Neighborhood Focus: Hollywood Riviera

Neighborhood Focus:  Hollywood Riviera

I love the Hollywood Riviera.  It’s one of the neighborhoods where I sell homes and one of the best kept hidden places in Southern California.  And it’s a terrific place to live in the South Bay. This beautiful area is near Torrance, South Redondo Beach and Palos Verdes Estates.   It has homes on winding streets, up and down hills, and on the bluff overlooking panoramic ocean and city views.

Beaches Nearby

The community offers incredible sunsets and a very convenient location.  It is close to plenty of shopping, supermarkets, boutiques, dining and more.  Catalina Avenue at the Riviera is definitely a destination place as well.  Right now, numerous restaurants are offering outdoor dining.  And right down the block, you can visit both Torrance and RAT Beaches.  No, I’m not talking about mice/rats.  RAT stands for Right After Torrance. 

Parks Nearby

In the area is Miramar Park and El Retiro Park, and of course, the ocean is its own park!  

• Miramar Park is known for overlooking Torrance Beach and the ocean. It’s name translates into “sea view”  and it is located at 201 Paseo  de la Playa. It’s about 1.1 acres large.   The City of Torrance and Los Angeles County worked together to form this park.  The park is owned and maintained by the City of Torrance.  It came to be in 1984.  It took years to obtain fee ownership and easements near the beach to make sure the people in Los Angeles County had access to it, including its recreation facilities.  The operation of the beaches are with the County in order to make sure it remains consistent.   The park is also known for its beautiful dolphin statue.  It is deemed a historic site of the Hollywood Riviera Beach Club. The Club was existed between 1931 and 1958. 

If you have a furry friend, you’ll love the “Fido Fountain” there which was designed especially for dogs. There’s a basin at the ground level for our fur babies.  There’s also a frog statue donated in 2009 by former Mayor Dan Walker. In good weather, you can attend art shows and sales. 

• Then there’s El Retiro Park at 126 Vista del Parque.  It’s about 4.8 acres large.  El Retiro means “the retreat.”  (It also means the retirment, but more on that in another blog!)  The park was once a tree nursery and was made into a park as more land parcels were acquired.  There is plenty of space for barbecues, softball, basketball and tennis.  Or just lounge on the grass and enjoy a picnic.  The Rotary Club of the Hollywood Riviera donated funds to build a Youth Center there.  It was dedicated in 1963.  It’s now called the Rotary Building and it’s used by the Boy Scouts and other groups.  I love the Boy Scouts.  My son became an Eagle Scout in 2019. 

Near El Retiro Park  is the El Retiro Branch Library.  Yes, people still read books - and of course, they have computers and more. 

Trails and Schools

A few blocks south offers hiking trails in Palos Verdes The area also offers walkability to trails in Palos Verdes.  The area also offers great schools such as Riviera Elementary School, Edward Richardson Middle School , and South High School. What if you live in “Torrance” but want to attend Redondo Beach schools? There is a way to apply for a transfer.  Check here: Transfer. Some of the private schools include Riviera Hall Lutheran School and Preschool and St. Lawrence Martyr Elementary School.
Why Is There a Redondo Beach Address in Torrance?

Did you know that some of the Hollywood Riviera homes have Redondo Beach addresses?  This appears odd since all the homes are located in the City of Torrance.  The history behind this is that when the Hollywood Riviera neighborhood was developed, the Torrance post office was so far away, they asked the Redondo Beach post office to deliver the mail.  And since then, the City name has stuck. 

Outdoor Dining

Eating outside is the new normal these days.  Personally, I enjoy eating outside and feeling the breeze from the ocean.  There are umbrellas to shade us from the sunshine, outdoor heaters to keep us warm in the evening, and the sound of conversation and laughter all up and down Catalina Avenue and surrounding areas.  Some lovely restaurants to try include:  Matty’s Crawdaddies. , The Rockefeller , and an oldie but goodie Bucca di Beppo. For amazing ice cream, not to miss:  Handel’s  For a more complete list, give me a call.

Demographics

The greatest number of residents have either a Bachelor’s Degree or Graduate Degree.  This comes from the Census Bureau’s Socioeconomic Status. For more specific information, please feel free to contact us.

Great Weather

The average high weather in July was 78 Degrees and the Average high in January was 66 Degrees 

Hollywood Riviera Homes for Sale

Hollywood Rivera homes for sale range in price from the $700’s up to over $12 million. Of course, much of it depends on location.  Homes on the bluff overlooking the Beach are the higher priced homes.  Homes in Hollywood Riviera are located South of Pacific Coast Highway, to the water all the way to Hawthorne Blvd. right next to an area in Torrance called Walteria (also lovely!)

From March to August 2020, the average price for a home in the Hollywood Riviera was about $1,600,000 (about $792/sq. ft.).  The median home price was $1,480,000.   64 homes sold and the average square footage was 2,059.  

If you’re thinking of moving there are still a number to choose from.  19 to be exact.  One of the homes I recently sold in the Hollywood Riviera was not actively for sale on the market.  My clients were thrilled!  It takes a lot of homework to find these homes and we do that as a complimentary service for our clients.  

We could use more homes to sell.  If you’re thinking of buying or selling your home, give us a call.