Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Paul Landacre Cabin & Grounds, LA City Historic Cultural Landmark #839

 

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.    

In 2005, the City declared Paul Landacre's Cabin and grounds, at 2006 El Moran, a Cultural Historic Landmark. Landacre's work was influenced by and often depicted the neighborhood in his work.

 

Paul Landacre wrote about his life in the Echo Park hills in 1958, not so different from those who live in the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists' Tract today:

"You see, art is practiced here along with various other concerns -
pruning trees, repairing the roof, watching and feeding wildlife and so
on. Of course, other artists live on wooded hillsides, too, and so do
other people, and it must be conceded that to some of us this kind of
environment is not only valuable, but absolutely necessary - a degree of
seclusion, the life of growing things, awareness that we are a part of
nature."

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.

 

Landacre carved a petrel, his signature bird into the roof vents on each side of his house. He used the petrel as his trademark on his work, often in place of his signature.

Landacre struggled with physical disabilities most of his life. He identified with the petrel since they learn to fly by jumping off a cliff; falling into the raging sea; hurling themselves off the peaks of waves until they learn to fly. They crash into the rocks and waves, beat up, but they learn to fly.

*This post was originally published November 7, 2007, on our short-lived sister blog, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  In an effort to connect neighbors across the 2 Freeway in our shared issues & development battles, we folded the Semi Tropic blog into the Corralitas Red Car Property Blog in 2009.

LAFD Declares Red Flag Parking Restrictions Will Be In Effect Again Thursday

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, December 5, 2017.  Tuesday, neighbors who parked on the Freeway side of Corralitas Drive, in defiance of the Red Flag Day No Parking signs, got $68 tickets.  The point of the freeway side of the street being clear on Corralitas, where vehicle  access is extremely limited, is to have consistent access for emergency vehicles while leaving the street open for neighbors to escape safely.

After first lifting Red Flag parking restrictions 8 AM today, LAFD has called a Red Flag Day for tomorrow, Thursday December 7, 2017, beginning at 8AM.  Text of the message sent:

DATE/TIME: 12/06/2017 / 03:11:53PM

SUBJECT: RED FLAG PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT

The City of Los Angeles has declared that Red Flag No Parking Restrictions to be in effect starting 8:00 AM on 12/07/2017 and will remain in effect until further notice.

For additional information please visit our website at: http://notify.lafd.org/redflag OR call 3-1-1. Thank you for your cooperation.

Note: The Call Center's operating hours are from 08:00 AM to 4:45 PM daily including weekends and holidays.

Ref:notify.lafd.org-37005

LAFD Declared Red Flag Parking Restrictions In Effect Tues, Dec 5, 2017, Until Further Notice

Photo: Diane Edwardson September 9, 2009.  LAFD declared a Red Flag Day starting at 8AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2017.  LAFD's website has become difficult to sign up for, or change how you receive notices.  Some of us, who've been signed up for alerts since the program began, got notice; others did not.  Once again, I got a call and email but not a text.  I used to receive all three. I recommend following @LAFDtalk on Twitter.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor June 19, 2016.  The Silver Lake Fire illustrated why Corralitas Drive is a Red Flag Day No Parking street.  There is only one access road, Rosebud Ave, to about 52 homes on Corralitas Drive, a substandard Hillside Street with hairpin turns.  If you didn't drive out before the Fire Dept arrived, you could not drive off the hill.  June 19, 2017 was not a Red Flag Day.  Neighbors a half a mile away, reported 6" embers blowing past their homes.  

The recent fires in Orange County, Napa Valley and Santa Rosa were wind driven fires.

December 1, 2011, we had a major windstorm that knocked down trees, knocked out power and started a fire on Lake View Ave.  

Reminder: Keep A Fire Lane Open*

*Post originally published July 2, 2015.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014. Last October's fire on the slope between Lake View Ave and the Red Car Property (caused by a blown transformer), showed just how tricky it is for the LAFD to navigate our narrow winding streets.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Luckily, there was no wind and the damage was confined to the brush on a slope where homeowners had done their brush clearance.  A lot of neighbors on Lake View got a wake up call about the importance of keeping a lane of traffic open for emergency vehicles.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  Most neighbors on this part of Lake View already  took brush clearance and tree trimming seriously. 

