Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California
Bel-Air is a neighborhood in west
Los Angeles, California,
USA. The faux-
gated community was founded by
Alphonzo E. Bell, Sr. in 1923 and is part of the so-called "Golden Triangle" of Bel-Air,
Beverly Hills and
Holmby Hills. About 12 miles west of downtown, it includes some of the foothills of the
Santa Monica Mountains and borders the north side of
UCLA.
|
Bel Air west gate at Sunset and Bellagio. |
It lies within the 11th city council district, represented (as of
2004) by Cindy Miscikowski, and it is located in the 90077
ZIP Code.
Of several entrances, there are two main ones: The East Gate at
Beverly Glen and
Sunset Boulevards, and the West Gate at Bellagio Drive and
Sunset Boulevard, right before
UCLA.
Residences in Bel-Air range from modest ranch and story and half configurations to mansions. Many homes in Bel-Air seem quite modest from the outside, often only six feet from the street, however they tend to have large grounds and an estate feeling. In general, the higher up the mountain, the smaller the building lot and more modest the homes; however those residences along roads such as Stradella Road have magnificent views of the
Los Angeles basin and
Catalina Island. The most desirable homes are right off the main entrances of Bel-Air and the country club entrance for these homes have both the views of the
Bel-Air Country Club and the rest of Los Angeles. Lower Bel-Air homes can sell for over $20 million. Many families prefer lower Bel-Air because of its proximity to
Sunset Boulevard, a major throughfare.
The quaint
Hotel Bel-Air is home to many celebrity weddings. The hotel does not share the views most of the homes share, but it does have extensive gardens and keeps swans in its pond.
Popular television shows and movies have been filmed in Bel-Air, or are said to take place in the community. Exterior shots for the
Beverly Hillbillies were shot in and around the 1938 French neoclassical-style mansion at 750 Bel Air Road, built by Lynn Atkinson (and later sold to hotelier Arnold Kirkeby after Atkinson's wife refused to move into a house she thought too ostentatious.) Exterior scenes from movies such as
Get Shorty have also been filmed in the area. The popular television sitcom
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was said to have taken place in the neighborhood, though in the show's canon Bel-Air seems to be an independent town rather than a neighborhood of Los Angeles.
President
Ronald Reagan lived at 668 St. Cloud Road (formerly 666 St. Cloud Road) in Bel-Air from his retirement as President in
1989 until his death in
2004, and
Nancy Reagan continues to live there. At her request, the Reagan's house number on St. Cloud Road was changed from
666 to 668, due to the negative
Biblical/
Satanic connotations of the number 666.
As of the census of 2000, there are 7,928 people in the neighborhood. The racial makeup of the neighborhood is 86.24% White (82.95% non-Latino white), 1.93% African American, 0.06% Native American, 6.84% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 3.59% from two or more races. 4.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The neighborhood is zoned to schools in the
Los Angeles Unified School District.
Residents attend Warner Avenue Elementary School, Emerson Middle School, and
University High School.
*
Bel-Air Association Official Website*
11th council district*
"Bel-Air: A part of the city, yet apart from it too" (6 Mar 2005) Los Angeles Times, Real Estate section, Neighborly Advice column.
