About Hancock Park
Hancock Park is a beautiful and unique area in the central part of Los Angeles. It is one of the city’s oldest and, dare we say, most sophisticated neighborhoods. Hancock Park has been home to celebrities from Hollywood’s Golden Age through today. The neighborhood maintains much of its original historic architecture, another unique factor in Los Angeles. In fact, much of Hancock Park lies within Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (or HPOZs), which seek to maintain and preserve the original homes and character of the neighborhood, making it a coveted area for those who love classic architecture and historic homes.
The greater Hancock Park-Wilshire area is a center of culture for the city, as it is home to many of LA’s best museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits. Plus, its central location makes it easy to get to Hollywood, Downtown, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Century City and the Westside.
Hancock Park History
Hancock Park has a long history: the Spanish discovered the Tar Pits back in the 1700s, not to mention the prehistoric life in the Tar Pits itself. In the 1800s, the land was part of the Rancho La Brea Mexican Land Grant, and by the early 1900s, that land passed to the family of George Allan Hancock, who made a fortune mining the oil under the land.
In the 1920s, the oil was running dry so George Allan Hancock decided to develop the area into a residential subdivision. He donated a portion of the land to LA County under the condition that they preserve the La Brea Tar Pits. His vision for the subdivision is part of the reason Hancock Park is still such a beautiful neighborhood today: he sold lots with provisions that all houses have a 50-foot setback from the street and that all power lines be buried underground.
These new lots attracted wealthy buyers in the 1920s, who hired notable architects of the day, including Wallace Neff, Paul R. Williams, and Gordon Kaufmann, to build grand homes in a wide range of styles. Hancock’s Park beauty and central location attracted actors and notables, such as Clark Gable, Nat King Cole, Mae West, and Howard Hughes. Eventually, many of the Hollywood celebrities moved to Beverly Hills and other Westside neighborhoods, but even today Hancock Park remains a pocket beloved by those in the entertainment world who appreciate its historic grandeur.
The Location
The greater Hancock Park-Wilshire area is located between La Brea Ave and Western Ave, with Melrose Ave as the northern border and Pico Blvd as the southern border. Hancock Park “proper” is the section between Rossmore and Highland on the east and west sides and Melrose and Wilshire on the north and south.
The Neighborhoods
Hancock Park HPOZ
Located north of Wilshire Blvd and south of Melrose Ave, with the houses on either side of Rossmore Ave and Highland Ave as the eastern and western boundaries, this is the original Hancock Park, characterized by large mansions on large lots with big setbacks from the street. This is where the most expensive homes in Hancock Park-Wilshire are found, with home prices starting at $3,000,000 and going up to $15,000,000.
Windsor Square HPOZ
Found just to the east of Hancock Park proper, Windsor Square’s boundaries are Arden Blvd on the west, Van Ness Ave on the east, Wilshire Blvd on the south, and Beverly Blvd on the north. In addition to the palatial mansions similar to what you find in Hancock Park, with home prices ranging from $4,000,000-10,000,000, there are more modest sized homes on smaller lots that sell for $2,000,000-4,000,000. Windsor Square is home to the Los Angeles Mayor’s mansion.
Brookside
Comprised of just 8 streets, Brookside is a small area south of Hancock Park proper, between Highland Ave and Muirfield Rd on the east and west, and between Wilshire Blvd and Olympic Blvd. There is an actual brook, and residents enjoy an annual neighborhood block party. Real estate is relatively more affordable than other areas in Hancock Park, with prices ranging from $1,300,000 to $6,000,000.
Fremont Place
This is the first gated community in Los Angeles; you may have driven past the impressive granite gateway entrances on Wilshire or Olympic. The guard-gated neighborhood was established in 1915 with 73 grand homes on large lots, and notables like King Gillette, Elizabeth Taylor, Prince and Muhammad Ali have called it home. Recent home prices range from $4,000,000-7,000,000.
Larchmont Village
Larchmont Blvd is Hancock Park’s main commercial center and has loads of cute boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, salons and other small businesses.
Other nearby Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs) – Windsor Village, Wilshire Park, Country Club Park, Oxford Square, Miracle Mile, and Miracle Mile North
Hancock Park Real Estate
Hancock Park is a paradise for those who love historic architecture. Because of its various HPOZs, the original architecture styles from the 1920s can still be seen today. These styles include Spanish, Tudor, Italian/Mediterranean, Dutch Colonial, American Colonial, and Monterey Revival, as well as Craftsman and California bungalows. There are very few, if any, “modern boxes” seen here.
Hancock Park offers both palatial estates and more modest homes. Sale prices start just under $1,000,000 and can go up to $20,000,000. However, the average sale price tends to range between $2,500,000-4,000,000.
Things To Do in Hancock Park
LACMA
La Brea Tar Pits
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Larchmont Village – Boutique shopping, restaurants, and cafes
Republique – one of LA’s best restaurants
Shopping/Dining along La Brea Blvd and Melrose Ave
Live Music/Events at the Wiltern, the El Rey Theatre, or the Ebell
If you’re thinking of making a move in 2024 and would like to explore Hancock Park, send me an email at juliette(dotted)hohnen(at)elliman(dotted)com to get started! For serious buyers in the market right now, I have a gorgeous listing at 843 South Citrus Avenue in Hancock Park available for sale. Give me a call or send me an email to learn more.