Fremont Place Association, Inc.

Fremont Place Association, Inc.

The History of Fremont Place

Fremont Place is a privately owned park originally developed by three gentlemen, Charles Ingram, David Barry and George Briggs who intended to build an exclusive district of homes. In 1911 the partners announced in the Los Angeles Times the project would feature an entrance with granite gateways designed by J. Martyn Haenke costing $12,000 each. They proposed 48 lots each measuring 200 by 200 feet and claimed that no home would cost less than $7,500.

According to Micheal Regan’s book, Mansions of Los Angeles, Martin Henry Mosier, an oil man, built Fremont Place’s first mansion (number 55) in 1916. The Italian Renaissance home was designed by architect John C. Austin and interior decoration was done by Tiffany’s. In 1917, King C. Gillette, the razor manufacturer built number 100. The next year, Mary Pickford built number 56, two years before she built “Pickfair” in Beverly Hills.

Other homes of note are number 104, a chateau style residence built in 1930 by Charles J. Wild, owner of metal casting company. The home cost over $300,000 to construct. Elmer Gray was the architect. Paul J. Howard designed the grounds and gardens with interior decorations and furnishings by John B. Hortzclaw. Number 61 was designed by Myron Hunt in 1923 for J.L. Olindorf, a retired farm implement manufacturer from Ohio. In 1929 number 72 was designed by M.L. Barker for J.R. Kinnie, a lumberman.

Following the depression and successive ups and downs in the real estate market many lots were subdivided and the side yards of these sumptuous lots were sold. Over the years some of the city’s most prominent citizens have made their home here including Mary Pickford, the silent screen movie star, A.P. Giannini, the founder of Bank of America, King Camp Gillette, the inventor of the safety razor, and Mohamed Ali, the former world boxing champion.

Initially, preservation of Fremont Place was ensured by a set of reciprocal covenants, which were legally enforceable for all the properties. Over time, some homeowners did not renew these covenants and eventually they lapsed altogether. By the 1960's, the park had declined to the point where some homes sold for as little as $70,000 and the entire tract was nearly sold for commercial development. Cooperative efforts in an active homeowners association played a major role in reversing this deterioration and restoring the park's desirability and present home values. Currently there are 73 homes whose owners represent the diversity of Los Angeles. And, just as it was almost 90 years ago, Fremont Place is home to movie stars, government officials, civic leaders and entrepreneurs, and regular folks too.

Services Provided By the Fremont Place Association

The Fremont Place Association (FPA) was incorporated in May 1991 as a non-profit corporation to perform the following services for all residents:

Gated entrance with 24-hour private guard security Coordination of neighborhood security
Maintenance of the internal streets and lighting system General liability insurance protecting the homeowners for common areas and claims
Gardening and maintenance for the common areas of the entrance gates and Olympic border
Management services through Doug Dalton
Collection of filming license fees and regulation of filming activities
Weekly backyard pickup of garbage and recyclables
for city collection. (Residents are asked to make sure driveways are free of cars or other obstructions that would prevent pickup and return of garbage cans.)

All of these services are funded though an annual assessment on each home, which historically has equaled typical condominium association fees in much less prestigious developments.

Benefits of Incorporation

The FPA was incorporated to more effectively perform the above services as well as to institute legally enforceable reciprocal covenants recorded on our individual properties. There are five major benefits to homeowners incorporating the association:

A corporate entity helps protect member homeowners from individual legal liability which might otherwise be asserts for any actions taken (or which should have been taken) on behalf of the group;
An incorporated entity can contract more easily for goods and services required to maintain common areas (particularly streets and insurance).
Forming a non-profit corporation assures that filming revenue received by Fremont Place Association is not taxable to the individual homeowners;
A corporation is more effective in exerting political influence on common concerns such as the Wilshire traffic light, Metro Rail, nearby high-rise developments or re0-districting, etc.
If you are concerned about decision affecting your home and neighborhood, joining the corporation is the best way to have your voice heard and to achieve your objectives.

Signing reciprocal covenants gives the homeowner legally enforceable rights under a set of standard rules applicable to all members of the corporation. Without covenants, there is uncertainty about both your rights and the ability to enforce them.

As of the date of this publication, all but a few homeowners in the Park are members of the corporation. However, the FPA Board of Directors includes all residents within the park in this directory. All homeowners benefit from the services provided by FPA and are obligated to pay the annual assessments, but only actual members of the corporation may vote at the annual meeting or serve on the board of directors. While non-members cannot vote formally, the board considers their opinions and conducts advisory polls of residents from time to time.

Ideally, every homeowner should participate fully and so we urge those of you who have not yet completed your incorporation documents to please do so. Feel free to call our Park Manager if you have any questions or need assistance.

About our association

Fremont Place Association Board of Directors

Bif Forester, President & Treasurer
Peter Bart
George Carroll
Carol Enright
Patty Lombard, Vice President
Shannon Murphy
Shar Penfold
Mark Rice
Sally Woodward, Assistant Treasurer

Committees of the Board
Beautification
Communication Patty Lombard, Chair
Filming George Carroll, Chair
Incorporation Security
Social Shar Penfold, Chair

Block Captains:
Patty Barham Boyne
Monique Back
Nancy Crystal
Shirley Dalton
Lorna Gentile
Emily Maverick
Janet Schein

Services Provided by the Fremont Place Association.

The Fremont Place Association (FPA) was incorporated in May 1991 as a non-profit corporation to perform the following services for all residents:

Gated entrance with 24-hour private guard security Coordination of neighborhood security
Maintenance of the internal streets and lighting system General liability insurance protecting the homeowners for common areas and claims
Gardening and maintenance for the common areas of the entrance gates and Olympic border
Management services through Doug Dalton
Collection of filming license fees and regulation of filming activities
Weekly backyard pickup of garbage and recyclables
for city collection. (Residents are asked to make sure driveways are free of cars or other obstructions that would prevent pickup and return of garbage cans.)

All of these services are funded though an annual assessment on each home, which historically has equaled typical condominium association fees in much less prestigious developments.