West Los Angeles

Last updated

West Los Angeles
Location map Western Los Angeles.png
Red pog.svg
West Los Angeles
Coordinates: 34°02′47″N118°26′50″W / 34.04639°N 118.44722°W / 34.04639; -118.44722
Country United States
State California
County Los Angeles
City Los Angeles

West Los Angeles is an area within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The residential and commercial neighborhood is divided by the Interstate 405 freeway, and each side is sometimes treated as a distinct neighborhood, mapped differently by different sources. Each lies within the larger Westside region of Los Angeles County.

Contents

Geography

West Los Angeles Community Plan

The West Los Angeles Community Plan area recognized by the city of Los Angeles is generally bounded by Centinela Avenue on the west; Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard on the north; National Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, and Exposition Boulevard on the south; and Durango Avenue, Robertson Boulevard, and Canfield Avenue on the east. Among the neighborhoods included within it are Sawtelle, Rancho Park, Beverlywood, Cheviot Hills, Castle Heights, and Century City. [1] [2] The Community Plan area itself is part of the larger West Los Angeles Area Plan Commission area (i.e., the Westside region). [3]

Automobile Club of Southern California

The Automobile Club of Southern California does not mark boundaries on its map, but centers the neighborhood of West Los Angeles proper as south of Santa Monica Boulevard, west of Interstate 405, north of Olympic Boulevard and east of Barrington Avenue. [4] The borders of the official West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council correspond closely to this definition. Specifically, its district stretches from the 405 freeway in the east to Centinela Avenue in the west and Wilshire Boulevard in the north and the 10 freeway in the south. This is roughly the same area labeled as "Sawtelle" in the Mapping L.A. website of the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Times

In 2003, a Los Angeles Times correspondent noted:

The meaning of the term West Los Angeles varies widely. Some use it to describe the entire Westside including Santa Monica, Venice and stretching east to Western Avenue. More precisely, though, it is the portion of incorporated Los Angeles between the Santa Monica city limits on the west, Wilshire Boulevard on the north, Century City to the east and extending just beyond National Boulevard on the south. Sections of West L.A. run the gamut from stylish Cheviot Hills to a cluster of generic homes east of Bundy Drive. [5]

That report on the meaning of West Los Angeles also included Rancho Park, located at Pico and Beverly Glen, and the Westdale Trousdale area near National Boulevard and Barrington Avenue. [5]

City of Los Angeles

The 2004 City of Los Angeles & Communities map by the Los Angeles Almanac shows West Los Angeles as a neighborhood south of Santa Monica Boulevard and north of Culver City. West Los Angeles is book-ended with Mid-City, Mid-City West and Mid-Wilshire on the east and Sawtelle on the west. Century City, Rancho Park, and Cheviot Hills are shown (without boundaries) as sub-neighborhoods in West Los Angeles. [6]

Together, the areas east and west of Sepulveda Boulevard/I-405 comprise a large portion of the official West Los Angeles Community Plan area. [1]

Frommer's Guide

The Frommer's Guide described West Los Angeles as "a label that generally applies to everything that isn't one of the other Westside neighborhoods." It lies "south of Santa Monica Boulevard, north of Venice Boulevard, east of Santa Monica and Venice, and west and south of Century City. [7]

Mapping L.A.

In 2009, the Los Angeles Times Mapping L.A. project defined West Los Angeles as south of Santa Monica Boulevard, west of Beverly Glen Boulevard, north of Pico Boulevard and east of Sepulveda Boulevard. [8] Profiling the neighborhood in 2018, the Times described it as follows:

West Los Angeles as defined by the Los Angeles Times West Los Angeles map as defined by the Los Angeles Times.jpg
West Los Angeles as defined by the Los Angeles Times

Nowadays, West L.A. is a marooned rump of the once-mighty West Los Angeles of old, which stretched from Century City to the Santa Monica city limits, and which has atomized over the years into a handful of disparate neighborhoods. ... Many people assume West Los Angeles refers to all that lies between the sea and Robertson Boulevard (or wherever their own arbitrary border of central Los Angeles lies). But it is its own place, not just a toponym to be used interchangeably with "the Westside." [9]

