When residents move into Club California’s newly renovated
condos this year, they will find neighbors who represent a unique
mix in the Village.
Undergraduate and graduate students, doctors and other
professionals will be living under one roof when the housing
complex opens this summer, said Erika Aspericueta, a UCLA alumna
and the transaction coordinator for Century 21 Award, which is
handling sales.
Club California’s 209 units housed about 600 tenants until
last summer. UCLA students and staff and others renting there were
told they would have to move out when their leases ended in 2005
because the apartment complex was being converted into condos.
The condos are being offered in three phases, with the cheapest
ones being sold first, Aspericueta said. The 30 phase-one units are
almost sold out, ranging in price from the low $300,000s to the
high $600,000s, she said.
The new condos range in size from a 400-square-foot studio to a
1,000-square-foot two-bedroom. And the building has gotten a
face-lift in the months since summer.
Smooth, black granite counters and stainless steel appliances
adorn the kitchens and expensive carpets pad bedrooms and living
rooms. The walls are a gentle cream color.
Still, in some ways, little has changed at the complex. The pool
is in the same place ““ outside, facing the street. The gym
will occupy the same spot downstairs. The number of units will not
be different.
But with completely renovated interiors, the new condos
aren’t exactly typical Westwood fare. The newly painted
hallways seem to share more with an upscale hotel than with a
dormitory.
Condos differ from apartments because they are individually
owned, which means buyers pay monthly fees for public services such
as maintenance and security. At Club California, these charges will
total between $180 and $400 per month, Aspericueta said.
Jennifer Lanspa, a Century 21 Award realtor, said many of her
clients are parents purchasing condos for students. Buying property
is a good investment because renting in Westwood is so expensive,
she said. And after their children graduate, parents should have
little problem finding tenants for vacant units, Lanspa added.
“UCLA is not going anywhere, so you’re always going
to have a plethora of renters,” she said.
Most residents will be between 20 and 45 years old, Lanspa said.
About 60 percent to 65 percent of new owners are affiliated with
UCLA, including many doctors who want a place to sleep near campus
when they are on call, she added.
Jennifer Lopez, a 21-year-old UCLA alumna, stopped by Monday to
take a look at the new units.
She said she and her boyfriend pay $2,200 a month to live in
Westwood. The two are considering staying in the neighborhood
because shops and restaurants are just minutes away.
Lopez, who studied psychology, is a senior therapist at a
Sherman Oaks company with clients who live near the Village. Now
that she is a professional she is looking to live somewhere lively
but not too loud. Compared to other Westwood streets, Club
California’s block on Roebling and Levering Avenues is
relatively quiet, Lopez said.
“I like this site because it’s not more north near
all the rowdiness,” she said.