Hancock Park
One of Los Angeles‘ most elite neighborhoods, Hancock Park differs from many parts of Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood in geography, atmosphere, and home styles. Hancock Park is nestled between Wilshire and Melrose to the south and north, and La Brea and Vine Street to the west and east. The neighborhood got its start in the 1920s when oil magnate George Allan Hancock subdivided what was formerly a portion of Rancho La Brea. Hancock Park includes Wilshire Country Club, and the majority of the 1,200 homes in the neighborhood were built starting in the 1920s. The neighborhood also benefits from an active homeowner’s association which was founded in 1948.
People familiar with established upscale neighborhoods on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago and Milwaukee may find the feeling of the homes and streets in Hancock Park more familiar than L.A.’s canyon and hilltop “cliffhangers” or contemporary architectural homes. The majority of the homes in Hancock Park have extensive setbacks from the street, mature landscaping, and distinctive vintage architecture. Hancock Park is also the home to a number of international consuls general stationed in Los Angeles, including the British Consul General’s residence, which was designed by classic California architect Wallace Neff, who also designed the noted “Pickfair” estate of early Hollywood stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford (demolished in 1990). Other homes in the neighborhood were designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright who also designed the Hollywood Bowl and the landmark Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes.
In addition to its many gracious and expansive older estates and classic architecture, Hancock Park also offers a number of condominiums in full-service buildings, primarily near Wilshire Blvd. Hancock Park has an ideal mid-Wilshire location and like many other elite neighborhoods in Los Angeles, has also been home to celebrities over the years, including Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas. The neighborhood is also looking forward to the Purple Line extension which will be complete by 2023.
Parks
- L.A. High Memorial Park
- Madison West Park
- Bimini Slough Ecology Park
- Harold A. Henry Park
- Pan Pacific Park
Schools
- 3rd Street Elementary School
- John Burroughs Middle School
- Fairfax Senior High School
