across the u.s.mid-century moderncalifornia
Crestwood Hills, Los Angeles
A hillside neighborhood in Brentwood, Los Angeles, started by a housing cooperative in 1946, with post-and-beam houses by architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney Smith. A 1961 fire destroyed many of them; the city counts 34 original houses still intact, and protects them one by one.
The housesThe rulesBefore you buy
- builtfrom 1948cooperative formed 1946
- original houses34 intactper the city, 2025
- architectsJones & Smithengineer Edgardo Contini
- designationhouse by houseHistoric-Cultural Monuments
the houses
What makes them distinctive
- A 7-foot moduleExposed post-and-beam frames on a 7-foot module, sized to full sheets of plywood.
- Honest materialsConcrete block, redwood siding, Douglas fir plywood and tongue-and-groove ceilings, with no plaster or gypsum board.
- Glass and open plansSingle-story open plans with walls of plate glass, often set at 45 degrees to the street for privacy.
- Low roofsLow-pitched roofs, originally finished in crushed green slate; the founders limited houses to one story above the street.
- Site planLandscape architect Garrett Eckbo did the site planning.
protection
Designation and the rules
- City monuments, one by oneOriginal houses are protected individually as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments: 18 were designated from 1997 to 2012, and the Grant House was added in November 2025. We found no historic district.
- What monument status meansCity preservation staff must approve work before alteration permits are issued, changes are reviewed against federal preservation standards, and a demolition can be delayed up to 180 days, plus a possible 180-day extension.
- Pending nominationsOwner consent isn’t required to nominate a house, and once an application is complete, a temporary stay is placed on demolition and major alteration permits.
- The neighborhood associationThe Crestwood Hills Association’s architectural board reviews new construction and changes.
before you buy
What to check before you buy
- Monument statusFind out whether the house is a Historic-Cultural Monument or was flagged in the city’s 2013 SurveyLA report.
- Pending nominationsAsk whether a nomination is pending, since that pauses demolition and major alteration permits.
- Association reviewAsk the association what its architectural board requires for your plans.
- Original materialsCheck what’s original: the city survey notes houses lost to demolition and extensive alterations.
- Mills ActDesignated houses can qualify for Mills Act property tax contracts.
Counts differ: the plan called for about 500 houses on 350 lots; sources say 80 to 160 were built and 47 to more than 60 burned in 1961.
sources
Where this comes from
Checked October 20, 2026.
- LA City Planning: Grant House staff report, CHC-2025-3523-HCM (2025)34 intact houses; designations; features.planning.lacity.gov/plndoc/Staff_Reports/2025/09-18-2025/CHC_2025_3523_HCM_Grant_House_Final.pdf
- LA City Clerk: Council File 25-1108 (November 2025)Grant House designation.cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2025/25-1108_ca_11-06-25.pdf
- SurveyLA: Brentwood–Pacific Palisades report (2013)Houses built, fire, designated houses.www.laconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Brentwood-Pacific-Palisades-Report-2.pdf
- LA Office of Historic Resources: HCM process FAQsReview, delays, temporary stays.planning.lacity.gov/odocument/ea238abd-6f95-419f-91fb-eaca56b7f2bc/Info%20Brief%20HCM%20Process%20FAQs.pdf
- Los Angeles Conservancy: Crestwood HillsNeighborhood guidelines.www.laconservancy.org/locations/crestwood-hills
- National Park Service: National Register FAQNational Register listing places no restrictions on what a non-federal owner may do with their property.www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/faqs.htm
questions
Questions we hear
Who designed Crestwood Hills?
Architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney Smith, with structural engineer Edgardo Contini and landscape architect Garrett Eckbo, for a housing cooperative formed in 1946.
How many original houses are left?
The city counted 34 intact original houses in 2025, after a 1961 fire and later demolitions and alterations.
Is Crestwood Hills a historic district?
We found no district; original houses are designated one by one as city Historic-Cultural Monuments.
more to learn
Keep going
- Jones & Emmons homesA. Quincy Jones’ Eichler work in the Bay Area.
- Mid-century modern across the U.S.Every guide in the series, coast to coast.
- Mid-century modern homes in Silicon ValleyThe style at home: where it is, what to look for.
- Silicon Valley Eichler tractsEvery Silicon Valley Eichler tract we cover, with live listings.
- Builder FilesThe builders and architects behind Bay Area homes.
General information from the sources listed, checked October 20, 2026; not legal, preservation or construction advice. Confirm designation and permit rules with the local preservation office before you buy or remodel. The Boyenga Team represents buyers and sellers in Santa Clara County, bay-side San Mateo County and San Francisco.
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