This street was laid out in 1911 by Robert Arnold Rowan as part of his Windsor Square neighborhood. The “Irving” in question is said to be Rowan’s friend Irving Herman Hellman (1883-1975), whose father Herman and uncle Isaias (see Hellman Avenue) were powerful bankers. Born in Los Angeles, Irving Hellman was trained as a civil engineer and worked as a city building inspector until 1907, when he and his brother Marco took over Merchants National Bank in the wake of their father’s death. Bank of America acquired them in 1928. After working as a VP at BofA, Hellman then became a broker at Merrill Lynch for 25 years. As befits a well-known financier, he also served on many boards and foundations. Geopolitical footnote: the Getty House, the official residence of the mayor of Los Angeles since 1975, is located at 605 S. Irving Blvd.
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