Preserve Wilshire Vista

1249 So. Stanley Ave. Photo from Protect Wilshire Vista Website

Uh oh. It's happening in our sweet little neighborhood.  Mansionization! 

Wilshire Vista is located between San Vicente and Pico Boulevards, Fairfax Avenue and Hauser Boulevard, Mid-City L.A. It's a charming neighborhood with homes that were built between 1925 and 1930. There are a few mid-20th-century modern homes sprinkled around too. These "newer" homes, however, are the same scale as those built in the 1920's. They're different, but not out of place.  There are many styles of homes in Wilshire Vista: Spanish Revival, English Tudor Revival, Storybook, Mediterranean, Streamline Moderne and Art Deco. We have large lots, clean streets and a friendly neighborhood association. Recently, our property values have gone up because we're so close to the Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Hollywood.  It's a straight shot east on Olympic Boulevard for a quick trip downtown. We're also not far from the Metro Expo Line. 

The "Adobe" House. MLS Photo

Just up the block from our little Spanish Revival cottage, we noticed a home for sale. This is an unusual looking home, kind of a Spanish Adobe style with multiple levels, exterior patios, large side-yards and a nice front lawn. I've always admired it. The interior had some nice, vintage features, even though the floor-plan was a bit cut-up. There was also this little look-out, pop-up room upstairs with a roof patio. Very unique.

Interesting Fireplace. MLS Photo

Painted Beamed Ceiling in Living Room. MLS Photo

Multiple Patios. MLS Photo

Built-Ins in the Dining Room. MLS Photo

The home sold for just under $1 million. The buyer was a developer. A green fence went up around the house. Within the next few days, the house was demolished. This developer built a modern home just south-east of our neighborhood. I'm not adverse to this style. I rather like this new iteration of modernism. The main thing that bothers me is that this home is rather over-built for the neighborhood. There is no space on either side of the home, it is built to the legal lot-lines. Instead of a driveway to the garage in the back, a garage was placed in the front of the house on the first level...no side-yard. Visually, it is over-bearing in regard to the rest of the neighborhood.

Demolition in Progress. Photo from Protect Wilshire Vista Website

Demolished Home. Photo by Larry Underhill

We've had re-models and new homes built in our neighborhood in the past few years, but the owners have been sensitive to the look and proportion of these homes. Most have had a similar footprint to the ones they replaced.

A preservation group has been organized called Protect Wilshire Vista that has an informative website about this matter. There is an anti-mansionization petition to submit, if you want to join in.