The mile long stretch on Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax and La Brea Avenues receives its name in the 1920’s. The land sat barren with only a few oil rigs to make up its skyline, until founder and developer of Miracle Mile, A.W. Ross came along. Ross purchased the land in 1920, with a vision of a lively banking industry to help the mile get out of its slump. The legendary Desmond Building kick-started the Mile, as is was the first business and retail complex brought to the area.
The section of land Ross purchased was between La Brea and Fairfax along Wilshire, He selected the area because of its close proximity to Los Angeles’s wealthiest residential districts: Westlake, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. He saw the development of the tract in terms of the automobile, whose popularity had grown greatly during the late teens. Ross was planning to develop a suburban shopping center. At that time, Wilshire Blvd. was a dirt road. It’s most prominent structure was a billboard which read “Wilshire Boulevard Center- A.W. Ross Development”. His friends thought he was crazy but Ross could envision the possibilities. His dream became a reality and within 25 years and mid Wilshire went from barley fields to million dollar properties.
The area became home to styles that are now known as Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture. Ross’ efforts paid off, as the area quickly became a haven for business and the arts. Boutiques and department stores line the streets and businessmen and families gladly showcased the area’s prosperity, and the area became a landmark in Angeleno culture.
Today, Miracle Mile is home to many well known companies including Spelling Productions, Variety Magazine, E! Entertainment Television, and The Screen Actors Guild. The area is also best known for Museum Row; the cluster of museums that lie on three blocks of Wilshire Boulevard: California Craft & Folk Art Museum (5814 Wilshire Blvd), George C. Page Museum/La Brea Tar Pits (5801 Wilshire Blvd), The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (5905 Wilshire Boulevard), Petersen Automotive Museum (6060 Wilshire Blvd), and Architecture and Design Museum (5900 Wilshire Blvd). The Mile also hosts a number of galleries, complementing a fair share of artistic tastes.
Farmers Market located at the tip of the Miracle Mile on the corner of Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street (neighboring The Grove), standing complete with history, shopping, and autumn fun every October. The market came around during the beginning of LA’s reconstruction after the Depression, and offers more than 100 places to shop, eat, and an effortless way to enjoy the surrounding neighborhoods.
The district’s zip codes are 90036 and parts of 90019.
The median sales price for homes in Miracle Mile, Los Angeles for Sep 21 to Nov 21 was $905,000. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median sales price for home was $815,000 and the number of sales increased. Average price per square foot for Miracle Mile is $438.85.
Private Schools:
Westside Jewish Community Center, Shalhevet High School, Yeshiva Ray Isacohn Torath Emeth Academy, Daniel Murphy Catholic High School, Cathedral Chapel School.
Public Schools:
Miracle Mile public schools are zoned to the Los Angeles Unified School District, Board District 4. Hancock Park Elementary School, Third Street Elementary School , Wilshire Crest Elementary School, John Burroughs Middle School, Los Angeles Senior High School.
