Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills

Description:

Beverly Hills is the Eastern most community situated on the Westside of Los Angeles and is bordered on the north by Bel-Air and the Santa Monica Mountains, on the east by West Hollywood, the Carthay neighborhood of Los Angeles, and the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, on the south by the Los Angeles neighborhood of Beverlywood, and on the west by Holmby Hills as well as Westwood Village and Century City, which are also Los Angeles districts. The city sits in what is described as the “Platinum Triangle” along with Bel Air and Holmby hills which is considered to be some of the most expensive real estate in the country.

History

Beverly hills started as a sacred Native American site known as El Rodeo de Las Aguas, the Gathering of the Waters, to the Native Americans because of the confluence of three streams coming from the three adjacent canyons: Franklin, Coldwater and Benedict. In 1838 the Mexican governor of California deeded the property Marie Rita, the widow of a Spanish soldier. Maria raised farmed and raised cattle on the land. Over the next 70 years the land changed hands several times between oil men, farmers and ranchers

In 1906 Burton Green, after several years of unsuccessful oil exploration, reorganized the ownership as the Rodeo Land and Water company and renamed the land Beverly Hills after his boyhood home of Beverly Farms in Massachusetts. The first streets: Rodeo, Canon, Cresecent, Carmelita, Elevado and Lomitas were constructed in 1907 and, to stimulate further development, the construction of the iconic Beverly Hills hotel. This ushered in the glamour era of Beverly Hills bringing in the Hollywood Elite and even a city owned wooden race track.

In the post World War II years Beverly Hills continued to develop as one of the most glamorous places in the world to live, eat, play and especially shop. Further shoping and hotel development added to the city’s reputation and by the late 1950’s few vacant lots remained. The City’s iconic image was enhanced with the spread of television and the moves set in Beverly Hills including the Jack Benny Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Beverly Hills cop movie series and Beverly Hills 90210.

Attractions

Beverly Hills markets itself as one of the most glamorous places in the world to shop. The Golden Triangle, with Rodeo Drive at its center, is marketed as the apex of chic shopping and fashion boasting some of the highest rent per square foot costs in the world. The city center is a Mecca of fine dining as well.

In addition to its shopping reputation, the city also includes two of the most iconic hotels in the world: the famous Beverly Hills hotel and the Beverly Wilshire hotel which hosts numerous award ceremonies. Some of the grandest homes in Los Angeles are in Beverly Hills including the Pickfair estate, original home of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and the Greystone Mansion and park built for the Doheny family.

Civic attractions include the recently remodeled civic center and the Beverly Gardens park which is a half block wide green belt running the full length of Santa Monica blvd anchored by the historical electric fountain and Tongva kneeling in prayer sculpture at the corner of Wilshire Blvd. This park hosts numerous cultural and educational events throughout the year

Homes

The largest area of homes in Beverly Hills is known as “The Flats”. This area runs from Sunset to the north all the way south to Olympic Boulevard. The larger and more prestigious area of the flats is “the north of the tracks” area running north from Santa Monica Boulevard to Sunset Boulevard. The designation of “the tracks” comes from the old red car train tracks which historically ran along Wilshire Boulevard. The homes “south of the tracks” or south of Wilshire Boulevard to Olympic Boulevard area tend to be the smallest in the city along with the largest concentration of apartment buildings and condominiums.

The largest and most significant residences in Beverly Hills are mostly found north of Sunset Boulevard in the more hilly section of the city. This neighborhood encompasses almost all of the largest lots and estates including the aforementioned Greystone and Pickfair residences.