Buying a Luxury Home Near Griffith Park in Los Feliz

The Los Feliz homes near Griffith Park sit in three neighborhoods. The Oaks lies directly below the park, with Fern Dell at its eastern edge. The Los Feliz Hills climb north from Los Feliz Boulevard to the edge of the park. Laughlin Park sits just south of the park, between Los Feliz Boulevard and Franklin Avenue.

For a home, being near the park is mostly about setting. It brings hillside lots with city and canyon views. It also puts Fern Dell, Griffith Observatory and the Greek Theatre within the park next door. At Rooster Homes, we help buyers compare these neighborhoods street by street. Every fact below comes from City records and official park sources, linked as we go.

Three neighborhoods on this site sit at or just below the park.

• The Oaks. Griffith Park forms its northern edge, according to The Oaks Neighborhood Association. Fern Dell Drive marks its eastern edge.
• The Los Feliz Hills. This is our name for the hillside above Los Feliz Boulevard. The City's SurveyLA report on Hollywood calls the heart of it the Los Feliz Heights Residential Historic District. That district runs from Nottingham Avenue to Vermont Avenue and north from Los Feliz Boulevard to the edge of Griffith Park.
• Laughlin Park. The same survey places it south of Griffith Park, between Los Feliz Boulevard and Franklin Avenue.

The Oaks and the Los Feliz Hills reach the park itself. Laughlin Park sits a step farther south, on the south side of Los Feliz Boulevard. Each one offers a different way to live near the park.

The Oaks sits immediately below Griffith Park. The SurveyLA report says it takes its name from streets like Valley Oak, Live Oak and Canyon Oak. The land was subdivided into several tracts between 1922 and 1924. Building began in the 1920s, with a second wave in the 1950s and 1960s.

The result is a mix of prewar Period Revival and postwar Modern homes. The survey describes homes on sloping sites with city and canyon views. It also identifies the Upper Oaks Period Revival Residential Historic District as eligible, with 76 properties and a period of significance of 1926 to 1948. That is a survey finding, not a formal designation.

Fern Dell, part of Griffith Park, sits at the eastern edge of The Oaks. The City lists an area of Fern Dell as Historic-Cultural Monument #112. One landmark house stands inside the neighborhood as well. The Samuel-Novarro House at 5609 Valley Oak Drive was designed by Lloyd Wright in 1928. It is a City Historic-Cultural Monument.

Addresses in The Oaks use the 90068 zip code. Our page on buying a home in The Oaks covers the neighborhood in more depth.

The Los Feliz Heights district occupies a south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood. The survey says it "sits in the shadow of the Griffith Observatory." Its streets curve with the natural contours of the foothills. Some lots enjoy expansive city views.

The land was subdivided in 1921 and built lot by lot. Owners hired their own architects to design a house for each site. The survey names American Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Mediterranean and Tudor Revival styles among the district's 317 properties. Early advertising for the tract promoted its hillside setting and panoramic city views.

The streets carry concrete sidewalks, mature cedar and carob trees, and period street lights. The district also contains several public stairways. The City lists the Los Feliz Heights Steps as Historic-Cultural Monument #657. Streets in the district include Glendower Avenue, Cromwell Avenue, Bonvue Avenue and Glencairn Road. The Ennis House at 2607 Glendower Avenue is Historic-Cultural Monument #149.

Our guide to buying a home in the Los Feliz Hills walks through these streets for buyers.

Laughlin Park sits south of Griffith Park, below Los Feliz Boulevard. The SurveyLA report describes a gentle foothill slope with concrete sidewalks and curving streets. Its streets are private. Entry is through one of five ornate gates on Laughlin Park Drive, Cummings Drive and De Mille Drive.

Homer Laughlin and Wilbur Cummings planned about 40 villas on large lots in a garden setting. Fremont Ackerman surveyed and platted the tract. Nathan F. Barratt designed the grounds. Most homes date from the 1920s and 1930s, with infill into the 1960s. Styles include Craftsman, Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Revival and Mid-Century Modern.

Laughlin Park suits a buyer who wants the park close by and a garden setting on private streets. Our Laughlin Park neighborhood guide covers it in more detail.

According to City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks, Griffith Park covers over 4,210 acres of natural chaparral terrain and planted parkland. Griffith J. Griffith donated 3,015 acres of Rancho Los Feliz to the City on December 16, 1896. Griffith Observatory gives the same date and acreage on its history page.

The City adopted Griffith Park as Historic-Cultural Monument #942 in 2009. The listing covers the park itself, not the homes around it.

