Our Story

From the first inhabitants, the Gabrielino/Tongva Indians, and European settlers in the 1700s, to the Rancho La Ballona cattle ranch in the 1800s and a large dairy farm at the turn of the 20th century, this land has a rich and varied history. In the 1930s and 40s entrepreneur and visionary Howard Hughes created an aerospace empire here, where he designed and built the “Hercules,” also known as the “Spruce Goose.” At 319 feet and 11 inches, this precursor to today’s jumbo jets still holds the record for the largest wingspan of any plane ever built.

By the mid-1990s, Playa Vista converted the former Hughes Aircraft hangars, including the one that held the Spruce Goose, into Hollywood sound stages. Scenes from movies such as Avatar, Transformers, Iron Man and Titanic have been filmed at Playa Vista.

From the defining innovation that led to jumbo jets to the hub for innovation it is today, just maybe this place has always been ahead of its time. That meant a new style of intertwining thoughtful architecture, parks, social connectedness, open space and technology with some of the best urban planning principles to make way for a new kind of community. The place we once dreamed of has now grown up and we’re excited to share it with you. Today, Playa Vista has reimagined life on the Westside and blends open space, recreation, entertainment, shopping, dining, tech and new homes. With a sense of connection all around and signature events always happening, it’s no wonder Playa Vista has become the address of choice.

Part of the legendary parcel of land that once gave rise to Howard Hughes’ aerospace empire has transformed into Runway, a large-scale mixed-use center offering unique shopping, dining, entertainment and living space in the heart of the Playa Vista community. The Campus, also formerly part of the aerospace empire, has become fertile ground for innovation and connection – and the design and architecture makes that clear. From titans like YouTube Space LA and IMAX to creative powerhouses like 72andSunny and USC’s Institute of Creative Technologies, Playa Vista has become the Westside address of choice, a “Silicon Beach.”

Playa Vista is more than just a community. It’s also a good neighbor working to improve the surrounding areas and boost the regional economy. As part of its ongoing commitment, Playa Vista has implemented several special programs to support neighboring Playa del Rey, Westchester, Marina del Rey, Culver City, Venice and Mar Vista. These programs include the Playa Vista Educational Trust and PVJOBS.

Playa Vista created the Playa Vista Educational Trust to fund everything from library books and computers to playground equipment and field trips for students. Started in 1998 as the largest one-time adoption in the 20-year history of the LAUSD’s Adopt-A-School program, the Playa Vista Educational Trust was founded to help our local schools with a variety of needs, including:

• Mentoring programs
• Encouraging and rewarding students for superior academic achievement
• Assisting selected schools in funding a large campus-wide project