Los Angeles City Council District 8
(Council District)
West Adams - Baldwin Hills - Leimert Community Plan Area
(Community Plan Area)
EMPOWERMENT CONGRESS WEST AREA NDC
(Neighborhood Council)
Classification
Classification
Type:
Residential District
Use:
Historic
Related Features
No features recorded
No features recorded
Resource Descriptions
General Description
"The Baldwin Hills Estates Historic District is located in the Baldwin Hills neighborhood in South Los Angeles. The district is bound by Don Tomaso Drive, the hillside east of La Brea Avenue, and an alley behind Don Diablo Drive. The roughly triangular-shaped district sits on a plateau with northerly views of the city. Its curvilinear streets follow the natural topography of the hillside; many culminate in cul-de-sacs. The district consists of mainly one-story single-family residences; however, there are a number of two-story multi-family properties in the southern portion of the district, particularly along Don Tomaso Drive. Lot sizes and shapes vary somewhat with the natural topography of the site. Properties feature fairly uniform, shallow setbacks with front lawns, most of which are terraced and raised from street level. Many residences have an integral garage at the ground floor beneath the single-story living space, taking advantage of sloping lots. Several have swimming pools. The district is further characterized by concrete sidewalks, landscaped parkways, and a relative lack of consistent street trees.Principal styles within the district include Traditional Ranch, Minimal Ranch, Contemporary Ranch, Oriental Ranch, and American Colonial Ranch. Residences typically feature horizontal massing, a combination of stucco and wood clapboard cladding (sometimes with brick or flagstone), gabled roofs, and composition shingle roofing. Although Ranch is overwhelmingly the predominant style, there are a number of Mid-Century Modern and Hollywood Regency-style residences in the district (most of the multi-family residences are Mid-Century Modern in style). There are 833 buildings within the district, of which 84% are contributors."
External System References
External System References
SurveyLA ID:
c25f8f5c-137d-43cc-a5b9-4511d76e83ff
Resource Significance
Evaluation Details
Date Evaluated
2016-06-22
Context/Theme
Architecture and Engineering, 1850-1980
Housing the Masses, 1880-1975
Ranch House Neighborhoods, 1938-1975
Post-War Suburb
Hillside Community
Eligibility Standards
Primarily comprised of one-story residences
Streets often curvilinear with cul-de-sacs
May include more than one subdivision if they were platted at a similar period of time and contain houses designed in Ranch House styles
Carports may be common
May also be evaluated as significant within the Post WWII Suburbanization theme
District boundaries will typically follow the original subdivision plates, although vacant parcels and non-contributing buildings may be excluded along the perimeters
May include some multi-family residential types
Garages may be attached or unattached
Integrity Aspects
Design
Retains sufficient integrity to convey significance
A significant concentration of single-family dwellings constructed in a variety of Ranch as well as Mid-Century Modern styles. Contributors retain the essential characteristics of their respective styles.
Periods of Significance
From:
1955-01-01
To:
1970-01-01
Date Evaluated
2016-06-22
Context/Theme
Residential Development and Suburbanization, 1850-1980
Post-War Suburbanization, 1938-1975
Suburban Planning and Development, 1938-1975
Post-War Suburb
Subdivision(s)
Eligibility Standards
May also be significant under a theme within the Architecture context
Conveys a strong visual sense of the overall historic environment from its period of significance
May be associated with important developers, architects and/or landscape designers
Contributors may represent one or more styles of the Ranch House type
Composed primarily of single-family residences, typically one-story in height
May include mulit-family residential buildings, particulary at the outer edges to provide a buffer zone along arterial and secondary streets
Demonstrates design reflecting FHA approved subdivision concepts including street layout (often curvilinear), uniform street width, sidewalks, light standards, lot sizes and setbacks
Varied house plans and elevations
Planned and located within a larger suburban area that provides community amentities such as shopping centers
Integrity Aspects
Location
Design
Materials
Association
Feeling
Workmanship
Setting
Retains sufficient integrity to convey significance
"Excellent example of a post-World War II suburban development with original tract and subdivision features, including curvilinear streets, cul-de-sacs, concrete sidewalks, and landscaped parkways."
Periods of Significance
From:
1955-01-01
To:
1970-01-01
Date Evaluated
2016-06-22
Context/Theme
Residential Development and Suburbanization, 1850-1980
Developers and the Development Process, 1888-1975
Merchant Builders, 1940-1975
Residential Suburb
Subdivision(s)
Eligibility Standards
Demonstrates design reflecting FHA approved subdivision concepts including street layout (often curvilinear), uniform street width, sidewalks, light standards, lot sizes and setbacks
Retains original planning features including street patterns, buildings setbacks, landscape or street features
Conveys a strong visual sense of the overall historic environment from its period of significance
Demonstrates large-scale, uniform development by a significant merchant builder
Integrity Aspects
Workmanship
Feeling
Retains sufficient integrity to convey significance