Granville Manor- 871 Granville Avenue, Los Angeles CA

Brief History of Brentwood

Welcome to Brentwood, City of Los Angeles. At the turn of the century, these undulating hills and canyons of the upper Westside were still a part of the original land grant titled Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica. The rolling, grassy land swept upward into the Santa Monica Mountains and it provided some of the most spectacular scenery in California.

Lying between the city of Santa Monica (at 26th Street) and the Pacific Branch of the National Soldiers Home (gifted to the federal movement in 1888, now the VA), subdivision of the land was accomplished in the usual way in Los Angeles: along streetcar lines.

In 1906, the elegant Westgate line was laid out in what is now the coral tree median along San Vicente Boulevard from the VA to the sea. Interurban service promised easy and direct transportation to downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The town of Westgate (1905) was plotted at the West side of the VA. Brentwood Park was filed for subdivision in 1906. Other tracts soon followed.

By the eve of World War I, much of lower Brentwood, near San Vicente, had been laid out. The area was without commercial activity except at the eastern end of San Vicente Boulevard. Adding to the recognized ambiance of the area was the new Brentwood Country Club on the south side of the electric car line. Begun as a cooperative venture by many of the prominent real estate promoters, the club quickly became a focal point for the area.

Styles changed after the war. Craftsman homes with their wide eaves, porches and steeply sloped roofs soon sat beside tiled Spanish Colonial Revival, timbered English Tudor and French Country houses. Much of the empty look was filled in and the automobile became the primary mode of transportation. A city to sea highway was paved along the foothills and in 1926, Beverly Boulevard (now Sunset) was opened. Homes began appearing in the hills on the "Tiger's Tail" and in Boca de Canon (Mandeville Canyon).

Most of the upper Brentwood, with its steep hillsides and wonderful views, developed in the canyons after World War II. Barbecues, patios and walls of sliding glass were trademarks of these homes, which were built to take full advantage of the outdoor lifestyle, which is the hallmark of Southern California. Crestwood Hills was a model community, which captured national attention.

The latest addition to the area was the community of Mountain Gate in the 1970's. The latter was a planned neighborhood high in the hills Sepulveda Boulevard. Attached and detached homes of traditional style were built around a country club in a beautiful setting of rolling hills and great views.

Brentwood today continues to be the sophisticated community that it was destined to be when it was laid out 90 years ago. The successful shopping districts along San Vicente Boulevard and the low-density housing have combined to create a wonderful place to live and to play. It is certainly a large jewel in the crown of Los Angeles.

Brentwood Today

Brentwood isn't actually a town or city. It is a section of West Los Angeles. ZIP code 90049, just west of the 405, between UCLA and Santa Monica. There is a city called Brentwood, in Northern California. This causes occasional confusion for local postmasters.

The population of Brentwood is approximately 38,000. There are close to 18,000 residences, made up half of single family dwellings (mostly north of San Vicente) and half apartments or condominiums (mostly south of San Vicente).

Brentwood is called home by many of the area's most prominent business, political and academic leaders--and of course, movie stars, screen writers, directors and others "in the business."

Despite Brentwood's higher profile in recent years, the locals consider themselves to be "just plain folks" who cherish their community and their privacy.

San Vicente Boulevard is the "Main Street" of Brentwood. Its median strip is lined with Coral Trees whose oddly twisting branches appear almost ancient in a land where all is new.

Some of LA's best shopping and dining locations are found along San Vicente; the Country Mart (at 26th and San Vicente) and Brentwood Village (where Barrington and Sunset intersect) also offer anything you might be looking for.

The opening of the new Getty Museum on a majestic hilltop north of Sunset, just west of the 405, will provide a home for one of the world's greatest art collections. The Getty is expected to attract over a million visitors each year.

Though Brentwood has lost its anonymity in recent years, it has lost none of its charm. People who live here can think of nowhere else they'd rather be.

Brentwood - Los Angeles - California

Brentwood is known as one of the cultural epicenters of the Westside, and really the West Coast as well, due to the opening of the Getty Museum, which is one of the largest museums in the world. Aside from this starred attraction, Brentwood is also a neighborhood of magnificent views. There is no part of LA that cannot be seen from Brentwood. It is also small enough to foster a wonderful and vibrant sense of community, and is within easy walking distance of some of the best restaurants and shopping in Los Angeles on San Vicente boulevard in Brentwood.

A Desirable Neighborhood

Brentwood is a prestige town, located mostly in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, and is part of the city of Los Angeles. It is an increasingly wealthy community with a highly educated and aging adult population. Brentwood is no longer merely a nice family community within Los Angeles--it has become one of LA's most elite and desirable locales. It is a place where young professionals without families can enjoy a high quality of life on LA's Westside, and a place where families come to raise their children. "Brentwood is a place where people come and stay for a generation. They stay until their kids are raised," one local commented in The Brentwood News. Local schools are rated highly.

The average Brentwood resident earns an income of nearly $120,000 a year, and is more likely to own his or her 5.4-room residence than to rent it. The value of that residence is in excess of $500,000 and the monthly owner costs with a mortgage are more than $2,000. The average resident spends 24 minutes driving alone to work each day.

Brentwood Homes

Today, Brentwood is built primarily for upscale professionals. It has its mansions, and its homes that hang off the hills or sit on mesas and command great views of the countryside and the Pacific. The typical home, however, is probably a three- or four-bedroom rancher, with a two-car garage, built in the 1950's or 1960's. Brentwood has a country feeling, with streets meandering around and over the hills and plentiful trees and shrubs. There is little land left for development in Brentwood, causing land to hold its value better than if there were expansive areas where new homes could be built.

The community is situated immediately west of the San Diego Freeway and is split about its middle by Sunset Boulevard. The Brentwood Country Club is located on its south side, Mt. St. Mary's College and the new Getty Museum on its north side, and Topanga State Park on the west side. San Vicente Boulevard on the south defines housing patterns: above San Vicente you'll find mostly single homes, and below San Vicente you'll find mostly apartments.

Brentwood is patrolled by Los Angeles police, but is assisted by private security.

Welcome to Brentwood!

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is subject to errors, omissions, changes in terms and conditions, prior sale, and/or withdrawal from market, all without notice. All information is derived from sources deemed reliable, however, no warranties are either expressed or implied. Prospective purchasers should rely on their own verification of the facts before committing themselves financially or otherwise.