Granada Hills Tutors

About Granada Hills

Granada Hills in a previous lifetime was known as Sunshine Ranch. The first name change to ‘Granada’ came about after the San Fernando Valley’s very first oil well was drilled at the northern tip of Zelzah Avenue. The ‘Hills’ part of the name was added some 15 years later in 1941.

Granada Hills’ tutors will tell you that the area once was predominantly a dairy farm and orchard. Well known for its production of delicious apricots, oranges, walnuts and beans. Much of the local landscaping pays homage with gardens and yards landscaped around ancient citrus trees. Undoubtedly this would be a perfect place to come home to and relax outdoors with a good book, or of course to sit and complete your studies.

Residents of Granada Hills are responsible for the welfare of 101 Deodar Cedar trees. These famous 101 trees are located between San Fernando Mission and San Jose Street. Because of these trees that perfectly and symmetrically line the street, the street itself was declared a Los Angeles Historical Monument in 1966. If you have just relocated to Granada Hills, some areas may look ‘extra’-ordinarily familiar to you. One of the most famous scenes in movie history, the ‘flying bicycles’ in Steven Spielberg’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” was filmed here in this neighborhood, right on White Oak Avenue.

Granada Hills is also very well known for outstanding examples of mid-century modern architecture. Between this and the surviving tall trees that dot the landscape, coupled with the locations close proximity to Hollywood, the area is often scouted for backdrops for movies, TV shows and commercials. House exteriors and interiors often feature in print articles in both newspapers and magazines. They serve as examples of iconic mid-century builds. The designs conceived by one of the most well known developers in the mid-century aesthetic, Joseph Eichler. Granada Hills’ tutors often reference examples of his architecture known as the ‘Balboa Highlands’ to local history and architecture students.

Another very famous property was more recently built in 2015. It is home to one of Granada Hills’ most famous residents. Better known as Carlton to a generation of ‘Fresh prince Of Bel-Air’ viewers, actor/TV Host Alfonso Ribeiro had an expansive 8 bedroom, 9 bathroom home custom built for himself. As you would expect for a home in a highly desirable neighborhood that cost just shy of 2 million dollars, the house includes a fabulous swimming pool, with out door bar area, an outdoor barbecue and a brick pizza oven. It was clearly built with entertaining in mind.