Cottages and castles in the sand

Early Hermosa Beach visitors towed their tiny suburban cottages to and from the seaside on mule-drawn skids to summer by the sea. Today, buyers drop millions for the same ocean views, importing Mexican pavers for porches the size of the original bungalows.

Early days

Surfing pioneers George Freeth, Greg Knoll and Phil Becker all hung out in Hermosa Beach, and the town still is a surfers’ magnet. Volleyball clubs emerged in the 1920s, and now enthusiasts crowd the town each May for the American Volleyball Professionals Tour competition.

By the early 1990s, wealthy buyers began tearing down many of the old cottages and replacing them with larger modern homes.

What it’s about

Hermosa Beach was the “in” South Bay town for Hollywood long before Ozzie and Harriet Nelson were there. Actor and director Erich von Stroheim lived in the community, as did Charlie Chaplin. Some professional athletes have homes there today.

Why so popular? Gorgeous beaches, tons of restaurants, views of Santa Catalina Island, Malibu and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and a cool nightlife. Jay Leno tries out new material at the Comedy & Magic Club most Sundays.

Still, the town manages to remain unpretentious. Tiny cottages are still tucked among the splashy three-story homes with floor-to-ceiling windows, and residents invite their neighbors over on Sundays for bagels and doggie play dates, said longtime resident and school board member Cathy McCurdy.

Insider’s view

Rick Koenig, a 55-year-old contractor, represents the fourth of five generations to occupy the classic four-bedroom beach bungalow his grandfather, an architect, built in 1917. The property, which includes a large backyard, three-story house and the hibiscus plants his grandmother installed, has “maintained its gingerbread-style character 100%,” Koenig said.

His grandfather bought the lot for $400, and the patriarch moved his parents in with him. Today the cottage, one block from the beach, is worth about $1.2 million.

Koenig’s mother raised squab, a delicacy, which she traded for milk and eggs in her youth. He recalls sand-boarding down sandlots as a child. Growing up in the beach town, Koenig’s teen years were consumed with the No. 1 activity there.

“We used to cut school to surf,” Koenig recalled with a chuckle. “Today the schools have surfing classes. Can you imagine that?”

Good news, bad news

Any town that boasts some of Southern California’s best beaches, waves and volleyball will attract more visitors than it can easily handle. Parking is nearly impossible on weekends and during the summer. Some of the weekend revelers get rowdy, to the annoyance of other visitors and locals.

As is the case in many gentrified areas of the Southland, some residents complain about the large-scale homes going up on lots that once held two-bedroom cottages.

Still, bohemia and wealth do mix. “Billionaires and bikers sit down, chat together and get along,” Koenig said.

Housing stock

Currently, about 55 single-family homes are listed for sale and 36 condos and town homes. The most expensive listing, $8.6 million, is for a five-bedroom home in 6,685 square feet. On the other end of the spectrum is a one-bedroom, 690-square-foot condo for $469,000.

Report card

Students attend Hermosa View Elementary School for kindergarten through second grade and Hermosa Valley Elementary for third through eighth grades. Hermosa View scored 948 out of a possible 1,000 on the state 2006 Academic Performance Index Base Report and Hermosa Valley, 909. Mira Costa and Redondo Union high schools scored 853 and 790, respectively.

Historical values

Residential resales for ZIP Code 90254:

Year...Median Price

1990...$375,000

1995...$333,500

2000...$525,000

2006...$1,108,000

* 2007...$1,084,500

*Year to date

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diane.wedner@latimes.com

Sources: DataQuick Information Systems; cde.ca.gov; Janet McHugh, Re-Max Beach Cities Realty agent, www.beachhomeshermosa.com James Grant, Shorewood Realtors.