Los Angeles Goes Vertical

Elevated residences offer more than luxurious amenities—they create a new, uncompromised way to live in LA. — by Andrea Bennett More and more luxury buyers are choosing to trade in the killer views they have of Los Angeles from the Hollywood Hills for equally killer views from luxury vertical living buildings going in around Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Having lived his whole life in Los Angeles, Douglas Elliman SVP of Sales Jim Jacobson is no stranger to the LA dream. “People think of swimming pools, backyard parties, and movie stars,” he says. But today people are looking for an easier lifestyle—one where concerns about replacing water heaters and roofs are nonexistent. When you add the convenience of a concierge who can have your tailoring picked up from Barney’s and a fresh pressed green juice waiting in the refrigerator after a spinning class, these newcomers seem even more appealing, he says. “That’s why people are selling their big homes in the Hollywood Hills. They’re done trying to spend the 20 minutes driving up there—the views are just as nice from the EDITION balcony and you’re in a neighborhood brimming with the city’s finest shopping, art, dining, and nightlife.” The West Hollywood EDITION  is on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, an area that is experiencing a monumental revitalization—and with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows, homeowners can see it all. The 20 homes have privileged access to residents-only amenities, including a private pool and outdoor kitchen, yet also share in the 190-room EDITION hotel’s spa, rooftop pool terrace, meeting spaces, and a bar and lounge overlooking the city from a wraparound terrace. It sounds like a private club, and it should; that’s what developers are going for. One mile east on Sunset, the new flagship Pendry West Hollywood will offer the owners of its 40 residences the same legendary Montage service and amenities its hotel guests enjoy when it opens this year, from concierge to valet parking services, plus spa, restaurants, pool, and fitness center. In addition to the hotel’s amenities, residents-only amenities include a wine room, a private fitness center, a board room, a lounge with honor bar, and secluded elevators that open onto private vestibules. Designed to deliver an intangible living experience, Pendry Residences West Hollywood offers owners an experience that is equivalent to that of a five-star hotel. The residential staff—from concierges to property managers—is dedicated to offering personalized attention 247, whether at home or away. The Harland , an intimate and contextual offering of townhomes and condos, has a private dining room and social kitchen, screening room, bowling alley, and fitness room with yoga studio. The buyers in these buildings, Jacobson says, are second- and third-home buyers who are bicoastal, international, or trading in their local single-family home. “More and more people are looking at the luxury and ultra-luxury markets in LA and saying, ‘Why didn’t I think of that before?’ The weather is great, and the city offers every industry, from venture capital to movies, creatives and designers to entertainment and banking.” The new neighborhood demographic: Gen Xers and Baby Boomers whose kids have moved out and who are looking for a different vibe, and a different chapter, including meeting friends only an elevator ride away. Then there is the opportunity to buy the work of world-famous architects and design firms. “At The Harland, people come in just because the interiors were done by Marmol Radziner (famous for their warm California Modernist aesthetic, celebrity clients, and custom homes),” Jacobson says. The firm designed all-custom kitchens crafted by Poliform, some with Calacatta marble waterfalls. British architectural designer John Pawson—known for such work as Hotel Puerta America in Madrid and the Sackler Crossing, a walkway over the lake at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew in England—designed the Residences at the West Hollywood EDITION. “These residences are their own works of art,” Jacobson says. “The names alone give buyers a really high level of expectation.” The new generation of vertical living developments in Los Angeles offers many of the same attributes that single-family homes provide yet infuses layers of service and access to make life more convenient. Locations in walkable neighborhoods, seamlessly blended indoor and outdoor living spaces, and sweeping panoramic views afford residents uncompromised luxury living. Ready to move up into a luxury LA condo? Search these properties and more now to find your home.