Neighborly Advice: Park Estates in Long Beach
Park Estates, with a reputation as a serene, inland community of Long Beach, is protected by walls and landscaping much like a castle from the Middle Ages. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It is bounded by Bellflower Boulevard on the east, Clark Avenue on the west, Atherton Street on the north and Pacific Coast Highway on the south. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Well-manicured gardens and tree-lined sidewalks are a familiar sight in Park Estates. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Purple tulips are in full bloom in a garden at the 60-year-old master-planned community. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The community offers homes on large lots in a mix of architectural styles, including traditional and midcentury modern with several built by notable architects. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Architect Rick DAmato describes his home on Los Flores as a muted Federal style in pistachio green. He’s remodeling the home in an eco-friendly manner and says of the area: I would drive down the tree-lined streets and walk the open houses hoping that someday I would be able to afford a home in the area. Five years ago, his dream came true. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Park Estates was the brainchild of Lloyd S. Whaley, who began developing the community in 1948. His sprawling home is at the base of a cul-de-sac on Bryant Road and when he set up the homeowners dues, he made sure that his own 3-acre mansion and his attorneys home were exempt. Those two are still exempt from having to pay dues today, according to past homeowners association board member Mike Whalen, a seven-year resident. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Seventeen homes ranging from $810,000 (a short sale) to $3 million sold in Park Estates last year none after September, according Lynda Montgomery of Main Street Realtors of Long Beach. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)