During a time of extreme population growth, the neighborhood of Wilshire Vista began in the early 1920s. The original boundaries of Wilshire Vista were Spaulding Avenue to the west, Wilshire Boulevard to the north, Cahuenga Road which is now Cochran Ave to the East, and Pico Boulevard to the South.
Newspaper ads in the Los Angeles Times featured the new subdivision in October 1921. Those who knew of the original “Wilshire” – the area east of La Brea – knew that with a name including “Wilshire” the subdivision must be spectacular. Wilshire Vista was named the “Cream of Wilshire” perfect in every way. McCarty and Vaughan Corporation sold lots starting $1,650. The neighborhood had piping for gas and water, paved streets with sidewalks and curbs, it also had decorative streetlights.
Wilshire Vista Basics
The Wilshire Vista Neighborhood Association was formed in 1992 (and legally registered as a non-profit corporation in 1994). FYI, WVNA doesn’t have “monthly meetings”, but rather holds meetings as needed. We have regular community building events throughout the year.
Wilshire Vista’s boundaries are Pico Blvd to the south, San Vicente to the north , between Hauser and Fairfax. Architectural styles vary enormously in Wilshire Vista; one can find English Tudor, storybook European, Mediterranean, Spanish and Spanish Mission. Interestingly, most homes were built in the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties. The commercial buildings also echo the architectural styles from this time period. Spanish Mission, Art Deco, and Spanish motif were all very popular styles at the time.
Wilshire Vista is unique and charming due to its diversity regarding residents and style. It is a prosperous community with many small businesses and great restaurants.
Wilshire Vista’s central location is exceptionally convenient to everything Los Angeles has to offer — Wilshire Vista is about 15 minutes to Downtown Los Angeles, 20 minutes to Santa Monica and the beaches, 5 minutes to Beverly Hills and 10 minutes to Hollywood.
Wilshire Vista is part of the P.I.C.O. Neighborhood Council, bounded by La Brea, Olympic/San Vicente, Venice and La Cienega. Currently, there is a PICO Revitalization project that is intended to bring new and higher-end business to Pico Blvd, while also increasing the aesthetic appeal of the street and shop storefronts. On the corner of Pico and Fairfax, a new upscale VONS is now in the works, and a new Walgreens was opened in early 2010. The goal is ultimately to make Pico similar to streets like Wilshire Blvd. and Beverly Blvd. Wilshire Vista has and will continue to benefit positively from those continued improvements. Currently, a few of the new places of note include BLOOM CAFE, a trendy New American Restaurant between Curson and Sierra Bonita, and Paper or Plastik, a New Coffee shop and eatery. Other new stores and restaurants: Chic Rotisserie Bar and Grill, Sky Tacos, and Pico Modern Furnishings.
Wilshire Vista Basics
Small in size, but big in heart, Wilshire Vista Heights (WVH) is located in one of the most ethnically and economically diverse areas in Los Angeles. The neighborhood was developed in the 1920s and is home to the architecturally renowned Dunsmuir Flats. The Flats, a classic example of modern architecture, were designed by architect Gregory Ain in 1937 and hailed as his greatest achievement.
The neighborhood is located just east of Wilshire Vista, and encompasses the neighborhoods between Ridgeley Drive to the west, and Cochran to the east. WVH is a close-knit community known for its desirable location and eclectic housing stock (including Spanish-style, Country English and Tudor homes, duplexes and multi-unit buildings), and is bordered by Cochran to the East, Ridgeley to the West, San Vicente to the North and Pico to the South. The WVH Neighborhood Association was established in 2002.
While younger than most of its counterparts, the association consists of both seasoned local activists and newcomers, working together to make a positive difference in the community
The nearest grocery store to Wilshire Vista is the VONS on the corner of Pico and Fairfax. However, there is a Trader Joe’s in Culver City that many Wilshire Vista residents also frequent because of it direct path and proximity about a mile away on Venice. Wilshire Vista is located equidistance between many “hip” areas including the Culver Arts District, Miracle Mile, Beverlywood, and The Grove. It’s central location in the heart of Los Angeles is one of the neighborhood’s major appeals.
Why Wilshire Has Become the next great established Neighborhood to Live
Wilshire Vista has truly flourished in the past 15 years, and, more and more, new home buyers are identifying Wilshire Vista as the next great Miracle Mile location. There are several reasons for its increased popularity over the past 5 years:
- LOCATION – Wilshire Vista is centrally located near many of the prime neighborhoods and entertaining areas of LA. Nearby are Beverly Hills, Hancock Park, Carthay Circle, Culver City and Miracle Mile neighborhoods among others. These are all very established neighborhoods with sustantial reputations. As far as entertaining areas, The Grove, located on 3rd Street, has been the most influential on the entire area surrounding it. As more and more people continue to buy and live near the Grove, the neighborhoods all around area improving. In the Beverly-Grove area, real estate sells between $900,000 – $2.5 Million. Many buyers who like that part of the city or Miracle Mile, choose to buy in this neighborhood as the quality of life is very simalar but buyers get more home for the money.
- NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL – Wilshire Vista has a very quiet, residential feel. The streets are all residential streets, and therefore, there is not much traffic within the neighborhood. Wilshire Vista has a neighborhood association that meets on a monthly basis.
- PRICE – Wilshire Vista is widely regarded as one of the best values on the Westside for a quality neighborhood near Miracle Mile and The Grove.
Wilshire Vista Real Estate
Wilshire Vista Real Estate is booming. With its prime location, great shopping/dining nearby, and a top notch magnet school (LACES Magnet School) nearby, Wilshire Vista has become one of the most exciting residential locations in all of Los Angeles. Many of the homes are remodeled or have been recently updated.
Wilshire real estate currently sells in the range of $500,000 to $1,200,000. The homes in the northern and western parts of the neighborhood generally sell for more than the homes in the southern and eastern parts, respectively. The nicest street in Wilshire Vista is generally regarded as either Ogden or Spaulding, although every street in the neighborhood has it’s own great appeal.
The homes on the North/South Street tend to be all full size lots (5,000 – 6000 sq. ft.), while homes on the east/west streets tend to be bungalow (smaller) size lots.
Wilshire Vista Real Estate has really blossomed over the past 10 years as evidenced by the number of real estate agents who work in the neighborhood. Our team, NewHomesLA.com, has the unique privilege of being one of the TOP selling teams in the neighborhood with a consistent and proven track record specifically in Wilshire Vista.