UNIVERSITY PARK CUSTOM HOME BUILDER & GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Built With Intention. Historic Streets, Honored.
UNIVERSITY PARK HOMES ARE BUILT DIFFERENTLY
Heart Construction is a general contractor serving University Park, specializing in custom homes, full renovations, and historic restorations and additions. We work with homeowners, architects, engineers and designers through organized pre-construction, transparent budgeting and steady execution, so the house's original character is protected from first sketch to closeout.
Building in University Park isn't simple.
Much of the neighborhood sits inside the University Park HPOZ, where a volunteer HPOZ Board reviews exterior and street-visible work against a Preservation Plan before LADBS plan check can move forward. North University Park has its own Design Review Board.
Contributing or Non-Contributing status sets how strict review is, ADUs must still meet HPOZ design conditions, and older systems may need seismic and electrical attention. Sequencing City Planning clearance ahead of the LADBS submittal keeps the schedule honest.
We guide the process so every decision feels informed, not reactive, and original features are repaired in kind rather than stripped.
We take on historic full remodels and additions, ADUs and garage conversions, and kitchen and bath updates inside period houses near the Shrine Auditorium. We bring the same structure and discipline we apply across the South LA and every project in Los Angeles.
RECENT PROJECTS
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![Malibu Pier home interior featuring a warm modern living space with built-in seating, layered textures, custom wood furniture, and an open layout flowing into a minimalist kitchen, showcasing Heart Construction’s intentional coastal design.]()
MALIBU PIER
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![Pacific Palisades ocean-view backyard with custom pool, palm trees, lounge seating, and manicured lawn overlooking the Pacific coastline.]()
MALIBU
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![Marina del Rey home interior with warm modern design featuring a natural wood dining table, sculptural pendant lighting, plaster walls, and an open kitchen with custom cabinetry, showcasing Heart Construction’s intentional coastal craftsmanship.]()
MARINA DEL REY
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![Open-concept living room in a Hollywood Hills home remodel with folding glass walls, custom built-ins, soft neutral furnishings, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow overlooking canyon views, showcasing Heart Construction’s warm modern design.]()
HOLLYWOOD HILLS
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![Pacific Palisades luxury bathroom with freestanding soaking tub, marble walk-in shower, herringbone tile walls, and sculptural glass chandelier framed by natural light and greenery views.]()
BRENTWOOD
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![Pacific Palisades modern custom home with smooth stucco façade, black-framed windows, vertical wood garage door, and drought-tolerant landscaping.]()
MAR VISTA
OUR REMODELING SERVICES
At Heart Construction, we specialize in creating thoughtfully designed homes that reflect the way you live. From custom ground-up builds to full-scale renovations and refined living spaces, we guide every project with craftsmanship, clarity and care for homeowners in Vermont Knolls, South Park, Vermont Square and beyond.
OUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY UNIVERSITY PARK PROCESS
PLAN
First a Strategic Visioning Session: A conversation about your goals, budget and timeline, and a frank read on what your Malibu site will allow. Complimentary.
TEAM
Second we assemble the architect, structural and geotechnical engineers, civil engineer, biologist and designers your project needs — matched to your style and site's constraints.
CALL
Third a Professional Services Agreement and a small retainer begin feasibility, permitting strategy, design coordination and line-by-line budgeting.
PERMITS
We assemble and file the complete CDP and building-permit package, coordinate Fire and Environmental Health reviews, and lock scope, finishes and schedule before groundbreaking.
CONSTRUCTION
Milestone-based build. Change orders are priced and approved in writing before work begins. You get a weekly update every week — progress, decisions needed, what's next.
CLOSEOUT
Finally Walkthrough with Final inspections, punch list, documentation and warranty handover. Payments are tied to completed milestones, never arbitrary percentages.
After you contact us, Within one business day, Asaf will call to understand your property and goals. If it's a fit, we schedule a site visit. There's no obligation and no pressure — just a clear picture of what's possible.
