I've finally joined the billions on Facebook. Feel free to Friend me!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003219497096
Also, saw in the news that PVE and RPV were recently named one of the best places to live by quality of life. Here's a link to the Daily Breeze article (Note that it is a ranking of cities with at least 10,000 residents - sorry, Rolling Hills (pop ~2,000) and Rolling Hills Estates (pop ~8,500)!)
Also, for those wanting to see the actual data, check that out here: The Business Journal/On Numbers Report
Top Southern California Cities By Quality of Life
1. San Marino
2. Coto de Caza
3. Palos Verdes Estates
4. La Canada Flintridge
5. Calabasas
6. Manhattan Beach
7. Malibu
8. North Tustin
9. Coronado
10. Newport Beach
11. Irvine
12. Laguna Beach
13. Sierra Madre
14. Rancho Palos Verdes
15. Agoura Hills
16. Aliso Viejo
17. Rancho Santa Margarita
18. Hermosa Beach
19. Yorba Linda
20. Beverly Hills
21. Claremont
22. Solana Beach
23. Laguna Niguel
24. Carlsbad
25. Encinitas
Top California Cities By Quality of Life
1. Hillsborough
2. San Marino
3. Blackhawk (Danville)
4. Coto de Caza
5. Palos Verdes Estates
6. Piedmont
7. Orinda
8. Alamo
9. Los Altos
10. Saratoga
11. Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
12. La Canada Flintridge
13. Palo Alto
14. Granite Bay
15. Calabasas
16. Manhattan Beach
17. El Dorado Hills
18. Danville
19. Lafayette
20. Mill Valley
Congrats also to fellow South Bay cities Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach.
Showing posts with label RPV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RPV. Show all posts
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
McMansion or Estate? You decide...
In line with recent posts about some relatively new (and even under construction) homes, today I bring you another. This one is in the Montemalaga area of PVE, where some of the largest homes on the Peninsula are located. The Munoz Residence.
(Source: NJC)
Designed by Redondo Beach-based architect David J. Boyd (www.boydarchitects.com) and built in 2010, this 7,254 square foot residence sits on a 0.6 acre corner lot. The home replaces a 3,426, single-level L-shaped ranch style home built in 1968 which the current owner purchased in 2007 for $2.3M.
(Source: Google Maps)
(Source: Bing Maps)
As you can tell from the photos and the aerials, the new home keeps the same basic footprint and orientation as the original. At first, I wondered why - the street it faces is a much more active thoroughfare than the side street to its north. And then it hit me - the views! From the second floor of this house, you have a peak-a-boo ocean/city view.
Anyhow, I haven't seen much of this architect's work before, but a quick perusal on the website shows that he hasn't done a terrible amount of work on the Peninsula. Judging from this home and the few he has listed in the Mediterranean variety, I would rate him average. The rendering of this home (all these new school architects and their CAD drawings!) is below.
(Source: David J. Boyd & Associates)
Even from the rendering, I feel there is something very off about this home. For one, the wood in the rendering is too light - should be dark, grainy wood. Thankfully this was fixed in the actual home. What else - oh yes, the windows. There are too many windows and they are slightly out of scale. We ought to cherish the white space - the plaster is just as important as the glass. Filling every inch of the home with windows and doors makes absolutely no sense - its excess. Does any particular room in a house need that much light? The role of an architect and a good interior designer is to properly orchestrate all the features of the rooms and flow of a house - the right kind of light, in the right spot, with the right architectural details to highlight and enhance and be enhanced. Whenever I see a monstrosity of glass I think to myself - very bad interior planning; they're just flooding the interior with light without any regard to room and space planning.
With a house of this size and mass (it has over 160' of frontage), there are ways to execute a restrained, elegant and sophisticated Spanish home. One good example of something similar are the spec homes at Terranea.
(Source: NJC)
(Source: NJC)
Notice how these homes feel much more authentic - despite having to accommodate a similar square footage. They have ample windows - absolutely - but they're done to scale and in a tasteful manner. Even the plaster on the exterior walls has a more weathered, natural appearance.
