By Connie Wildasinn & Deanna Allensworth,
Special to the Signal Tribune
Long Beach is a mosaic of neighborhoods, with some of them well defined and well known, while others blend into nearby neighborhoods, leaving even the locals are unsure of the boundaries. But each is unique and individual with a special flavor all its own.
The most well known area properties in Long Beach are in the Belmont Shore and Naples areas in southeast Long Beach near Alamitos Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
The homes near the Virginia Country Club in Bixby Knolls and California Heights in west-central Long Beach have been well known to the area locals and are becoming very well known in Long Beach and surrounding cities.
The area near El Dorado Park and Long Beach State on the east side of Long Beach and Lakewood Village (near Long Beach City College and Lakewood Country Club) have always been known by the college crowd, and the downtown area has experienced significant gentrification in recent years.
Pine Avenue and the Linden Avenue area of the East Village in downtown Long Beach, as well as Broadway in Belmont Shore, are known for their restaurants and nightlife.
The 4th Street Corridor is known for its funky shops, antique stores and vintage clothing stores. The Broadway Corridor between downtown and Belmont Shore has the greatest number of gay-owned and oriented establishments in Long Beach.
And with hard work and determination, the Bixby corridor on Atlantic Avenue just north of the 405 Freeway is now alive and well with old-town flavor, restaurants, art galleries, antique stores and coffee houses. From Trader Joes to Starbucks and Rancho Los Cerritos to the Richard Goad Theatre, there is something for everyone in Bixby Knolls.
Periodically, we will look to examine a different area of Long Beach by providing street boundaries, a brief history of the neighborhood and what it’s like to live there.
This week we start with Bixby Knolls, bounded by Bixby Road on the south, Atlantic Avenue on the west, Carson on the north and Orange on the east.
Bixby Knolls is a wonderful community that has a large residential population. Its close proximity to downtown Long Beach and convenient freeway access have made it extremely popular.
The neighborhood streets are characterized by mature trees where residents can enjoy quiet afternoon walks. Although many of the homes were built in the 1930s (or before), it’s common to find three-bedroom, one-bath homes that are from 1,700 square-feet to well over 2,000 square-feet–and some even more than 3,000 sq ft.
Also, this is one of the few places in Long Beach where not only will you find beautiful traditional homes, but each is custom built and no two are alike. Attention to detail and craftsmanship is apparent at every turn. You will notice old-fashioned lights, concrete streets, sidewalks deep front lawns.
Garages are located on the rear of the properties–most with two cars. There has been a resurgence in recent years of home restoration. It is clear these beautiful homes are a testament to time.
Connie Wildasinn and Deanna Allensworth are real estate agents with WGA Real Estate, located at 3530 Atlantic Avenue, #100 in Long Beach. Wildasinn, broker and owner, was born and raised in Long Beach. She believes in the city and its residences. Deanna Allensworth, operations manager, has been an active business partner here in Long Beach for more than 15 years.
