Less than a year after 6,822 structures burned in the Palisades Fire, the first rebuilding project has reached the finish line in Pacific Palisades: a two-story showcase home located at 915 Kagawa St.
In a press release, Mayor Karen Bass announced that the home received a certificate of occupancy from the L.A. Department of Building and Safety on Friday, meaning it passed inspection and is safe to inhabit.
“Today is an important moment of hope,” Bass said in a statement. “With more and more projects nearing completion across Pacific Palisades, the City of Los Angeles remains committed to expediting every aspect of the rebuild process until every family is back home.”
The house was built by developer Thomas James Homes. Jamie Mead, the chief executive, said the permitting process took two months and the rebuild took six.
“Given that the community needs housing, we thought this would be a great opportunity to show them what we can do,” Mead said.
Plenty of rebuilding permits have been issued — nearly 2,000 in both the Palisades and Eaton fire zones, according to the state’s rebuilding dashboard — and the first few are reaching the finishing line. Earlier this week, an Altadena ADU received a certificate of occupancy as well.
The Palisades property, however, is much bigger in scope with four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms across nearly 4,000 square feet. It replaces a 1,600-square-foot ranch that burned down in January.
Fire-resistant features include closed eaves to block embers, as well as plumbing for a fire defense system that homeowners can choose to add, which covers the home in water and fire retardant when flames get close.
The first rebuilt home in Pacific Palisades – which just received a certificate of occupancy – on Kagawa Street.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Real estate records show Thomas James Homes bought the property before it was destroyed. It sold for $3.4 million last November.
The house was built as a showcase home — an advertisement of sorts for other residents looking to rebuild. Mead said the company is building homes for 30 families in the Palisades and expects to build 100 more next year. On its website, the company claims it can complete a rebuild in 12 months.
A grand opening, in which the home will be opened to the community, is set for Saturday, Dec. 6.
Rebuilding timelines vary from community-to-community and project-to-project. According to the press release, roughly 340 projects have started construction in Pacific Palisades.
Some residents are still deciding whether to stay or build, while others filed plans in the first months after the fires, taking advantage of government initiatives to streamline the process.
Times Staff Writers Hailey Branson-Potts and Doug Smith contributed to this report.
