Wilshire Square Neighborhood
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Wilshire Square Neighborhood’s homes date back to the 1920s, and residents view their ownership as a badge of honor.
“I just hate tract homes,” said Karl Marx, a former Costa Mesa resident who moved eight years ago to Wilshire Square, which is near the city center.
The American Institute of Architects recently agreed with residents such as Marx when it cited the neighborhood for its stylish homes and special events that create a strong sense of community.
Residents, including Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr. and Councilman Robert L. Richardson , said those special events include closing off the streets for Easter brunch, and a backyard film series.
Pulido, who moved to the neighborhood seven years ago, said the events give residents an opportunity to mingle and have fun together.
“It’s a very nice group of people,” the mayor said. “To me, a neighborhood is the people who live there.”
Richardson, who also moved in about seven years ago, said the strong sense of community was apparent to his family from Day One.
“As soon as we bought our house there, our neighbors brought us over a plate of chocolate-chip cookies,” he said. “That’s typical of people in the neighborhood.”
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