About Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills
Jed Clampett of the 1960’s TV show, “The Beverly Hillbillies” struck oil and moved his family to Beverly Hills. Ironically early investors in the 1900’s couldn’t find “black gold” in Beverly Hills, but instead found an abundance of water and eventually decided to build a town.
Beverly Hills is known worldwide as the home to many of Hollywood stars, leading with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Soon to follow were Charlie Chaplin, Ronald Coleman, King Vidor, John Barrymore, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Jack Warner, Clara Bow and Rudolph Valentino. Today Jennifer Aniston, Mila Kunis, and Ashton Kutcher are among the many entertainment celebrities who live there.
Today, Beverly Hills, surrounded by the city of Los Angeles still retains some of its small city charm despite that the meridian home cost is $3,500,000. The 2010 Census reported that Beverly Hills’ population is 34,109. The largest ethnic community are Persians, who make up over 26% of the population of Beverly Hills The former mayor invited citizens to join her on weekly walks around the city. On Sunday the city hosts its weekly Farmers’ Market.
Beverly Hills’ world-class shopping district is centered around Rodeo Drive and caters to high-end shoppers from around the world. And hosts many at its luxury hotels including the Beverly Wilshire, The Peninsula & the Beverly Hills Hotel. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is located in Beverly Hills as well as talent agencies United Talent Agency, William Morris Endeavor, Paradigm Talent Agency.
The Neighborhoods of Beverly Hills
The Flats
Wilbur David Cook’s master plan for the city of Beverly Hills was inspired by his previous work with the Olmstead Brothers, sons of architect, Frederick Law Olmstead who designed New York City’s Central Park. The area known as “The Flats” derives its nickname from the relatively flat stretch of homes bordering Santa Monica Blvd. to the south, Sunset Blvd. to the north, Doheny Drive to the east, and Whittier Blvd. to the west. The flat topography was ideal for large lots which average between 12,000 to 16,000 square feet. Grander scale homes were built in styles ranging from Spanish Revival and French Provincial to Tudor and Cap Cod with the occasional contemporary design. Its major residential tree-lined streets are majestically wide, spanning up to 70 feet and each street was planted with a single variety of tree from palms, jacarandas to magnolias and sycamores giving each its unique character.
Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle, Beverly Hills’ preeminent business, restaurant and shopping district, is formed by three streets - Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica Blvd. and Rexford Drive. At the center of is the legendary Rodeo Drive, lined with international designer boutiques and flagship stores, luxuriously high-end jewelers such as Tiffany & Co., and Cartier, and gourmet restaurants. The southern border of Wilshire Blvd. is known as department store row that include retail giants Nieman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney’s New York. Another grand institution on Wilshire Blvd. is the Beverly Wilshire Hotel whose guests have included celebrities, dignitaries and presidents.
Trousdale Estates
Named after real estate developer Paul Trousdale, the hillside 535 lots of the Trousdale Estates were carved out of a portion of what was once the Doheny Ranch. Developed in the 1960s for “a life above it all” and designed by some of the leading architects – A. Quincy Jones, Richard Nuetra, Paul Williams, Wallace Neff, Lloyd Wright and others – Trousdale Estates gained the reputation and pedigree midcentury modern luxury living.
South of Wilshire and South Beverly Drive
South of Wilshire, Beverly Drive gives way to more modest stores and restaurants that cater the surrounding neighborhood of single family and multi-family homes. Roxbury Park at Olympic Blvd. and Roxbury Drive features a lawn bowling, sand volleyball and playground in addition to a community center and large open field often fielding a soccer game.
Beverly Hills Schools
Among the many factors in considering where to live, the proximity to quality school is vitally important. It’s not only important information for parents of school aged children, but for any informed buyer or seller who knows school location’s impact on property value and re-sale.
The school finder link provided is intended as a first step. Before purchasing or renting, parents of school aged children need to contact the district’s school for availability and registration requirements. When considering private schools, in addition to availability and registration requirements, commute times and transportation should be considered.
Public Schools
Beverly Hills is served by Beverly Hills Unified School District, which includes 2 K-8 schools (Hawthorne and Horace Mann), one middle school (Beverly Vista), Moreno High School, and Beverly Hills High School.
Private Schools
Things to do in and Around Beverly Hills
Of course, browsing, window-shopping and star watching seem to be obligatory activities for most visitors, but Beverly Hills offers many more attractions. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offers screenings and exhibits and awaits it new exhibition and screening jewel designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Renzo Piano and set to open in mid-2021.
Another fine architectural gem designed by starchitect Richard Meier, whose firm also designed Getty Center in Brentwood, is the Paley Center for Media houses over 140,000 television and radio programs and offers panel discussions with luminaries from TV’s past and present. And the renovated 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office is home to Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts which presents world-class theatre, dance and music.
Architect and history aficionados will enjoy the self-guided Walking Tour of Beverly Hills as well a visit to the Greystone Mansion known also as the Doheny Mansion. Completed in 1928 at a cost of over $3 million (approximately $65 million today), the Tudor style, 55 room, 46,000 square foot mansion and English gardens has been featured in numerous movies from Spider Man and There Will be Blood to The Big Lebowski and The Social Network.
Interested in learning more about Beverly Hills?
Get in touch with David Rosen to learn more about upcoming listings and local real estate trends.
