June 23, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Celebrity and Luxury Real Estate Mecca of Beverly Hills and Adjacent Century City In Demand

A look back at the history of Beverly Hills and Century City provides insight into the past and present attraction of these communities to both local and foreign luxury buyers.

Although the land that became “Beverly Hills” was initially purchased by an investment group for oil prospecting, when the original investors found water on the land they decided a better use of the property would be to create a luxury residential enclave and subdivide the land.

The original investment group, the Rodeo Land and Water Company designed Beverly Hills with the idea that no expense was to be spared.

The area north of Sunset Boulevard was designed for the wealthy with the largest lots. The very first streets, Rodeo, Canon, Crescent, Elevado, Carmelita and Lomitas were designed in 1907 to be wide curving roads. In addition to the streets, the original landscape architect Wilbur T. Cook also designed the green space park along Santa Monica Boulevard.

The area south of Sunset Boulevard and north of Santa Monica referred to as “the flats” was planned to be affordable for the middle class.

The area south of the railroad tracks along Santa Monica Boulevard was originally sold to buyers who would work for the wealthier residents of Beverly Hills. Ironically, some buyers of those low end properties found themselves moving up as the areas south of Santa Monica became the downtown business district of Beverly Hills and quickly appreciated.

Some say the development of the Beverly Hills Hotel, which opened in 1912, probably was the most significant contribution to the success of Beverly Hills. The City was not incorporated until 1914.The hotel was the heart of the City providing the public place to dine, movie theatre and local church.

The hotel served as a great marketing tool for the investors to promote their development. As it turned out, visitors staying at the hotel would strike up conversations with local residents congregating there and some visitors found themselves enticed into returning to purchase plots of land.

The hotel which promoted a glamorous lifestyle also attracted celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. They led the way in 1919 for other celebrities when they bought a hunting lodge and remodeled it into their mansion known as Picfair. Other celebrities such as Gloria Swanson, Will Rogers, Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino followed.

The roaring 20s brought a speedway track for racing to the south part of Beverly Hills comparable to today’s Indie 500. Beverly Hills continued to grow along with its image and heritage as a well spring of “fertility” and “abundance” as declared by the Tongva, the first Native American inhabitants of the area.

Trousdale Estates carved out of the foothills of Beverly Hills in the 1950s was developed after the Doheny ranch was subdivided. This development is renowned for its Mid-Century masterpieces by famed architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, A. Quincy Jones, Wallace Neff and Harold Levitt just to mention a few.

A view home site that could have been bought in 1950 for just shy of $30,000 would probably cost several million dollars today just for the land. The original flyer for a completed new Trousdale home in 1950 showed sales prices starting at $79,500.

Past and present celebrity owners in the Trousdale Estates area include among others, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Richard Nixon, Jennifer Aniston, Vera Wang, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Jane Fonda, Elton John, and Simon Cowell.

Landmark sites in Beverly Hills include 501 Doheny Rd. in Trousdale Estates known as the Greystone Mansion. It is now part of a public park owned by the City and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another landmark is 1011 North Beverly Dr., the former home of William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies. It has been seen in films including the Godfather and the Bodyguard.

Beverly Hills continues to be defined as a destination for the finest in dining, shopping and entertainment and continues to maintain its mystique.

Adjacent to Beverly Hills, is the business and growing luxury residential community of Century City. Originally developed out of the property owned by 20th Century Fox studios, Century City has its own celebrity history.

The Century Plaza Hotel, the hub of social, political and charitable events in Century City, currently under renovation, has hosted every President since Lyndon Johnson. Upon reopening, it is expected to continue to host such events and expand its night life activities.

The explosion of high end luxury commercial, retail and residential properties in Century City located adjacent to Beverly Hills will enlarge the hub of activity available in the area for dining, shopping and entertainment.

Luxury guard gated residential communities in Century City are attracting celebrities like the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Century City is expected to draw more high end luxury buyers as construction of new luxury residential high rise projects planned for Century City get underway.

Despite real estate cycles, Beverly Hills and Century City continue to attract buyers from the global marketplace as a “safe haven” for investment in today’s world of global uncertainty .

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 & others experts specializing in the issues referenced in this article.

 

Contact Bess: 310.291.4111. E-mail:

Bess.CenturyCityNews@yahoo.com

Related Posts

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Navy Vietnam Vet Finally Gets His UCLA Commencement Moment

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

John Fong, 80, Missed His Graduation in 1968 While in Vietnam  Nearly six decades after completing his studies, U.S. Navy...

Films, Flair, and Panoramas: Free Cultural Events Light Up The Ebell This Week

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The Ebell Theatre Hosts a Double Feature of Films, Plus a Coffee Talk A pair of free public events this...

Robeks Opens in Westwood with Free Smoothies and 15% Off Bowls & Toasts

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

New Location Celebrates Grand Opening on June 21 With Daylong Giveaways Robeks is launching its newest storefront in Westwood with...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

(Video) The Guest List Collab Dinner with Chef Raphael Lunetta and Chef Alan Wong

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Held at Marelle Restaurant at The Sandbourne Hotel in Santa Monica. An Incredible mix of Hawaiian and Santa Monica’s flavors...

Summer Pop-Ups Serve Crullers, Challah Donuts, Croissants, Coffee and Musical Vibes

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Nyletta Nyletta, Challah Dad, Des Croissants Paris Bring Pastry Delights to Culver City A pair of sweet summer pop-ups are...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

June 18, 2025

June 18, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com For More Information, Go to https://t.co/FSjP6KY1hE pic.twitter.com/ze76qGhNl8 — CCNewsLA (@CCWNNews) June 19, 2025