Demographics

For the area west of the 405 freeway, Mapping L.A. gives the population of the 2.69-square-mile "Sawtelle" neighborhood as 35,844 according to the 2000 U.S. census, with a rise to 38,698 in 2008 as estimated by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Its density of 13,319 people per square mile, about was average for the city of Los Angeles but among the highest densities for the county. The percentage of Asian people is high for the county and the area is highly diverse compared to both City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles averages. Mexico (29.0%) and Iran (13.8%) are the most common foreign places of birth. Notably, 49.8% of residents 25 and older have a four-year degree, which is high for the city of Los Angeles and high for the county. The percentages of never married males and never married females are among the county's highest. [10]

For the area east of the 405 freeway, Mapping L.A. gives the population of the 1.05-square-mile neighborhood as 12,659 according to the 2000 U.S. census, with a rise to 13,582 in 2008 as estimated by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Its density of 12,061 people was about average for the city of Los Angeles. 76.7% of residents were non-Hispanic white, 11.4% were Asian-American; 5.3% were Hispanic or Latino of any race; 2.3% were African American and 4.1% identified themselves with other or mixed race categories. [8]

The median household income in east Mapping L.A. area was $86,403 in 2008 dollars, which was considered high for both the city and the county. The percentage of households earning $125,000 and up was high for the county. Median age of residents was 38, old compared with other locality in the city and the county. The average household size was 1.9, low for both the city and the county. 51% of residents rented their living quarters, and 49% owned them. The percentage of widowed men and women was among the county's highest. Iranian and Russian were the most common ancestries. [8]

The east Mapping L.A. area was highly educated, with 60.4% of residents 25 and older holding a four-year degree, a higher ratio than found in the rest of the city or the county. [8]

Homeless population

In 2022, there were 412 homeless individuals in West Los Angeles. [11]

Enclaves

Neighborhoods include:

Government and infrastructure

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves West Los Angeles. [12]

Emergency services

Los Angeles Police Department operates the West Los Angeles Community Police Station at 1663 Butler Avenue. Los Angeles Fire Department Station 59 at 11505 W. Olympic Boulevard serves the area. [13]

Education

University High School UniversityHSLosAngeles.jpg
University High School
Daniel Webster Middle School D Webster Middle School.jpg
Daniel Webster Middle School

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

West Los Angeles is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. [14] Neighborhood elementary schools are Brockton Avenue, Canfield Elementary School, Castle Heights Elementary School, Charnock Road Elementary School, Cheviot Hills Continuation School, Clover Avenue Elementary School, Crescent Heights Boulevard Elementary School, Nora Sterry Elementary School, Overland Elementary School, Shenandoah Street Elementary School and Warner Avenue. Middle schools are Emerson, Palms, and Webster. High schools are Hamilton High School, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, University High School and Indian Springs Continuation, both on the same site.

Private schools

YULA High School, Yeshivat Ohr Chanoch Boys High School, Vista School, Temple Issiah Preschool and Kindergarten, Saint Sebastian School, St. Mary Magdalen Elementary School, Rabbi Jacob Pressman Academy, Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, Bais Chaya Mushka Chabad, West Los Angeles Baptist School and First Lutheran School of Venice are nearby private schools. Pacific States University in the Harvard Heights area is a graduate and undergraduate college.