What to Know Before
You Build in University Park
In University Park, the HPOZ Board meeting calendar and City Planning clearance set the pace, with LADBS plan check following. Routine permits run 2–6 months; projects with street-visible work that needs HPOZ Board review run 6–12 months. A custom home takes 10–16 months to build. The lever that protects your schedule is early pre-review: we consult on the design before it is final, so drawings reach the board with a clear path.
What It Costs
Costs here reflect period-appropriate materials, careful repair of old fabric and the added review step, and tight urban-infill access adds logistics. Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft; whole-home renovations $325–$600+ per sq ft; detached ADUs $250,000–$450,000+; pools $120,000–$300,000+. Soft costs — design, historic and structural studies, permits — are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins.
Permits & Local Rules
LADBS issues permits, but City Planning's Office of Historic Resources and the HPOZ Board review street-visible work first, under the University Park Preservation Plan. Contributing or Non-Contributing status sets how strict that review is. North University Park has its own Design Review Board, and ADUs must meet HPOZ design conditions alongside state ADU law. We sequence all of this from feasibility, so design decisions are made with the constraints known.
Where We Build in University Park
Saint James Park, North University Park, Twentieth Street, Chester Place and Westmoreland Place, with the Stimson House as a familiar reference point on these urban infill streets. Saint James Park and Twentieth Street are HPOZ districts, while North University Park follows a Specific Plan with its own Design Review Board, so the approving body differs. Not sure which rules apply to your parcel? A feasibility review answers that in two to four weeks.
Meet the Builders Behind Your Project
Asaf Bar-Hen — Co-Founder & Developer Asaf leads design and development from concept to completion. His background spans 15 years in hospitality design, seven years in renewable energy and energy-efficient building, and real-estate work across the U.S., Asia and Central America. He leads every first call and brings a sustainability lens that aligns naturally with Malibu's coastal and fire-resilience standards.
Jason Aizenberg — Co-Founder Jason runs the operational side of every project — permits, design meetings, scheduling, subcontractor coordination and site logistics. Clients describe him as the person who "managed everything so we could focus on our family.”
California Contractors State License Board #1146456 — Class B General Building Contractor. Verify on CSLB ↗
25+ years of combined experience across high-end residential construction in Los Angeles
Frequently Asked Questions
About Renovation in University Park
Is HPOZ approval needed first?
For street-visible exterior work, yes. City Planning's historic review through the HPOZ Board comes before LADBS plan check, and North University Park projects go to their own Design Review Board. We run a pre-review consultation before design is final, so your drawings arrive with a clear path.
How long will HPOZ review add?
The HPOZ Board meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, so the calendar sets the pace. Routine permits run 2–6 months; projects needing HPOZ Board review for street-visible work run 6–12 months. We map every board and permit step to a schedule in advance and flag pending rule changes.
Cost to build a home here?
Custom homes typically run $500–$750+ per sq ft. The upper end reflects period-appropriate materials, repair of original fabric and the added review step. Soft costs are additional. You receive a line-by-line budget before construction begins. For the wider picture, see our Los Angeles custom home cost guide.
Is my home in the HPOZ?
A feasibility review confirms whether your parcel is in the HPOZ, the North University Park Specific Plan or near the USC campus plan. Each HPOZ property is Contributing or Non-Contributing, which sets how strict review is, and the two areas answer to different boards.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Heart Construction holds California Contractors State License Board license #1146456 and is bonded and insured for large-scale residential construction, major remodels and structural work. You can verify the license on the CSLB website.
Guides for University Park homeowners:
- Custom Home vs Remodel vs Rebuild in Los Angeles
- ADU Los Angeles: Is It Right for Your Property?
- Whole Home Remodel vs Remodeling in Phases in Los Angeles
Nearby areas we serve: Vermont Knolls · South Park · Vermont Square · Manchester Square · Vermont Vista · Leimert Park
Region: All South LA communities we serve · Everywhere we build