Plastic houses? In 1973 Hallcraft Homes, which was one of the largest builders in Phoenix at the time, introduced “Centura 21” homes. They were built from rugged fiberglass, and were billed as “tomorrow’s homes today.” The construction allowed the homes to be lower priced than conventional construction, and exceptionally strong (“able to withstand 118-mile-per-hour winds”), durable (exteriors never need painting) and energy-efficient (30 percent lower utility bills). They were prefabricated at a plant in southwest Phoenix and assembled on site. A total of 64 Centura 21 homes were constructed at 52nd Avenue and Thunderbird Road.