Once known as “Millionaire’s Row” South Orange Grove Boulevard is a main thoroughfare in Pasadena and South Pasadena, California. Even if you’ve never been to Southern California, you’ve likely seen pictures of Orange Grove Boulevard in books on architecture, in movies, and on New Year’s Day while watching the Rose Parade. Each January 1––provided that date is not a Sunday, as it will be in January 2017––floral-decorated floats, equestrian units, and marching bands line up before dawn on South Orange Grove Boulevard facing north for the beginning of the parade.
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- Rose Parade
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- Rose Parade
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- Rose Parade
South Orange Grove Boulevard is one street within several exclusive residential districts in Pasadena. Since the early 20th century, because of the number of landmark mansions, the street earned the name Millionaire’s Row, an appropriate nickname considering that estates once lined this spacious boulevard. The home of William Wrigley, the maker of Wrigley’s chewing gum, was one of the many that lined Orange Grove Boulevard. This stately home still stands today and serves as the headquarters for the Tournament of Roses.
Formerly referred to as Mountain Avenue, North Orange Grove Boulevard is home to the exquisite "Gamble House." Owned by David Gamble, the son of consumer product maker James Gamble, founder of Proctor & Gamble, this American craftsman masterpiece was built in 1908 by architects Charles and Henry Greene. It is now open to the public as both as an architectural conservancy and museum. The Gamble House is a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Does this home look familiar to you? It might, as it was featured in the movie “Back to the Future.”
In the 1950s, garden apartments became the dominant multifamily housing type in Southern California. Similar multiunit two- or three-story buildings were arranged in L- or U-shaped plans around a common patio or landscaped courtyards. Like many other residential thoroughfares in Los Angeles, this grand boulevard underwent a dramatic shift, from Victorian mansions to modern luxury apartments. Architecturally modest with simple rectangular forms and little to no decorative detailing, the emphasis was on landscaping with tropical plantings.
535 S. Orange Grove Boulevard, Unit 12
Today, this neighborhood is still a much sought-after place to live, especially for those individuals who find that they are empty nesters. It’s centrally located and a short walk from Old Town Pasadena as well as its shops, museums, and restaurants, and is in close proximity to freeways offering easy access to Downtown Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, and more.
Sound like the place you or someone you know would like to live? Call us as we have a great two-bedroom, three-bathroom, 21,839-square-foot, one-level Trianon condominium designed by famed architect Bob Ray Offenhauser. This quiet and light-filled end unit at the rear of the complex features spacious rooms, high ceilings, and high-end finishes. Call us to make an appointment to see 535 S. Orange Grove Boulevard, Unit 12.