One aspect you'll notice - which detracts from the authenticity of the Munoz residence, are the frames around the windows and rooflines. What's with that?
(Source: NJC)
That wreaks of McMansion in my view. If you look at all of the 1920s era Spanish homes I've featured on this site, I don't think you'll find this feature. Look at the Terranea homes as well - no frames!
(Source: NJC)
Finally, let's look at the rear of the home. It's a bit better than the front - but not by much.
(Source: Google Maps)
(Source: NJC)
Overall, borderline McMansion - what do you think?
Designed by Redondo Beach-based architect David J. Boyd (www.boydarchitects.com) and built in 2010, this 7,254 square foot residence sits on a 0.6 acre corner lot. The home replaces a 3,426, single-level L-shaped ranch style home built in 1968 which the current owner purchased in 2007 for $2.3M.
As you can tell from the photos and the aerials, the new home keeps the same basic footprint and orientation as the original. At first, I wondered why - the street it faces is a much more active thoroughfare than the side street to its north. And then it hit me - the views! From the second floor of this house, you have a peak-a-boo ocean/city view.
Anyhow, I haven't seen much of this architect's work before, but a quick perusal on the website shows that he hasn't done a terrible amount of work on the Peninsula. Judging from this home and the few he has listed in the Mediterranean variety, I would rate him average. The rendering of this home (all these new school architects and their CAD drawings!) is below.
Even from the rendering, I feel there is something very off about this home. For one, the wood in the rendering is too light - should be dark, grainy wood. Thankfully this was fixed in the actual home. What else - oh yes, the windows. There are too many windows and they are slightly out of scale. We ought to cherish the white space - the plaster is just as important as the glass. Filling every inch of the home with windows and doors makes absolutely no sense - its excess. Does any particular room in a house need that much light? The role of an architect and a good interior designer is to properly orchestrate all the features of the rooms and flow of a house - the right kind of light, in the right spot, with the right architectural details to highlight and enhance and be enhanced. Whenever I see a monstrosity of glass I think to myself - very bad interior planning; they're just flooding the interior with light without any regard to room and space planning.
With a house of this size and mass (it has over 160' of frontage), there are ways to execute a restrained, elegant and sophisticated Spanish home. One good example of something similar are the spec homes at Terranea.
Notice how these homes feel much more authentic - despite having to accommodate a similar square footage. They have ample windows - absolutely - but they're done to scale and in a tasteful manner. Even the plaster on the exterior walls has a more weathered, natural appearance.
One aspect you'll notice - which detracts from the authenticity of the Munoz residence, are the frames around the windows and rooflines. What's with that?
That wreaks of McMansion in my view. If you look at all of the 1920s era Spanish homes I've featured on this site, I don't think you'll find this feature. Look at the Terranea homes as well - no frames!
Finally, let's look at the rear of the home. It's a bit better than the front - but not by much.
Overall, borderline McMansion - what do you think?
KEY STATS
Location: Montemalaga, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2010
Architect: David J. Boyd
Square footage: 7,254
Lot size: 21,443sf (irregular, 172'x218')
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2010
Architect: David J. Boyd
Square footage: 7,254
Lot size: 21,443sf (irregular, 172'x218')
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Mansion time...
So today, for my comeback post, I'll start with a splash - a big one - a 12,279 square foot one to be exact. The Labarba Residence.
(Source: ECB Associates)
Designed in the Beaux Arts style in 1997 by Ed Beall, the home is one of the largest homes in Rancho Palos Verdes. It has 5 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. A four car garage. Public records show the current homeowners purchased the 1.1 acre lot with an older home in 1991 for $2.0M. The home is currently a pocket listing by Raju Chhabria, the leading PV Peninsula realtor, for $14.9M.
(Source: Raju Chhabria)
(Source: Bing Maps)
The home is unique among a sea of Italianate and Spanish homes. I initially wasn't a fan of this home - thought it was too ornate; however, upon further investigation, it is quite in keeping with the Beaux Arts style. The home has a very formal feel, with the motor court, symmetric facade, formal rear garden, etc. You'll also notice that the garage - a rather large one - is in a separate structure connected to the main home.
