Venice, California with its beautiful beaches and elegant canal walks is pure Southern California paradise and a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. It is a vibrant arts community and to spite the changing tides its residents have managed to hold onto the Venice tradition of championing liberal thought and progressive social change. Many influential poets, musicians, authors, and artists of every type have made Venice their home or hangout at some point. Frank Gehry the celebrated architect calls Venice home as does Johnny Rotten (Lydon) of Sex Pistols fame, Benny Goodman and Jim Morrison & The Doors made some amazing music here, also Jean-Michel Basquiat created paintings that will be remembered for all eternity.
Envisioned as a “Venice of America” by millionaire developer Abbot Kinney, canals were dug in 1905, like those of Venice, Italy, and the developer’s dream began to come alive. The long list of influential people that have passed through Venice since its birth have Abbot Kinney to thank and the lovely pedestrian boulevard of his namesake is one of Venice’s true draws—Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
My client had acquired this rare, unique, fabulous architectural vacant 6000 square foot residential / office / retail/ building on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice back in 2007.