User:Trousdalefan

Trousdale Estates, Beverly Hills, CA

Nestled high in the hills above the Los Angeles basin, Trousdale Estates is a collection of stunning homes built in the 1950's within the fabled city of Beverly Hills, CA by prolific developer Paul Trousdale. Originally part of the Doheny estate, Trousdale, as it is commonly called, occupies a peninsula of land flanked by the Hollywood Hills to the West, North and East and is connected to the rest of the city via a narrow strip of land to the South. At the Southern most section of Trousdale sits the Greystone Mansion, a sprawling 42,000 square foot limestone structure that was completed in 1929. The 26-acre site home site, part of the original Doheny Estate, sits on Doheny Road at the base of Trousdale.

In 1954, a 410 acre portion of the Doheny estate was sold to Paul Trousdale, who began grading generously sized lots on the newly purchased land, many of those lots with city and canyon views. Known for its privacy and security, the area immediately began to attract celebrity buyers like Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Graucho Marx. Construction on the project accelerated rapidly toward the end of the 1950's and peaked in the 1960's. The new subdivision gave the city an enormous boost in its housing supply and in its real estate tax base.

Many of the spacious and elegant homes that dot the hilly and often winding roads that weave through Trousdale are mid century contempory masterpieces. Flat roofs, clean lines and walls of glass give way to expansive city and tranquil canyon views, while open floor plans create the perfect environment for indoor/outdoor entertaining. To protect homeowners, strict view-preserving ordinances are in affect and all homes in Trousdale are limited to a single story. All landscaping plans must also be filed with the city of Beverly Hills for approval in an effort to preserve neighborhood character.

The lure...

The lure is, and has always been, its proximity to restaurants, shopping, and the Westside. But for many residents, private security patrols and access to city services like the Beverly Hills police and fire departments make Trousdale even more attractive. Trousdale is part of the award-winning Beverly Hills Unified School District. Beverly Hills High School's notable graduates include Nicholas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Lenny Kravitz, and Tori Spelling. The high school is also known for its famed performing arts department.

Like so many other neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Trousdale has begun to experience a resurgence in new buyers as of late, many of them hot, young celebrities who have taken an interest in helping transform Trousdale back to its original splendor. Many of the area's homes have been painstakingly remodeled, while others have been rebuilt completely.

As of July 2004, homes in Trousdale ranged in price from $2.1 million to $6.4 million.