Like its New York namesake, Manhattan Beach is about lifestyle and luxury. This is apparent whether you’re shopping at one of the trendy boutiques along Manhattan Beach Boulevard, attending fitness boot camp at the city’s country club or swinging some irons at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Golf Course.
While today it may seem as though the city has achieved the perfect blend of East Coast glamor and West Coast attitude, its famous name almost wasn’t. In the late 1800s the north end of Manhattan was owned by developer George Peck, who called his land Shore Acres. Another developer named John Merill purchased the south end of the city in 1901 and decided to name his portion after his hometown of Manhattan. The two were unable to agree upon whose name was most fitting for this beachfront town, so they decided to flip a coin. Guess who won.
Ironically, the Manhattan Beach of the early 1900s was nothing like the bustling upscale community of today. Most residents lived in tents or tiny wooden cottages, many of which were less than 300 square feet and lacked plumbing, electricity and gas. Fortunately, the abodes evolved, resulting in a flurry of unique, yet equally fabulous, neighborhoods.
The Sand Section of Manhattan Beach is ideal for true ocean lovers. It’s steps from the shore, Strand, volleyball courts, pier, aquarium and Downtown area, which is brimming with shops, restaurants, bars, lounges, salons and art galleries. While the Sand Section includes large beachfront properties, condos and apartments on very small lots, the Hill Section of Manhattan contains some of the largest lots in the city. Both sections enjoy spectacular views of the ocean, but from very different vantage points. Sand residents have an up-close view of the immediate vicinity, while Hill residents enjoy expansive views from atop their hill.
The Manhattan Beach Marriott Golf Course, as well as the city’s single gated community, are located in the Manhattan Village Section. It is also home to the aptly named Manhattan Village, a luxury lifestyle shopping center that contains a movie theater, restaurants, and high-end retailers like Coach, White House Black Market, Apple, Tommy Bahama, Harry & David and Williams-Sonoma. Most other Manhattan Beach homes reside in the Heights, which provides ample backyards, the Tree Section, where streets are canopied by trees and Liberty Village, which is ideal for young families, as it contains the 18-acre Polliwog Park.
Aside from the obvious, Polliwog also includes a botanical garden, nine-hole disc golf course, three gazebos, a large pond, a wildlife refuge and an amphitheater. The park is actually owned by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, which consistently ranks among the top 10% of California public schools. In fact, Manhattan Beach was ranked as the state’s fifth best performing district in 2006.
For more information please visit www.searchonmanhattanbeach.com
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Manhattan Beach Goes High-Tech
Apparently the saying “nobody carries cash these days” is resonating with the Manhattan Beach City Council because it recently decided to explore the option of quarter-less parking meters. The council is currently accepting proposals from parking meter vendors who can integrate non-cash options like debit card and credit card payments into the city’s meters. Anyone who’s driven in Los Angeles knows how cumbersome it can be to carry large amounts of quarters, and how cash-free payment options... [Read more...]
Wells Fargo Chooses Manhattan Beach as the Location of its Greenest Branch
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Manhattan Beach-based Skechers Experiences Positive Growth
One of the many signs that the recession may be ending in the South Bay is the fact that analysts are seeing great potential for Skechers, one of Manhattan’s largest employers, in the near future. The Associated Press reported that analytical firms such as Sterne Agee had upgraded their ratings of the shoe giant based on its new product line. In light of the economic downturn, which as hit the retail sector relatively hard, Sterne Agee previously gave Skechers a “Neutral” rating. It recently... [Read more...]
