ADAM’S HILL

I work all over the city; looking at homes and doing deals for my real estate business. Sometimes I discover a wonderful little pocket of the city that goes right through me.  Like it knows me. Like I know it. It’s interesting, usually when I discover one of these areas the lessons I’m unveiling within myself seem to be in sympatico with what’s happening in that part of town, endearing the area to me, forever.   

Upon discovering one of these areas it will often seem like it has escaped the dangers of development and leaped frog over space and time. I’m there with the area in our own little bubble. And as a result, a part of me doesn’t want it to be exposed to too much oxygen for fear of it growing to fast, or worse, burning up altogether.  There’s always a thrill of being seen or sought out but once that happens – you can’t put the Genie back into the bottle: true for people, true for communities. Uncovering Adams Hill is no exception. Ahh, the perils of growth…

Adam’s Hill is a very small enclave that straddles both Glendale and Los Angeles and I’m certainly not the first to discover its magic and report. But it has still managed to stay somewhat under the radar until now, and fortunately (and unfortunately) it’s primed to explode.

Adam’s Hill can be found within the triangle made up of the 5, 134, and 2 Freeways with main access points being Chevy Chase, Verdugo, and York (which turns into Adams Street).

The hillside neighborhood was primarily developed in the 20’s and 30’s with historical Spanish and English Tudor homes which now live alongside Mid-Century. The people, much like the homes, are varied including young families, professionals, working immigrants, and hipsters (that word -#@*$#% – let’s get a new one, but I digress).

Adams Square acts as the business district at the bottom of Adams Hill, on the Glendale side and is anchored by the Adams Square Building, a landmark Art Deco structure, built in 1928. The building now serves as the local library since 2008, which conducts citizenship classes for locals. The building was designed by the prestigious architect firm Morgan, Walls, and Clements which also designed many noteworthy buildings such as the EL-CAPITAN and MUSIC BOX theatres in Hollywood, The Wiltern in Mid- Wilshire, and the Mayan in DTLA, as well as The Adamson House in Malibu.* Along with the library, the street offers KAFN Coffee and, if you’re looking for a bit of neighborhood old- school, Arts Bakery, boasts Nutella Cupcakes, shh, don’t tell my kids!  Fun Fact: The first ever Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream Store was located in the square.

Wonderful shopping can be found on the L.A. side of the hill on Verdugo, near York, with Sisterwife vintage clothing, The Hutch lifestyle and clothing store, as well as Little Ripper Coffee.  Several large-sized window fronts are available for rent combined with non-metered street parking, making the road super inviting for a genuine mom and pop resident to come in.

Walking around the area actually feels like a neighborhood with neighbors connecting. Million dollar views of Glendale and Burbank downtowns as well as the Verdugo Mountains can be seen from house windows or simply standing on the street.

Prices hover around $587.79 ppsqft   Some examples are:

A treasure of a neighborhood park, the Adam’s Square Mini Park, created on the old 1936 Richfield gas lot, can be found at the intersection of Adam’s Street and Palmer and is perfect for bringing toddlers to or have a seat with your coffee and cupcake.

*Adam’s Hill Library Records

**Los Angeles Times

True Cross has worked in Los Angeles Real Estate for over 12 years. She has extensive knowledge of the areas she covers. She specializes in luxury properties but is thrilled to help first-time buyers find their first home, too. You can follow True and her house obsession at @housepaparazzi