Pacific Palisades has always been defined by its sense of beauty and place. Locals love breathing the fresh, ocean air and hiking the canyon trails. There’s a familiar rhythm of daily life that turns this unique neighborhood into a community. Nearly a year after the wildfires, that rhythm is returning softly, steadily, and with intention.
One of the clearest signs of progress came this winter, when Thomas James Homes completed the first new residence in the Palisades to receive a certificate of occupancy since the fires. It was a milestone that signaled more than construction success. It marked a turning point and showed that thoughtful, caring rebuilding is happening.
Our Kagawa Showcase Home is open for viewing by appointment. It offers something tangible for families and neighbors who are imagining what comes next. Walking through the finished space, you can see how modern architecture, fire-conscious design, and a respect for neighborhood character come together. For many, it’s a helpful reference point. For others, it’s simply encouraging to see a completed home standing again.
You can also explore the new build process of a new project we’re building on Iliff Street, which captures how contemporary homes are being reimagined in the Palisades.
As longtime homebuilders and residents in the Palisades, we feel that the story of renewal isn’t only about new construction. It’s unfolding in the everyday moments that bring people back together.
On warm afternoons, the bocce courts are busy once again. As recently reported by the Santa Monica Daily Press, the local bocce league – a beloved Palisadian tradition – has remained a gathering that’s as much about connection as competition. It’s a reminder that community life here is resilient, sustained by people who show up for one another.
Just a few blocks away, Palisades Garden Café continues to serve as the heartbeat of the neighborhood. The café remains a daily meeting place where regulars linger over coffee, families reconnect, and the familiar cadence of the Palisades feels intact.
For families, those signs of normalcy matter. So do the small but meaningful moments like children gathering for story time hosted by the Malibu Community Services Department. These simple events speak volumes. They reflect a neighborhood investing not only in buildings, but in belonging.
Together, these moments tell a broader story: Pacific Palisades is not standing still. It’s rebuilding with tenderness, reconnecting through shared traditions, and creating space for what comes next.
At Thomas James Homes, we’re proud to be a leading voice of this chapter, helping bring new homes to life while honoring the character of a place so many people love. If you’re curious about what’s possible, we invite you to visit the Kagawa Showcase Home by appointment and see how a new Palisades is taking shape. Get in touch.
