Silicon Beach Continues to Attract Web Surfers
Up and Coming Micro-Neighborhoods in Silicon Beach
Written By: Alexandria Abramian
Google, Facebook, Snapchat and Yahoo all have headquarters in Silicon Beach, L.A.’s tech-centric hotspot that includes Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. With the slew of high-tech companies, a sizzling residential real estate market sprouted as tech execs look for a place to call home. The hottest of the hot? Here are the micro-neighborhoods within Silicon Beach that see some of Los Angeles’ biggest real estate action.
Marina del Rey’s Waterfront Properties
For many Angelenos, Marina del Rey is a seaside town stuck in the 80s. Think nautical-themed apartment complexes and the Cheesecake Factory. But a new breed of a homebuyer is zeroing in on the area, attracted to its relatively secluded beaches and quiet vibe. “There just isn’t a lot of access to the ocean front homes in Marina del Rey,” says Tami Pardee of Halton Pardee + Partners to The Hollywood Reporter. “This is one of the most untapped beach areas in all of Los Angeles.” Recent transactions include Jean-Claude Van Damme’s 7,574-square-foot contemporary home, which was purchased by rapper/actor Ice Cube in May of this year for $7.25 million. This six bedroom and whopping 11 bathroom waterfront home is dream. Current listings include ocean view homes like former MySpace executive Aber Whitcomb’s 1,839-square-foot abode on the Marina del Rey Peninsula. It’s currently on the market for $3.3 million and now it could be your space.
Halton Pardee + Partners
1524 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
310.907.6517
Playa Vista’s Marlowe Neighborhood
At Playa Vista, the 1.3-square-mile neighborhood that has evolved into the hotspot for some of the world’s top companies, the homes are getting larger and more luxurious in response to the continued creative office growth. Homes include a mix of apartments, condominiums and single-family homes. Among the most luxurious are those in the Marlowe neighborhood, a collection of 30 family residences from between the high $2 million and over $3 million. “Detached, yet connected to surrounding community amenities, their contemporary, vertical design includes space and privacy within Playa Vista’s vibrant urban environment,” says Alison Girard, Playa Vista’s Director of Marketing for Brookfield Residential and community developer of Playa Vista. They are the highest priced new homes in the community, and the Category 6 data wire for phone lines and high-speed data connection in the kitchen, great room, family room and all bedrooms were built with tech executives in mind. Plus the terrace views are skillfully trained towards headquarters of Yahoo, YouTube and IMAX.
Brookfield Residential
12700 W Millennium Dr
Playa Vista, CA 90094
888.212.5343
Venice Beach’s Walk Streets
Venice’s walk streets may be somewhat modest in size—those pedestrian-only pathways are narrow and the lot sizes are relatively small. Despite that, however, the collection of car-free streets has seen an explosion in real estate values in the past three years. Last year, designer and builder Kim Gordon built a 3,500-square-foot Belgian-farmhouse style home on Nowita, which sold to a Google executive for $4 million. More recently, a 784-square-foot, 1920s bungalow owned by film director Louis Leterrier, just sold for a stunning $4.95 million by Halton Pardee + Partners.
Kim Gordon Designs
310.467.5045
