West Los Angeles Areas
Beverlywood
Beverlywood is located just south of Beverly Hills, south of Pico, west of Robertson, east of the Hillcrest Country Club. Many of the streets are heavily tree-lined and winding. Some of the streets have city views. Other streets west of Beverwill overlook the golf course and even front the Hillcrest Country Club green.
Beverlywood is a unique enclave of homes; many built in the 1950’s. An active homeowners association made up of caring and committed residents manages the area. Beverlywood is comprised of approximately 1,000 single-family homes.
Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills is ideally situated between Westwood, Century City and Beverlywood, Cheviot Hills is just 15 minutes away from the Westside Beaches, Brentwood, UCLA, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey and LAX. Cheviot Hills residents enjoy the area’s ideal weather and superior air quality.
Abundant shopping is only minutes away at the popular Westside Pavilion or the outdoor Century City Mall with theaters, restaurants and exclusive shops. Conveniently accessible parks, pools, golf and tennis courts are available year round beautiful nearby Rancho Park. Many high-quality schools are located within minutes of the community. Developed in the 1930's and 1940's, its homes have traditional Californian styles varying from Spanish haciendas to California bungalows.
Rancho Park
Rancho Park is a community tucked quietly away among the rolling hills of West Los Angeles adjacent to Beverly Hills. The area of Rancho Park offers the benefits of the Westside's more exclusive neighborhoods for a more affordable price. Rancho Park offers a feeling of serenity with its winding, tree lined streets and hilly terrain.
Abundant shopping is only minutes away at the popular Westside Pavilion or the outdoor Century City Mall with theaters, restaurants and exclusive shops. Conveniently accessible parks, pools, golf and tennis courts are available year round nearby Rancho Park. Many high-quality schools are located within minutes of the community.
Developed in the 1930's and 1940's, its homes have traditional Californian styles varying from Spanish haciendas to California bungalows. The Rancho Park Recreation Area features sports fields, tennis, swimming, and golf. Rancho Park also enjoys superior air quality.
Marina Del Rey
Marina del Rey was originally part of Venice, as designed by Abbot Kinney in 1900. But for several decades, residents of Venice envisioned the construction of a small craft harbor that would make the area a center of marine recreation. In 1957, construction of Marina del Rey was started, and in 1963 the final breakwater was built - creating the largest man-made, shallow-drift harbor exclusively devoted to pleasure boating. Formal dedication of Marina del Rey was held in April 1965.
Today, Marina Del Rey offers more than 6,000 recreational boat slips, the highest density of restaurant seating in a one-square-mile area, outside of New York City, and boat launching ramps that provide access to over 100,000 trailer-class boats annually. Additions during the years include more than 1,900 feet of guest boat docks, 180 feet of public fishing docks, Admiralty Park, view piers and a promenade.
Marina del Rey residential housing is comprised primarily of condominiums, most of which cluster around the harbor and offer marine views. Most of these properties were built after 1960, and construction of luxury condominiums and high-end residential units continues through the present. Single-family housing can be found to the south and the north of the marina proper. At the north end of Marina del Rey, moving towards Venice, houses tend to be vintage cottages and Craftsman-style bungalows. Moving south from the Marina, luxurious newer homes open directly to the beach and bike path. Walls of glass, rooftop decks and modern construction take advantage of the stunning oceanfront views and the wide sandy beach.
Venice
Venice wasn't always so named. It was originally called "Rancho la Ballona" by Juan Alvarado the Mexican Governor in 1839. It wasn't until 1900 that Abbot Kinney founded and named the area known as Venice. Mr. Kinney envisioned Venice as an environment that would foster a cultural renaissance in America. He capitalized on the similarities between the area of Venice, California, and the site of Venice, Italy, and commissioned two architects to design a thoroughly equipped city with business streets, hotels, residences, and 16 miles of canals. In 1925, Venice became part of the City of Los Angeles.
The Great Depression and subsequent years left Venice in a severe state of decay and in desperate need for redevelopment. In the early 60’s, 550 buildings, many along the oceanfront and in the historic Windward business district were demolished. A lawsuit eventually stopped Venice’s wholesale destruction.
A new group of people had made their way into the confines of Venice in the 60’s. and brought a Bohemian life style. Life centered on art, poetry and new jazz. Venice was tolerant of their life styles and they gathered in the local coffeehouses. The flower children of the 60's flocked to Venice to experience free expression and live in a community that encouraged diversity and artistic freedom.
Venice experienced another rebirth in the 70's but not as a major tourist destination. The focal point was on maintaining the character of Venice so as not to chase out the low-income population. In 1972, the city constructed an 18-mile bicycle path adjacent to Ocean Front Walk, which extends from Torrance to Santa Monica. The new visitors were local residents riding bikes through the depressed Venice, bringing it new life. The invention of the polyurethane skate wheel and the growth of outdoor skating added to the migration. Venice's wide Ocean Front Walk and bicycle path made it an ideal location for skating.
In the late 70's and early 80's, Venice saw the addition of mural art. Buildings all around town were brilliantly livened up with scenes depicting landscapes, everyday life and tributes to Venice artists such as Jim Morrison and The Doors. With an onslaught of street artists, vendors, musicians, body builders, palm readers and live television coverage during the 1984 Summer Olympics, Venice began receiving visitors from around the world on a daily basis.
Venice history is still being written. Today Venice is keeping with its colorful tradition as being the number one seaside destination on the West Coast.
Home styles in Venice range from Vintage 1920’s cottages and bungalows, through modern beachfront homes with walls of glass. In recent years, an influx of young professionals, growing families and artists have kept the bohemian flavor of Venice intact, while pushing home prices upward, improving neighborhoods, and bringing top-notch restaurants, boutiques and retail outlets into the community. Venice’s long-time residents include noted actors, artists and writers. Venice residents are a close-knit group of all races, lifestyles and professions. Across the board, they are passionately committed to their neighborhood and community activism with the main goal of maintaining Venice’s bohemian charm.