Public libraries

The Los Angeles Public Library operates the West Los Angeles Regional Library. [15]

Parks and recreation

The Stoner Recreation Center is situated in the area. The center includes a waterpark, barbecue pits, a lighted baseball diamond, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a lighted football field, an indoor gymnasium without weights and a capacity of 300 people, picnic tables, a lighted soccer field, lighted tennis courts, and lighted volleyball courts. The Annual Cherry Blossom Festival, co-sponsored by the West Los Angeles Japanese American Community Center, is held at the park. [16] Other parks and recreations in the area are Cheviot Hills Park, Rancho Park Golf Course and Reynier Park. Sawtelle Boulevard has become one of the most prominent food streets in the city [17] and the entire 90025 ZIP code, encompassing both sides of the 405 freeway, is undergoing more teardowns of old residences than anywhere other in the city.[ citation needed ]

Media

Fox Broadcasting Company maintains studio operations on South Bundy Drive for local stations KTTV and KCOP-TV, as well as national Fox Sports programming. West Los Angeles is also home to The Village recording studio, which has been used for musical projects including albums, motion picture and television soundtracks, and radio programming.

Notable people

Juliet Landau, actress Juliet Landau 2004 1.jpg
Juliet Landau, actress
Mitchell Schwartz, NFL football player Mitchell Schwartz.JPG
Mitchell Schwartz, NFL football player

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westwood, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bordering the campus on the south is Westwood Village, a major regional district for shopping, dining, movie theaters, and other entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Century City</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Century City is a 176-acre neighborhood and business district in Los Angeles, California, United States. Located on the Westside to the south of Santa Monica Boulevard around 10 miles (16 km) west of Downtown Los Angeles, Century City is one of the most prominent employment centers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and its skyscrapers form a distinctive skyline on the city's westside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palms, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles, California,

Palms is a community in the Westside region of Los Angeles, California, founded in 1886 and the oldest neighborhood annexed to the city, in 1915. The 1886 tract was marketed as an agricultural and vacation community. Today it is a primarily residential area, with many apartment buildings, ribbons of commercial zoning and a single-family residential area in its northwest corner. As of the 2000 census the population of Palms was 42,545.

The Los Angeles Westside is an urban region in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has no official definition, but sources like LA Weekly and the Mapping L.A. survey of the Los Angeles Times place the region on the western side of the Los Angeles Basin south of the Santa Monica Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mar Vista, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States of America

Mar Vista is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California. In 1927, Mar Vista became the 70th community to be annexed to Los Angeles. It was designated as an official city neighborhood in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico-Union, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States of America

Pico-Union is a neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California. The name "Pico-Union" refers to the neighborhood that surrounds the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Union Avenue. Located immediately west of Downtown Los Angeles, it is home to over 40,000 residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawtelle, Los Angeles</span> Unincorporated community in California, United States

Sawtelle is a district in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California, partially within the West Los Angeles subregion. It was established in 1899 and named after a manager of the Pacific Land Company who was initially responsible for its development and promotion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Adams, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

West Adams is a historic neighborhood in the South Los Angeles region of Los Angeles, California. The area is known for its large number of historic buildings, structures and notable houses and mansions. It contains several Historic Preservation Overlay Zones as well as designated historic districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rancho Park, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Rancho Park is a residential neighborhood in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California with mostly single family homes and tree lined streets. The community is nestled between West Los Angeles and Cheviot Hills. This enclave draws young professionals and families and is home to residents working in a variety of professional occupations. History proves the neighborhood was once a part of Westwood until Olympic Blvd. was placed dividing the area North and South. The Southern section, now known as Rancho Park, felt cut off from its North side lobbying for its own identity in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Cienega Boulevard</span> Highway in California

La Cienega Boulevard is a major north–south arterial road in the Los Angeles metropolitan area that runs from El Segundo Boulevard in Hawthorne to the Sunset Strip/Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood to the north. It was named for Rancho Las Cienegas, literally "The Ranch Of The Swamps," an area of marshland south of Rancho La Brea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilshire Boulevard</span> Major thoroughfare in the metropolitan Los Angeles area, United States

Wilshire Boulevard (['wɪɫ.ʃɚ]) is a prominent 15.83 mi (25.48 km) boulevard in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, extending from Ocean Avenue in the city of Santa Monica east to Grand Avenue in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles. One of the principal east–west arterial roads of Los Angeles, it is also one of the major city streets through the city of Beverly Hills. Wilshire Boulevard runs roughly parallel to Santa Monica Boulevard from Santa Monica to the west boundary of Beverly Hills. From the east boundary, it runs a block south of Sixth Street to its terminus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid City, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States of America