Griffith Observatory. In 1912 Griffith offered the City $100,000 for an observatory. In May 1931 the City selected architects John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley to oversee the final plans. The Observatory was dedicated on May 14, 1935. The City lists it as Historic-Cultural Monument #168 at 2500 East Observatory Road. The Los Feliz Heights district sits on the slope below it.

The Greek Theatre. Its cornerstone was laid in 1928. The building was dedicated on September 25, 1930. The first show took place on June 26, 1931. LA Parks lists it as a 5,800-seat venue at 2700 North Vermont Avenue.

Fern Dell. LA Parks describes a shady, winding trail near the Western Canyon entrance. More than 50 fern species grow there among tropical plants and flowers. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County notes that the Civilian Conservation Corps developed its trails and bridges in the 1930s. Fern Dell sits at the eastern edge of The Oaks.

Near Griffith Park, look at the setting as closely as the house. Here is what the City's records point to in these three neighborhoods.

• Hillside lots. Homes in The Oaks sit on sloping sites. The Los Feliz Heights district covers a south-facing slope. Laughlin Park sits on a gentle foothill slope.
• Views. The survey notes city and canyon views in The Oaks. It notes expansive city views from some lots in Los Feliz Heights. Views change lot by lot, so each home deserves its own visit.
• Trail access. Fern Dell's trail sits at the eastern edge of The Oaks. How close a home sits to a park entrance depends on the street. Map the route from each home you consider.
• Mature trees and gardens. Cedar and carob trees line parts of Los Feliz Heights. Laughlin Park was planned from the start as a garden setting.

Rooster Homes is a Los Feliz, Los Angeles real estate team led by Brandon and Sarah Arlington (DRE #02051216), and we walk these slopes with buyers before any offer is written. The park sets the scene. Each home still needs its own review of condition, lot and layout.

1. Pick the setting first. Decide between the park edge in The Oaks, the Los Feliz Heights slope or the private streets of Laughlin Park.
2. Search by street edges. Use each neighborhood's boundaries along with zip codes. The Oaks uses 90068. Laughlin Park Drive addresses use 90027.
3. Set the price range. On this site, luxury in Los Feliz starts at about $2 million. Get your financing in order before you tour.
4. Map each home to the park. Note the route to Fern Dell, the Observatory or the Greek Theatre from every address on your list.
5. Tour at more than one time of day. Light and views on a hillside lot change through the day.
6. Check the public records. The City's Historic-Cultural Monument list and SurveyLA reports are public. Look up any home you plan to offer on.
7. Write the offer with a plan. Our buying process shows how we prepare each step with you.

This article explains how the process works. It is not legal advice. For questions about a home's historic status, talk with your attorney and the City as well.

• Use each neighborhood's own edges. The Oaks runs from Canyon Drive to Fern Dell Drive below the park. Los Feliz Heights runs from Nottingham Avenue to Vermont Avenue.
• Search both names for the hillside. Los Feliz Hills is the market name. The City's records say Los Feliz Heights.
• Read survey findings for what they are. Upper Oaks is eligible according to the survey. The City could not complete its evaluation of Laughlin Park because its streets are gated and not visible from public streets.
• Visit the lot in person. Slope and view vary from one address to the next.
• Compare two neighborhoods side by side. Our comparison of The Oaks vs. the Los Feliz Hills covers the two that reach the park.

Here are three hypothetical examples of how the choice plays out.

A buyer who wants a trail close to home. This search starts in The Oaks, on the streets nearest Fern Dell Drive. We would map each home's route to the Fern Dell trail. Then we would tour the best matches on the same morning.

A buyer who wants a 1920s house with a city view. This search points to the Los Feliz Heights slope. Streets like Glendower Avenue and Cromwell Avenue come first. We would check each home's survey status and visit in the late afternoon to see the view.

A buyer relocating from out of state who wants a garden setting. Laughlin Park fits that brief, with private streets and grounds planned as a garden setting. We would narrow the list remotely, then plan one visit that covers Laughlin Park and The Oaks together. The pace follows the relocation timeline.

Rooster Homes is a Los Feliz, Los Angeles real estate team led by Brandon and Sarah Arlington (DRE #02051216). We help buyers of luxury homes in The Oaks, Laughlin Park, Franklin Hills and the Los Feliz Hills. Our guide to buying a luxury home in Los Feliz covers how we prepare. We follow Our 5-Step Approach to Homeownership:

1. Meet
2. Understand
3. Explain the market
4. Walk the whole process
5. Connect

It is education-first with no pressure. Our buying process shows each step in order.

When you are ready to tour the streets below the park, contact Rooster Homes and let us know what works best for you. We will coordinate our schedule around yours.