By Bess Hochman
From the beginning, Trousdale Estates, conveniently located in the foothills of Beverly Hills, attracted the rich and famous including celebrities like Groucho Marx, Dean Martin, and Elvis Presley, and more recently, Ellen Degeneres, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, and Elton John as well as former Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
New celebrities and billionaires from all over the world are re-discovering Trousdale and succumbing to the charms of this popular prestige neighborhood. Trousdale’s irresistible attraction derives in large part from its specially designed hillside location offering a feeling of escape, privacy and serenity just minutes above the City.
The unmatched convenience of being so close to trendy restaurants and luxury shops in Beverly Hills and nearby Century City and West Hollywood is a big draw, especially to the celebrity crowd. In the 1950’s when Paul Trousdale originally transformed a 410 acre hillside parcel into 539 view lots known as “Trousdale Estates,” with lots precisely stepped up to maximize their canyon, City and ocean views, the sales advertisement promised “A Life Above It All.” True to that slogan, whether lovingly remodeled, well-preserved or newly built, Trousdale homes still provide the enticing lifestyle envisioned by the original developer.
A big part of Trousdale’s undeniable allure are its many unique and noteworthy Mid-Century Modern homes designed by architectural masters like Wallace Neff, A. Quincy Jones, Frank Lloyd Wright and Harold Levitt just to mention a few. Proven “timeless” in design, the Mid-Century Modern home looked to simplicity, elegance and efficiency. The architects of this period were futuristic in their thinking, anticipating the appeal of their modern, light-filled open floor plans with easy indoor/outdoor flow.
Most Trousdale homes were built in the 1960’s. Strict standards were imposed to maintain views, consistency in size and privacy within the Trousdale community. Currently the City of Beverly Hills, under its Trousdale Ordinance, has passed regulations to maintain the neighborhood’s character and value, including building height restrictions to preserve views.
The key to future successful Trousdale projects is once again in the “vision” of modern architects. Today’s buyers are enamored anew with Trousdale and the exciting possibilities envisioned by creative and bold modern architects. These innovators are blending classic Mid-Century Modern elements with innovative 21st Century design and materials. With Mid-Century Modern architecture making a huge comeback with its celebration of the beauty of simplicity, it is important to act quickly when one of these architectural gems comes on the market.
An authentic 1950’s Mid-Century Modern home, offering complete privacy, with floor to ceiling windows, custom designed Italian terrazzo floors and large motor court has become available for sale. The property provides the opportunity to update and increase the square footage of this 4,000 square foot home or construct a brand new 21st Century Modern estate of about 10,000 square feet. The home’s original owners fell in love with its architectural sleekness and futuristic design. They raised a family and grew old in this place of their dreams. It was the site of much happiness, dinner parties, and the classic California “dreaming” lifestyle.
The heirs carry with them the memories of an elegant era lived in a simple, easy way. Prospective new owners will undoubtedly create and live their personal dreams in this 21st Century paradise with the help of the latest innovations in home technology to re-imagine a new “California lifestyle.”
Someone special will certainly grasp this opportunity to start their own memorable love affair with Trousdale – a most desirable enclave in perhaps the most famous City in the world.
For a free courtesy consultation contact Bess Hochman, a top Westside Real Estate Broker for over 20 years. Bess is also distinguished by holding a law degree. This article expresses the opinion of the author. You are advised to consult attorneys and others experts specializing in the issues referenced in this article.
Contact Bess by phone at 310.291.4111 or email Bess.CenturyCityNews@yahoo.com.
“Bess is a master negotiator!” says Michael Donaldson, attorney and author of “Negotiating For Dummies.”