Mid City is a neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Monica Boulevard</span> East-west thoroughfare in Los Angeles, California, United States

Santa Monica Boulevard is a major west–east thoroughfare in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It runs from Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica near the Pacific Ocean to Sunset Boulevard at Sunset Junction in Los Angeles. It passes through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. A portion of it is designated as California State Route 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Robertson, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

South Robertson is an area on the Westside of Los Angeles that is served by the South Robertson neighborhood council. It contains the following city neighborhoods: Beverlywood, Castle Heights, Cheviot Hills, Crestview, La Cienega Heights and Reynier Village. The area is notable as a center for the Jewish community.

Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States. It is named after Pío Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beverly Glen Boulevard</span>

Beverly Glen Boulevard is one of five major routes that connect the Westside of Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley (the other four are the San Diego Freeway, Sepulveda Boulevard, Laurel Canyon Boulevard, and Coldwater Canyon Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Avenue (Los Angeles)</span> Street in Los Angeles County, California

Western Avenue is a major four-lane street in the city of Los Angeles and through the center portion of Los Angeles County, California. It is one of the longest north–south streets in Los Angeles city and county, apart from Sepulveda Boulevard. It is about 29 miles (47 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawtelle Boulevard</span> Thoroughfare in Los Angeles

Sawtelle Boulevard is a north/south street in the Westside region of the city of Los Angeles, California. For most of its length, it parallels the San Diego Freeway, one block to the east.

The western border of Santa Monica, California, is the 3-mile (4.8 km) stretch of Santa Monica Bay. On its other sides, the city is bordered by various districts of Los Angeles: the northwestern border is Pacific Palisades, the eastern border is Brentwood north of Wilshire Boulevard and West Los Angeles south of Wilshire, the northeastern border is generally San Vicente Boulevard up to the Riviera Country Club, the southwestern border is Venice Beach and the southern border is with West Los Angeles and Mar Vista.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Heights, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Castle Heights is a neighborhood on the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California.

References

  1. 1 2 "West Los Angeles Community Plan" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  2. "Home | Los Angeles City Planning". planning.lacity.org. Archived from the original on January 18, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  3. Area Planning Commissions Archived March 30, 2018, at the Wayback Machine , Map (accessed April 10, 2018)
  4. Automobile Club of Southern California, map, Los Angeles Central and Western Area, copyright 2002-2013
  5. 1 2 "In the vicinity of everything in West L.A." Los Angeles Times. January 19, 2003. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  6. "City of Los Angeles & Communities". Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  7. "Neighborhoods in Brief in Los Angeles | Frommer's". www.frommers.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Archived January 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Mapping L.A.
  9. Scott Garner (May 18, 2018). "Neighborhood Spotlight: West L.A. — underneath it all — is a hometown, American as Apple Pan". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  10. "Sawtelle". Mapping L.A. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  11. "Homeless Count by City/Community". LAHSA. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  12. "About Us Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ." Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.
  13. "West LA Community Police Station - Los Angeles Police Department". www.lapdonline.org. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  14. "West LA neighborhood Council Schools". Archived from the original on February 10, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2006.
  15. "West Los Angeles Regional Library Archived February 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ." Los Angeles Public Library. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.
  16. "Stoner Recreation Center Archived April 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.
  17. Okazaki, Manami (November 4, 2017), "Sawtelle Japantown: A return to one's roots?", The Japan Times , archived from the original on November 4, 2017, retrieved November 5, 2017
  18. Valerie J. Nelson (September 4, 2009). "David Avadon dies at 60; illusionist specialized in picking pockets". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  19. Good housekeeping - Google Books. July 27, 2007. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Rebecca Meiser (June 18, 2012). "Friday Night Lights: Geoff and Mitchell Schwartz are the First Jewish Brothers in the NFL Since 1923". Tablet Magazine . Archived from the original on April 11, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2016.