Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Menlo Property: Former Red Car Trolley Right-of-Way

Photo: Donald Duke. Red Car Trolley pulling away from the Monte Sano stop heading to Los Angeles. Griffith Park is the hill in the background. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Last night's Silver Lake Neighborhood Council's Urban Design & Preservation Advisory Committee (SLNC UD&PAC) heard from Sam Menlo's representatives and community members regarding the proposed 120 unit condo development.

Significant issues regarding grading were brought up, including discussion regarding toxins associated with former railways. This issue came up with earlier Corralitas Red Car Property (south of Fletcher) development applications. There had been discussion some 17 years ago, about a Pacific Electric maintenance track near Monte Sano. Further research is necessary and will be the subject of a future post.

In the meantime, it's a good excuse to run this great photo (above) by Donald Duke. The Monte Sano stop was the last stop at Glendale Blvd. and Riverside Drive before the Glendale-Burbank Line crossed Riverside Drive on the Glendale Viaduct and continued across the LA River. Monte Sano was an osteopathic hospital and sanitarium at the corner of Waverly and Glendale Blvd, directly above the Red Car Tracks.

The Menlo Property was a private right of way for Pacific Electric.

SLNC UD&PAC will revisit the Menlo Property with suggested mitigations for the 120 unit condo development at their next meeting on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

UPDATE May 8, 2009: SLNC UD&PAC will not have Menlo Property on the agenda on May 13. The committee will instead attend the Hillside Code Amendment Meeting in Glassell Park.