texas.
In 2004, McBride reestablished his award-winning building company known as Texas Traditional Homes with his first new Texas traditional custom home interpretation design and concept 30 years after the original formation of Texas Traditional Homes to capture the heritage of Texas in this new design development in the Verheyden Residence (shown above).
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