Celebrities Love This L.A. Neighborhood Where No Cars Are Allowed
Los Angeles is known for gated communities and secluded enclaves where celebrities can find privacy, and a recent article in The Wall Street Journal shed some light on what life is like inside one of the most unique and secluded of all, High Tower Court.
Built on a steep Hollywood hillside, the small neighborhood can only be reached two ways: by climbing hundreds of steps or taking an exclusive elevator. Much like owning a key to have access to Gramercy Park in New York City, only those who have homes in High Tower Court have a key to the five-story elevator, which was built in the 1920s.
Residents told The Wall Street Journal that though the antique elevator is prone to issues and getting furniture or large items up to their homes is often a hassle, life in the enclave with no cars forces them to get to know each other and creates a close community.
Another unique hurdle for residents is the cost to get any repair work done. Since it’s so difficult to access the houses, home renovations often cost about ten percent more than usual.
Though you’d think celebrities would want homes with easy access, the close-knit, exclusive nature of the community has attracted some of the biggest names in show business over the years.
Tim Burton, Timothy Hutton, magician David Copperfield, and Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain have all called the neighborhood home. The Wall Street Journal reports that fans still flock to the area to pay homage to the late Nirvana front man, who died in 1994.
It seems common for celebrities to live within close proximity to each other. For example, one small yet high-powered block on West 11th Street (between West 4th Street and Bleecker Street) in New York City is home to Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liv Tyler, Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells, and Marcelo Claure, former CEO of Sprint. Other neighbors include Melissa Schiff Soros (whose ex-husband is the son of billionaire George Soros) and Stuart Peterson, cofounder of venture capital firm Artis Ventures.
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
