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History and Neighborhood Information:
Why the Carthay District?
Carthay
Circle, South Carthay and Carthay Square, all developed in the 1920’s-1940’s,
comprise the preeminent jewel neighborhoods of the Miracle Mile.
The Carthay District’s unusual collection of homes bearing
predominantly Spanish, Mission Revival/Moorish or English architectural
form are all in fact what are referred to as ‘revival architecture’
insofar as these styles themselves are derivative of the architecture
from hundreds of years earlier, whether taken from England, France,
Spain or even, in some cases, North Africa.
Carthay Circle
In the early 1930’s J. Harvey McCarthy developed Carthay Circle
(then known as Carthay Center) the creation of which post dated
(just barely) the development of Carthay Square. Carthay Circle
was envisioned as a miniature masterplanned community, complete
with church, grade school, hotel, movie theatre and commercial shopping
area. Up until 1969 when the theatre was demolished to make way
for ‘progress’ and the addition of more office space
and overall more dense commercial development, the theatre tower
stood as the architectural icon of the neighborhood. The surviving
and most distinguishing feature of Carthay Circle is the presence
of underground utilities (one of the first subdivisions in Los Angeles
to forgo overhead wires), an original feature of the area and an
index of Mccarthy’s ‘modern’ thinking.
Due to the historical significance of the neighborhood, Carthay
Circle, in 1998 Carthay Circle was recognized by the City of Los
Angeles as an Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (“HPOZ”).
Carthay Square
Carthay Square, bounded by Olympic Blvd. to the north, Pico Blvd.
to the south, Fairfax Avenue to the east, and Crescent Heights Blvd.
to the west, is the oldest of the 3 Carthay neighborhoods, and doubtless
acquired it district name from Mr. McCarthy as well. English and
Mediterranean picturesque style homes occupy virtually all parcels,
with a mix of French, Art Deco and other blended styles in the east
blocks of the district, particularly on Hayworth Avenue and Hi Point
Street, long known for high quality, richly adorned duplexes. Many
of the single family homes and duplexes rival or exceed the architectural
detail in the neighborhoods to the north and east (e.g. Hancock
Park and environs), and as a result, through the 1990’s through
2004, residents’ appreciation for Carthay Square (and happily
for owners values for homes), have converged upon and caught up
with many neighborhoods where values were traditionally much higher.
South Carthay
South Carthay received HPOZ protection and designation from the
City of Los Angeles in 1984. Predominatly built as a subdivision
by two builders, the vast majority of the homes in this district
are Spanish Colonial Revival style, the earmarks of which are consistent
use of colonnades, arches, terracotta tile pavers and roofs, and
courtyard plans. Key features of South Carthay homes not found as
consistently in other subdivisions built during the 1930’s
are the prevalence of center hall plans, lavish master baths coupled
with master suites, elaborate ‘malibu tile’ work and
outdoor fireplaces anchoring intimate courtyards.
Single family homes tend to be somewhat larger and more uniform
than in Carthay Square; the streetscape is dominated by wonderful
mature plantings of Queen Palms, the landscape earmarks of the neighborhood.
The westerly two blocks of the district or Jacarandas contain 2-4 unit buildings
from 1920-1940, nearly all of which have survived with the majority
of their architectural features in tact.
Values in South Carthay have eclipsed a number of neighborhoods
formerly more highly valued (and further north) as the City has
discovered the quality and consistency of this district.
Click on our link HPOZ for more information concerning Carthay Circle
and South Carthay and rules relating to HPOZ administration. |
