Harvard-Westlake River Park: What It Means for Studio City Real Estate
Field Notes · Neighborhood
Weddington Golf and Tennis is gone. The $200 million project replacing it is one of the biggest neighborhood stories Studio City has seen in a generation, and it is relevant for anyone buying or selling here right now.
Harvard-Westlake River Park at a glance
A $200 million, 17-acre public and private athletic facility under construction on the former Weddington Golf and Tennis site at 4141 Whitsett Avenue in Studio City. Approved unanimously by the LA City Council in November 2023. Construction began April 2024. Opening targeted fall 2026. Amenities include two athletic fields, a 52-meter pool, eight tennis courts, an 80,000-square-foot gymnasium seating 1,000-plus, 500-space underground parking with 130 EV charging stations, a cafeteria, and six acres of public open space along the LA River. Designed for daily shared use by Harvard-Westlake students and the Studio City community. For official project updates, visit hwriverpark.com.
Weddington Golf and Tennis closed after Harvard-Westlake purchased the property in 2017 for approximately $42 million. No membership required, no club fee. A par-3 course and driving range that anyone in the neighborhood could walk into. For decades it was that kind of place, and the debate over what would replace it was long, emotional, and legitimate on both sides.
That debate is settled. The LA City Council voted unanimously in November 2023 to approve the River Park plans. A subsequent court challenge was dismissed, with the Superior Court judge ruling opponents were unlikely to prevail and construction should proceed without delay. Groundbreaking happened in April 2024. Per an on-site tour in October 2025 covered by the Los Angeles Times via Yahoo Sports, both the main gym and auxiliary gym are now enclosed and standing, the underground parking structure is nearly complete, the stormwater capture system is already operational, and oak and orange trees are in the ground as part of the native landscaping project. Fall 2026 is the target opening, with basketball games planned in the new main gym by end of year.
For a real estate agent working Studio City street by street, this is not a footnote. It is a neighborhood infrastructure story that belongs in every buyer and seller conversation about this market.
What is being built
The full site plan, as confirmed in the LA City Planning environmental review:
- Two athletic fields with bleacher seating, one with a full running track
- A 52-meter swimming pool for swimming and water polo
- Eight tennis courts with seating
- An 80,000-square-foot, two-story gymnasium seating more than 1,000
- Underground parking for 500 cars, including 130 EV charging stations
- A cafeteria adjacent to the main gym
- A perimeter walking and jogging trail
- Six acres of public plazas, water features, wooded areas, and native landscaping along the LA River
- Wrestling room, fencing room, weight room, sports medicine room, yoga room, and 11 locker rooms
The project will also include more than 150 AI-assisted security cameras and a security system separating the private and public areas of the campus. An after-school electric bus service is planned to bring students from the upper school on Coldwater Canyon to River Park. The school has committed to no football games on the site for now.
Total project cost: approximately $200 million, with 85 percent funded from private donations as of late 2025, according to the Harvard-Westlake Chronicle. Annual operations are estimated at approximately $5 million per year.
Studio City Real Estate
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River Park is not a private campus. The design calls for daily shared use by Harvard-Westlake students and the surrounding Studio City community. The perimeter trail, the six acres of green space, and the public plazas along the LA River are neighborhood amenities, open to everyone.
Studio City's outdoor amenity story has always been part of how buyers evaluate the neighborhood. TreePeople at Coldwater Canyon and Wilacre Park are the green space assets that consistently come up in buyer conversations. River Park adds a major new piece directly on the LA River corridor that buyers tracking Studio City already follow. For more on what the river corridor looked like before this project, see the Riverwalk at Studio City post on debbiepisaro.com.
One detail worth noting: construction crews unearthed a large quantity of golf balls during excavation, many dating to the 1960s and bearing the names of previous owners George McCallister and Joe Kirkwood Jr. The school is planning to commission an artist to turn them into a school logo, per the HW Chronicle. It is the kind of detail that says something about what this place was and what it is becoming.
What it means for buyers and sellers in Studio City
Publicly accessible open space is a documented value driver in residential real estate. When buyers compare Studio City to other parts of the Valley, the conversation returns to walkability, the river, the canyon parks, and the quality of neighborhood infrastructure. River Park reinforces all of that at a scale this neighborhood has not seen before.
It also lands in a neighborhood already in motion. Netflix's acquisition of the Radford Studios lot is another signal of the level of institutional investment arriving in Studio City right now. These are not incremental changes. They reshape the neighborhood over the next decade and are relevant context for anyone pricing a home here today.
For sellers, see when the best time to sell a Studio City home actually is and the full breakdown of what you will net selling a Studio City home in today's conditions.
For buyers, every block in Studio City prices differently depending on proximity to the river, the boulevard, and neighborhood submarket. Working with a Studio City real estate agent who knows this market address by address is how you make sense of it. For current conditions, see what has been moving in Studio City this spring and the full market report. For the architectural character of specific blocks near the River Park site, the Studio City architectural homes map on debbiepisaro.com is the place to start. Full listing picture at juststudiocity.com/studio-city.
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Join the list or call (310) 362-6429Frequently asked questions
When will Harvard-Westlake River Park open?
Construction began in April 2024 and is targeted for completion in fall 2026. As of an October 2025 site tour, both gyms are enclosed and the underground parking structure is nearly complete. Basketball games are planned for the new main gym by end of 2026.
Will the public be able to use Harvard-Westlake River Park?
Yes. River Park is designed for shared daily use by both Harvard-Westlake students and the surrounding Studio City community. The perimeter trail, six acres of public green space, and riverside plazas are open to everyone.
What replaced Weddington Golf and Tennis in Studio City?
Harvard-Westlake School purchased Weddington Golf and Tennis in 2017 for approximately $42 million and is converting the 17-acre site into River Park, a $200 million multi-use athletic and recreational facility with daily public access.
What amenities will Harvard-Westlake River Park include?
Two athletic fields with a running track, a 52-meter pool, eight tennis courts, an 80,000-square-foot gymnasium seating 1,000-plus, underground parking for 500 cars with 130 EV charging stations, a cafeteria, a perimeter walking and jogging trail, and six acres of public green space along the LA River.
How much did Harvard-Westlake River Park cost?
The total project cost is approximately $200 million, with 85 percent funded from private donations as of late 2025. The school purchased the underlying Weddington property in 2017 for $42 million. Annual operations are estimated at approximately $5 million per year.
Was there a lawsuit against Harvard-Westlake River Park?
Yes. After the city's November 2023 approval, opponents filed an injunction seeking to halt construction. The LA Superior Court denied it, ruling opponents were unlikely to prevail, and construction has continued without delay since April 2024.
Does River Park affect Studio City home values?
Publicly accessible open space and recreational infrastructure are established value drivers in residential real estate. River Park adds a 17-acre amenity corridor along the LA River that reinforces what makes Studio City a distinct buy against other Valley markets.
Where is Harvard-Westlake River Park located?
At 4047, 4141, and 4155 N. Whitsett Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604, between Whitsett Avenue and the Los Angeles River on the site of the former Weddington Golf and Tennis facility.
- LA City Planning: Harvard-Westlake River Park Environmental Review
- hwriverpark.com: Official Construction Updates
- Los Angeles Times via Yahoo Sports: On-Site Construction Tour (October 2025)
- Harvard-Westlake Chronicle: Project Funding and Operations (April 2026)
- Harvard-Westlake Chronicle: Construction Milestone (May 2025)
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