(Source: Bing Maps)
I thought it was also interesting that a home of this size, on such a large lot (albeit partially sloped), does not have a swimming pool. At this price point, buyers would likely expect a pool, especially given its ocean views and proximity to the bluffs.
(Source: Bing Maps)
Designed in the Beaux Arts style in 1997 by Ed Beall, the home is one of the largest homes in Rancho Palos Verdes. It has 5 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. A four car garage. Public records show the current homeowners purchased the 1.1 acre lot with an older home in 1991 for $2.0M. The home is currently a pocket listing by Raju Chhabria, the leading PV Peninsula realtor, for $14.9M.
The home is unique among a sea of Italianate and Spanish homes. I initially wasn't a fan of this home - thought it was too ornate; however, upon further investigation, it is quite in keeping with the Beaux Arts style. The home has a very formal feel, with the motor court, symmetric facade, formal rear garden, etc. You'll also notice that the garage - a rather large one - is in a separate structure connected to the main home.
I thought it was also interesting that a home of this size, on such a large lot (albeit partially sloped), does not have a swimming pool. At this price point, buyers would likely expect a pool, especially given its ocean views and proximity to the bluffs.
(Source: Bing Maps)KEY STATS
Location: Lunada Pointe, RPV
Style: Beaux-Arts
Year built: 1997
Architect: Ed Beall
Square footage: 12,279
Lot size: 48,787(178 x 250)
Style: Beaux-Arts
Year built: 1997
Architect: Ed Beall
Square footage: 12,279
Lot size: 48,787(178 x 250)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
A beautiful home in a coastal RPV tract
Along the coast, there was once upon a time an effort to build a high-end development of Mediterranean mansion-y tract homes in the late 1990s called Oceanfront. While that went through a series of starts/stops, ultimately, a number of homes were built on the land. Today, there are a couple of vacant lots still available there but for the most part, the development is complete.
(Source: Bing Maps)
One of my favorite homes - and I'll be honest, a number of the homes in this development do look like McMansions - is this one below. While it is strikingly similar in layout and facial features to its left and right neighbors, this is, in my view, the best and most authentic feeling of the three.
(Source: NJC)
Built in 2005, the home measures a whopping 6,288 square feet, has 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and sits on an incredibly generous 24,308 square feet (115x212). It was last purchased in late 2006 for $3.5M, a steal given the size of the home and lot and the proximity to the breathtaking bluffs. The garage doors, while front-facing (a feature of homes I generally do not like), still seem understated and do not detract from the facade. The entrance to the home, with its arches and faux balcony, have a familiar, inviting feel from the walkway. The windows, while perhaps a touch too large for the home, still remain more or less in scale.
Quick aside: one of my many complaints against the new "Mediterranean" McMansiony homes is that often times, while they incorporate authentic features of whatever original architectural style they're paying tribute to, it is generally out of scale with other features of the home. Windows and arches are the two biggest offenders. More on this in future posts, but for now, back to the Oceanfront home.
(Source: Bing Maps)
The home features a very nice interior courtyard, a HUGE backyard, and it looks as though the current owners have been in the process of installing a pool. One of my only knocks against this house is that it its neighbors are identical in layout with only subtle (but very important) changes to the facade. Couldn't the developer have been a bit more creative?
(Source: Bing Maps)
(Source: Bing Maps)
The neighborhood lacks the mature trees of neighboring coastal areas, a function I'm sure of the fairly young age of this development. Overall, a very nice house I wouldn't mind calling home.
KEY STATS
Location: Oceanfront, RPV
Style: Italian
Year built: 2005
Architect: Unknown
Square footage: 6,288
Lot size: 24,308 (115x212)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Taking a detour to RPV
I've spent a fair amount of time singing the praises of the original Palos Verdes Project, a great deal of which was realized in the city of Palos Verdes Estates. Its larger, more populous neighbor, Rancho Palos Verdes, didn't enjoy quite the same development path as its smaller sibling. Much of the land that was part of the original 16,000 acre Palos Verdes Project was sold off to other developers and builders. A lion's share of that land, nearly 8,750 acres, became the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, incorporated in 1973.
