How West Hollywood History Translated into the Contemporary Condo Lifestyle
[LOS ANGELES, CA]
By: Ron DeGenova
The area known as West Hollywood is bordered by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, Beverly Hills to the west, Los Angeles' Fairfax District to the south and of course, Hollywood to the east.
Known as WeHo today, it all started with one of the earliest movers and shakers in Los Angeles, Moses H. Sherman, who had a grand plan to establish an electric railway connecting the City of Angels with the fine beaches of Santa Monica. In 1898 he built the complex housing the car barns, metal shops, generating station and offices of the Los Angeles Pacific Railway Company at the corner of Venice and San Vicente Boulevards, the western terminus of the L.A. line and the location of Sherman Station. Workers' houses and stores catering to them soon sprung up, forming the community of Sherman in unincorporated L.A. County. Sherman eventually spread north into the present-day West Hollywood.
The film industry arrived a few years later and set up shop in Hollywood; many of its more successful members established their suburban satellite in Beverly Hills. This left the area in between to real estate agents who promptly subdivided the lots for sale in what became West Hollywood.
When World War II came to an end, most of the people who served in the Pacific Theater were repatriated by way of the West Coast port cities. For obvious reasons, many of those who were gay had little desire to return to hometowns in the heartland and simply remained in cities like Los Angeles. West Hollywood, with lower housing prices and beyond the reach of LAPD Vice, became a favored destination. The community had never succeeded the way its neighbors had, but the burgeoning gay community went to work to improve it. Commercial areas were revitalized; high-rise and other attractive residential structures were built for condo ownership and unit rental. West Hollywood became known for its new, vibrant tone.
In 1984, West Hollywood officially became a city. The actual number of people who live there is just over 37,000; the nighttime and weekend population, however, soars to between 80,000 and 100,000 with a high of up to 500,000 during major events such as Halloween or the Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade.
Because West Hollywood is now a mecca for young, urban adults of all kinds, the condo as a type of housing has become very popular. They are ideal for the single man or woman who would prefer to pass up yard work and other such chores in favor of walking to Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, taking in independent films at the Sunset 5, yukking it up at The Laugh Factory, soaking up some live music at the House of Blues or dancing to the thumping beat at nightclubs such as Rage or Mickey's.
Once the affordable alternative, housing today in West Hollywood is not the same. According to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), the average cost of a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom single-family house with a gross living area of approx. 1400 sq/ft is $1.2 million. The good news is that a condo of equal size with the same bedroom and bathroom count is listed at an average of $700,000.
So, if you want a west coast city that doesn't sleep, and have Beverly Hills taste but more of a Hollywood budget, check out the condo market in West Hollywood. Whether shopping, dining, nightlife or simply real estate, never a dull moment in this town!
West Hollywood Condos
By: Ron DeGenova
The area known as West Hollywood is bordered by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, Beverly Hills to the west, Los Angeles' Fairfax District to the south and of course, Hollywood to the east.
Known as WeHo today, it all started with one of the earliest movers and shakers in Los Angeles, Moses H. Sherman, who had a grand plan to establish an electric railway connecting the City of Angels with the fine beaches of Santa Monica. In 1898 he built the complex housing the car barns, metal shops, generating station and offices of the Los Angeles Pacific Railway Company at the corner of Venice and San Vicente Boulevards, the western terminus of the L.A. line and the location of Sherman Station. Workers' houses and stores catering to them soon sprung up, forming the community of Sherman in unincorporated L.A. County. Sherman eventually spread north into the present-day West Hollywood.
The film industry arrived a few years later and set up shop in Hollywood; many of its more successful members established their suburban satellite in Beverly Hills. This left the area in between to real estate agents who promptly subdivided the lots for sale in what became West Hollywood.
When World War II came to an end, most of the people who served in the Pacific Theater were repatriated by way of the West Coast port cities. For obvious reasons, many of those who were gay had little desire to return to hometowns in the heartland and simply remained in cities like Los Angeles. West Hollywood, with lower housing prices and beyond the reach of LAPD Vice, became a favored destination. The community had never succeeded the way its neighbors had, but the burgeoning gay community went to work to improve it. Commercial areas were revitalized; high-rise and other attractive residential structures were built for condo ownership and unit rental. West Hollywood became known for its new, vibrant tone.
In 1984, West Hollywood officially became a city. The actual number of people who live there is just over 37,000; the nighttime and weekend population, however, soars to between 80,000 and 100,000 with a high of up to 500,000 during major events such as Halloween or the Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade.
Because West Hollywood is now a mecca for young, urban adults of all kinds, the condo as a type of housing has become very popular. They are ideal for the single man or woman who would prefer to pass up yard work and other such chores in favor of walking to Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, taking in independent films at the Sunset 5, yukking it up at The Laugh Factory, soaking up some live music at the House of Blues or dancing to the thumping beat at nightclubs such as Rage or Mickey's.
Once the affordable alternative, housing today in West Hollywood is not the same. According to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), the average cost of a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom single-family house with a gross living area of approx. 1400 sq/ft is $1.2 million. The good news is that a condo of equal size with the same bedroom and bathroom count is listed at an average of $700,000.
So, if you want a west coast city that doesn't sleep, and have Beverly Hills taste but more of a Hollywood budget, check out the condo market in West Hollywood. Whether shopping, dining, nightlife or simply real estate, never a dull moment in this town!
West Hollywood Condos
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