Standard Pacific Founder to Retire After 21 Years

Paul Starke, president and founder of Standard Pacific of Ventura, has announced his retirement, ending 21 years as head of one of Ventura County’s largest home builders.

Under Starke, Standard Pacific built more than 1,600 houses in the county, including the Summerfield tracts in Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Oxnard. Other projects included Lynnbrooke, Lynnmere and Deerridge, all in Thousand Oaks, and Santa Rosa and the Village of San Miguel in Oxnard.

Increased government regulation and skyrocketing costs are the most striking changes in construction since Standard Pacific began operations in 1972, Starke said.

“It used to cost about $10 per square foot to build a new home. Now it’s close to $45. Purchase prices of homes today are 10 times higher than they were then.”

Starke will retire Dec. 31. He will be succeeded by the firm’s vice president and director of operations, Stephen Boggs.

Standard Pacific of Ventura, based in Westlake Village, is a division of Standard Pacific Corp., headquartered in Costa Mesa.