RPV, as it is more commonly known, is the largest city on the Peninsula by both land and population. In fact, the population of RPV is greater than the sum of the populations of PVE, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates combined (the "90274") - by a factor of two! It also has its own zipcode - 90275 - one of the two zipcodes of the Peninsula. Unlike other Peninsula communities, RPV is very much a large collection of smaller neighborhoods and developments. Some are charming, like the Miraleste section to the southeast or the Portuguese Bend area on the coast, and others are less so, resembling the large, ranch-style tracts of the 1960s and 1970s that are found on the much less exclusive grounds of Torrance, Gardena, Lawndale and other parts of the South Bay.
Grandview Estates, RPV
(Source: Bing Maps)
Portuguese Bend, RPV
(Source: Bing Maps)
RPV is home to some of the more expensive homes on the Peninsula, as well as the cheapest homes, including a large number of condominiums and townhomes. It is also home to the only public 18-hole golf courses on the Peninsula (and Beach Cities): Los Verdes and Trump National (the only two other courses are private - the Palos Verdes Country Club in PVE, and the Rolling Hills Country Club in RHE). The Terranea Resort is also located in RPV (and includes a 9-hole golf course). RPV borders Palos Verdes Estates to the north, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates to the east, and the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles to the south.
(Source: Bing Maps)
The contrast between RPV and other neighboring towns can be quite pronounced in certain areas - take for example, the distinct difference in street layout and overall feel between the upper Lunada Bay area of PVE on the left and the abutting neighborhood of RPV on the right.
(Source: Bing Maps)
All that said, I'm a fan of a number of the areas of RPV (although I think my heart is in PVE).
RPV, as it is more commonly known, is the largest city on the Peninsula by both land and population. In fact, the population of RPV is greater than the sum of the populations of PVE, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates combined (the "90274") - by a factor of two! It also has its own zipcode - 90275 - one of the two zipcodes of the Peninsula. Unlike other Peninsula communities, RPV is very much a large collection of smaller neighborhoods and developments. Some are charming, like the Miraleste section to the southeast or the Portuguese Bend area on the coast, and others are less so, resembling the large, ranch-style tracts of the 1960s and 1970s that are found on the much less exclusive grounds of Torrance, Gardena, Lawndale and other parts of the South Bay.
Grandview Estates, RPV
Portuguese Bend, RPV
RPV is home to some of the more expensive homes on the Peninsula, as well as the cheapest homes, including a large number of condominiums and townhomes. It is also home to the only public 18-hole golf courses on the Peninsula (and Beach Cities): Los Verdes and Trump National (the only two other courses are private - the Palos Verdes Country Club in PVE, and the Rolling Hills Country Club in RHE). The Terranea Resort is also located in RPV (and includes a 9-hole golf course). RPV borders Palos Verdes Estates to the north, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates to the east, and the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles to the south.
The contrast between RPV and other neighboring towns can be quite pronounced in certain areas - take for example, the distinct difference in street layout and overall feel between the upper Lunada Bay area of PVE on the left and the abutting neighborhood of RPV on the right.
All that said, I'm a fan of a number of the areas of RPV (although I think my heart is in PVE).
Thursday, January 13, 2011
For those not familiar with PV...
I recently came across a cool channel called HDNet, where, as the name might suggest, all the shows on the channel are filmed in HD. They have a series called SkyScapes which takes you through a 45 minute tour of various cities - all footage in high definition. In the SkyScapes:Los Angeles episode, they have quite a good sequence that covers the Palos Verdes Peninsula. I've tried my best to capture that clip to share with the rest of you. Full disclaimer: the video and content is copyright HDNet 2011. Video clip below.
Friday, January 7, 2011
The first post! Hello world!
Hello world! This is my first post for a blog I think long overdue! I've long wished that there was a blog out there that covered the amazing homes and history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula ("PV"), one of the many hidden gems in Southern California. Since I've yet to come upon such a blog, I thought "Gosh, why not create one myself!" So here I am. Time for a little background.
