Getty House

Getty House
The Getty House, in Windsor Square, official home of the Mayor of Los Angeles, California (2008)
Map
General information
TypeMayor's residence
Architectural styleTudor revival
Address605 South Irving Boulevard (in Windsor Square)
Town or cityLos Angeles, California
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°03′48″N 118°19′08″W / 34.063272°N 118.318779°W / 34.063272; -118.318779
Current tenantsKaren Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles
Completed1921
Cost$83,000 (1921)
OwnerCity of Los Angeles (since 1975; 49 years ago (1975))
Design and construction
Other designersA. E. Hanson (gardens)
Website
gettyhouse.org, website of the Getty House Foundation

The Getty House is the official residence of the mayor of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 605 South Irving Boulevard in Windsor Square, a historic district east of Hancock Park, about five miles west of the Los Angeles City Hall.

History

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The house is named after George Getty II, the son of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. It was designed and built in the Tudor Revival style in 1921[1] for $83,000 ($1.42 million in 2023). The Getty Oil company purchased the house in 1959, and offered the property to the City of Los Angeles on November 12, 1975. The original gardens were designed by A. E. Hanson, and have been restored. According to the Los Angeles County Assessor, the property spans approximately half an acre – 22,523 square feet.[2]

The house was built by Swedish immigrant Paul Paulson and his wife Leta, who moved to Los Angeles from Iowa. Paulson established two cafeterias, one in downtown Los Angeles, and the other on Catalina Island.

Mayor's residence

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The house became the official residence for the mayor of Los Angeles. Mayor Tom Bradley was the first to move into the house at the beginning of his second term in 1977, and resided there until leaving office in 1993. However, his two immediate successors opted not to move into the house, so it was unoccupied between 1993 and 2005. Mayor Richard Riordan (1993–2001) resided at his house in Brentwood. Mayor James Hahn (2001–2005) lived in San Pedro so his children could be near their mother's residence.

After his election in 2005, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced that he and his family would live in the house on at least a part-time basis, alternating between it and their existing home in the Mt. Washington district on the Northeast side. However, in September 2005, Villaraigosa decided that he would move into the house full-time, becoming the second mayor to reside there.[3] In June 2007, Villaraigosa and his wife, Corina, announced that they were separating, and he would temporarily move out of the Getty House, with his wife and children to continue residing there during the separation.

In 2013, newly elected mayor Eric Garcetti announced that he, his wife, Amy Wakeland, and their daughter Maya, would move into the house.

After the 2022 election, mayor Karen Bass moved into the house in January 2023.[4] On Sunday morning, April 21, 2024, a person broke a window and entered Mayor Bass' residence, Getty House; the mayor and her family were unharmed. The suspect was apprehended.[5][6]

School zone

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The house is zoned to the following LAUSD schools: 3rd Street Elementary School, John Burroughs Middle School, and Los Angeles High School.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mather, Kate (June 30, 2011). "Good Fence, Good Neighbor? L.A. OKs Getty House Plan – Security Concerns Prompted Proposal for the Mayor's Home, But Locals Don't Like It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2013. Getty House, built by Swedish immigrants in 1921, has long been a historic symbol for the city.
  2. ^ "Los Angeles County Assessor Portal".
  3. ^ [dead link] "Villaraigosa to Occupy City Mansion". Associated Press (via CBS News, Channel 2). September 15, 2005. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007.
  4. ^ "Mayor Bass moves into Getty House". Beverly Press. January 28, 2023.
  5. ^ Edmonds, Colbi (April 22, 2024). "Intruder Breaks Into Los Angeles Mayor's Residence". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mayor's Office Statement Regarding Getty House Intruder | Mayor Karen Bass". mayor.lacity.gov. April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
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