The Corralitas Red Car Property was a private right-of-way through Silver Lake (Los Angeles) for the Pacific Electric interurban streetcar. The “Big Red Cars” ran until 1955 when the Glendale Line was decommissioned for freeway construction. For more than 40 years, a series of developers tried and failed to develop the Corralitas Red Car Property. It's not a park, it just looks like one.
Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #2, September 18, 2016. The bulldozer took out two concrete post property line markers that marked the rear property line of the Riverside Drive lots as they met the Red Car Property. Theposts had been in place for over 100 years and are still in place in parts of the not only this neighborhood, but wherever the Red Car Trolleys ran in Southern California. Railroads nationwide, marked their property with the steel reinforced concrete posts.
Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #2, September 23, 2016. But as soon as the fence went across the flat part of the Red Car Property, leaving only a narrow weed strewn path to walk or ride your bike on, neighbors and other Red Car Property users freaked out. We sent photos to the property owner's rep who said they had met with the property owner last week and a fence would be coming, but he did not say it was going to be one that appeared to take a 70' wide portion of the property. We pointed out the lack of fire and emergency vehicle access was indeed a problem particularly since the upslope portion adjacent to homes on Adelbert Ave still had not been cleared of brush. The next day, brush clearance was done.
Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #3, September 22, 2016. The fence seemed more designed to illicit a buzz, get free PR for a rather gentrifying project on Riverside Drive, between Gilroy and Clearwater. And yes, I say this after speaking to the architect for the Riverside Drive lots. He told me the fence was intended to prevent dumping and protect the trees they're going to plant BEFORE they start grading. Right. Before.
Community Residents’ Association for Parks is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1997 by our Silver Lake neighborhood. We are dedicated to acquisition and preservation of the Corralitas Red Car Property as a park in partnership with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
Contact: redcarproperty@gmail.com