About me: I'm not an architect, landscape designer, nor am I a realtor or builder of homes. I'm just a guy who grew up in the area around PV, called the South Bay. I went to school there. Lived there most of my life.
A little geography lesson. Los Angeles is composed of a huge number of regions, neighborhoods and towns. When people say they are "from LA, " that generally means they're from one of the 16 regions, 158 incorporated towns or 114 unincorporated neighborhoods that comprise the greater LA metro area. For a very good overview of the neighborhoods, check out the LA Times Mappling LA website. Very informative!
Along the coast, south of the Los Angeles International Airport, lies a little known area called the South Bay. The South Bay got its name since it occupies the area on the southern edge of the Santa Monica Bay. It is comprised mainly of the tony beach towns of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Additionally, the South Bay area also includes the cities of Torrance, El Segundo, Gardena, Lawndale and Lomita. Further down the coast, south of South Redondo Beach and Torrance, is an even more affluent area called the Palos Verdes Peninsula, or "PV" as it is more locally known.
PV is a 16,000 acre peninsula is made up of 5 areas - Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, and the unincorporated area known generally as the Palos Verdes Peninsula. As a general matter, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills tend to be the most affluent communities on the peninsula, the former being a master planned community designed by the Olmstead Brothers as a "Millionaire's Colony" in the 1920s and the latter is an exclusive gated community with a rural flare and the highest average household income of any city in the country. Over the course of my posts, I'll explain more of the differences among the various towns on the peninsula. For the most part, most of the very interesting architecture tends to be found in Palos Verdes Estates, given that the city is a master planned community and has an Art Jury that overseas the aesthetics of the town.
A few shots of the Peninsula:
(Source: NJC)
North entrance into PV from Torrance, facing Valmonte, PVE
(Source: NJC)
Bluffs near the Terranea Resort, RPV
(Source: NJC)
Bluffs north of Terranea, RPV
(Source: NJC)
Malaga Cove neighborhood, PVE
About me: I'm not an architect, landscape designer, nor am I a realtor or builder of homes. I'm just a guy who grew up in the area around PV, called the South Bay. I went to school there. Lived there most of my life.
A little geography lesson. Los Angeles is composed of a huge number of regions, neighborhoods and towns. When people say they are "from LA, " that generally means they're from one of the 16 regions, 158 incorporated towns or 114 unincorporated neighborhoods that comprise the greater LA metro area. For a very good overview of the neighborhoods, check out the LA Times Mappling LA website. Very informative!
Along the coast, south of the Los Angeles International Airport, lies a little known area called the South Bay. The South Bay got its name since it occupies the area on the southern edge of the Santa Monica Bay. It is comprised mainly of the tony beach towns of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Additionally, the South Bay area also includes the cities of Torrance, El Segundo, Gardena, Lawndale and Lomita. Further down the coast, south of South Redondo Beach and Torrance, is an even more affluent area called the Palos Verdes Peninsula, or "PV" as it is more locally known.
PV is a 16,000 acre peninsula is made up of 5 areas - Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, and the unincorporated area known generally as the Palos Verdes Peninsula. As a general matter, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills tend to be the most affluent communities on the peninsula, the former being a master planned community designed by the Olmstead Brothers as a "Millionaire's Colony" in the 1920s and the latter is an exclusive gated community with a rural flare and the highest average household income of any city in the country. Over the course of my posts, I'll explain more of the differences among the various towns on the peninsula. For the most part, most of the very interesting architecture tends to be found in Palos Verdes Estates, given that the city is a master planned community and has an Art Jury that overseas the aesthetics of the town.
A few shots of the Peninsula:
From South Redondo/Torrance, looking at Malaga Cove in PVE
North entrance into PV from Torrance, facing Valmonte, PVE
Bluffs near the Terranea Resort, RPV
Bluffs north of Terranea, RPV
(Source: NJC)
Valmonte neighborhood, PVE
Malaga Cove neighborhood, PVE
(Source: NJC)
More soon. Stay tuned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)