West Los Angeles, or West L.A., a district in the City of Los Angeles, is part of the larger “Westside” region. Centrally located, between the beaches of Santa Monica, and downtown L.A., West Los Angeles has seen quite a bit of commercial development, with several high-rise office buildings along Olympic, Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards. Residences in the neighborhood are a mix of low-rise apartment buildings and ranch-style tract homes, mostly built between the 1920s and 1960s.
Buildings in West Los Angeles are often used in film and television. The traditional look of University High School, with weathered brick and arched entries has been well utilized, as has the Westside Pavilion Mall, which was featured in the movie “Clueless,” as well as several scenes in the music video for Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” The exterior for Phil and Claire’s house on the hit sitcom “Modern Family” can be found on Dunleer Drive in West L.A.
