July 30, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Behind Brentwood: How the Crestwood Hills Park Emerged

By Cory Buckner

Special to Brentwood News 

On a hillside in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, the Mutual Housing Association (MHA) broke ground for its residential dream on October 5, 1947. Courtesy image.
On a hillside in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, the Mutual Housing Association (MHA) broke ground for its residential dream on October 5, 1947. Courtesy image.

On a hillside in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, the Mutual Housing Association (MHA) broke ground for its residential dream on October 5, 1947. Crestwood Hills, formerly MHA, was to become the only successful large-scale modern housing cooperative in the West. Architects A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith, and structural engineer Edgardo Contini – all steeped in the ethos of Southern California modernist architecture – were selected as the design team. They provided a selection of more than 20 innovative designs for 350 small lots. A large flat area was designated for the cooperative services, which included a park, clubhouse, nursery school, gas station, a variety store, swimming pool, amphitheater, and an administration building to house medical services and credit union activities.

But idealism met harsh reality when two contractors went bankrupt building the structures. Eventually only 85 of the MHA houses and the preschool were completed. The ambitious plans for a cooperative utopia began to fade and several day camps began using the acreage that was designated for the park.

Founding members Sharon Leonard and Marge Bonderman decided they had better establish a park facility before it was taken over by other users. Organizing their own day camp, a group of Crestwood Hills mothers reclaimed the park for the community. Addressing a need for more equipment and expert supervision, they collected $10 from each Crestwood Hills family. The Los Angeles City officials were approached and agreed to supply a park director in exchange for the funds collected and included a swing set and slide, as well as other equipment.

Visit Crestwood Hills Park at 1000 Hanley Ave. Photo by Jeff Hall.
Visit Crestwood Hills Park at 1000 Hanley Ave. Photo by Jeff Hall.

A deserted contractor’s shack was moved to the park area and it became the first clubhouse. Close to 30 children, including Leonard’s four boys, used the little clubhouse. With more people moving into the area, the group approached the City to take responsibility for the park since it had become more than the community members could manage. The land was given to the City in 1961 to maintain as a park. Residents Marvin Braude, the future County supervisor; Ray Siegal, one of the four original founders of MHA; and Leonard pitched to the City the idea of building a clubhouse, which resulted in $30,000 granted towards construction of the structure.

A. Quincy Jones and his partner Frederick E. Emmons designed the clubhouse with community input. The facility included a small amphitheater facing a moveable wall. With the wall opened, the space provided ample room for concerts, plays, and performances. A grand piano was donated for the space and Fritz Feld, the character actor and Crestwood resident, lured musicians, dancers, and other artists to perform for the community. The amphitheater was later named the Fritz Feld Theater in his honor.

Carnivals were held every year with the City supplying the booths and a spook house at Halloween. Neighborhood potluck picnics were a common event for all of the holidays, including the 4th of July, but eventually many of the founding members aged out of the community and the clubhouse and park were seldom used.

It wasn’t until the early 1990s, when a new generation of families began moving into the community, that the need to revitalize the park became apparent. The park activities kept the community cohesive until several years ago when cuts in the City budget eliminated the park director and closed the clubhouse for all but two days a week.

Today, the increased use created by the new preschool director, Joanna Port, combined with the needs of the community have resulted in a new energy at the park and a fulltime park director, Mark Wilson. Once again, the park has become a magnet to unite the community within a beautiful natural setting.

Related Posts

New Beginnings in Brentwood: Dr. Marian Oppenheimer Opens Private Psychology Practice at wellpeople

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

For more than 30 years, Dr. Marian Oppenheimer has dedicated herself to one clear purpose: helping people heal, grow, and...

Westchester Del Rey Stuns Tucson With 11-Run Inning to Reach World Series

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Westside Team Heads to Greenville, North Carolina to Compete for Glory  Westchester Del Rey Little League is headed to the...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

Brentwood Weekly Crime Report:  July 7, 2025 – July 27, 2025

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

LAPD Confirms Fatal Stabbing Among 12 Reported Incidents Senior Lead Officer Matthew Kirk has resumed crime reporting duties following a...

Second Grenade Still Missing After Blast That Killed Three LA Sheriff’s Detectives

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Only One Grenade Exploded; The Second Device Has Vanished Authorities said Friday that one of two grenades recovered last week...

Kathleen Kaufman Brings Gothic Séance Tale to Brentwood Bookstore

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

The Author of Nora Grey Will Appear in Conversation With Jo Kaplan  Diesel, A Bookstore in Brentwood, will host author...

Felony Charges Dropped for Man in UCLA Encampment Attack After Diversion Deal

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Malachi Marlan-Librett Must Complete Therapy, Anti-bias Training in Hate Crime Case The only person charged with a felony in connection...

Homecare Company Celebrates 14 years of Compassion While Planting New Roots After January Fire

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Luxe Homecare, a leading provider of compassionate and reliable in-home care services for seniors has recently announced the opening of...

Wallis Annenberg, Visionary Philanthropist and Civic Leader, Dies at 86

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Philanthropist Expanded Foundation’s Reach From Arts to Conservation Wallis Annenberg, a prominent philanthropist and longtime leader of the Annenberg Foundation,...

Brentwood Beat: Let’s Get Practical

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Do you ever spend time on NextDoor?   It’s a local online bulletin board.  I check it out maybe twice a...

Los Angeles Fire Department Airlifts Two From Brentwood Trails in Same-Day Rescues

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Two Were Hoisted in Back-To-Back Emergencies From Rugged Terrain Two individuals were airlifted to safety Saturday afternoon in separate incidents...

More Than $50 Billion in Damage: What January’s Wildfire Cost the City of Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Nearly 11,000 Properties, Many in Pacific Palisades, Affected; True Losses Likely Higher Nearly $52 billion in residential real estate across...

Award-Winning Beverly Hills Villa Lists for $39.9 Million in Celebrity-Filled Enclave

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Limestone Showpiece Hits Market in the Flats, From Acclaimed Architect Tucked in the heart of Beverly Hills Flats, a limestone-clad...