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, August 13, 2010.  Riverside Place is one of the narrowest streets in the neighborhood.  Many of our streets have only one access point.  It's not just the 4th of July when we need to keep a lane of traffic open to for emergency vehicles, but all year round.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 22, 2012.  LAFD Company 56 is our local fire station and they are about the only crew with a small truck who really know the intricacies of our often substandard hillside streets, as seen above on Peru and Walcott in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists Tract. 

Some of our narrow streets and "corners" have hairpin turns and steep grades and only one means of access.  Don't block the street because you couldn't walk a few hundred feet.  If it's too far for you to walk, it might be time for you to clean out your garage and park in it.   

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 12, 2015.  The short end of Corralitas is the widest and flattest part of the street.  It's also only part of the street where people can park cars on both sides. 

A few minutes before the above photo, I watched as a LAFD ladder truck, responding to the same call, made several attempts at a left turn from Rosebud onto Corralitas.  It could not make the turn.  This compact fire engine LAFD 220 was already on scene of the car accident.

Since record drought and 4th of July fireworks (that started in May) have hillside homeowners a little more on edge than usual this year, we remind you to take responsibility for your own neighborhood, beyond just doing your own brush clearance.  

If you see someone blocking the street, fire hydrant or red curb, politely ask them not to park there.  If they're "unloading their car," offer to help them, so they feel compelled to move their car faster.  If you're having a party, ask your guests to carpool, wear walking shoes, park legally and don't block anyone's driveway.  We actually a sign on our front door for parties "Did you park legally? Are you blocking neighbor's driveways?"  Inevitably, a handful of people turn around and move their cars before coming in the door.  

LAPD and LAFD are telling people, if you see someone shooting off fireworks, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD. If you see smoke, safely investigate.  If you see fire (not a BBQ) call 911.

Reminder: Keep A Fire Lane Open

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014. Last October's fire on the slope between Lake View Ave and the Red Car Property (caused by a blown transformer), showed just how tricky it is for the LAFD to navigate our narrow winding streets.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Luckily, there was no wind and the damage was confined to the brush on a slope where homeowners had done their brush clearance.  A lot of neighbors on Lake View got a wake up call about the importance of keeping a lane of traffic open for emergency vehicles.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  Most neighbors on this part of Lake View already  took brush clearance and tree trimming seriously. 

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, August 13, 2010.  Riverside Place is one of the narrowest streets in the neighborhood.  Many of our streets have only one access point.  It's not just the 4th of July when we need to keep a lane of traffic open to for emergency vehicles, but all year round.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 22, 2012.  LAFD Company 56 is our local fire station and they are about the only crew with a small truck who really know the intricacies of our often substandard hillside streets, as seen above on Peru and Walcott in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists Tract. 

Some of our narrow streets and "corners" have hairpin turns and steep grades and only one means of access.  Don't block the street because you couldn't walk a few hundred feet.  If it's too far for you to walk, it might be time for you to clean out your garage and park in it.   

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 12, 2015.  The short end of Corralitas is the widest and flattest part of the street.  It's also only part of the street where people can park cars on both sides. 

A few minutes before the above photo, I watched as a LAFD ladder truck, responding to the same call, made several attempts at a left turn from Rosebud onto Corralitas.  It could not make the turn.  This compact fire engine LAFD 220 was already on scene of the car accident.

Since record drought and 4th of July fireworks (that started in May) have hillside homeowners a little more on edge than usual this year, we remind you to take responsibility for your own neighborhood, beyond just doing your own brush clearance.  

If you see someone blocking the street, fire hydrant or red curb, politely ask them not to park there.  If they're "unloading their car," offer to help them, so they feel compelled to move their car faster.  If you're having a party, ask your guests to carpool, wear walking shoes, park legally and don't block anyone's driveway.  We actually a sign on our front door for parties "Did you park legally? Are you blocking neighbor's driveways?"  Inevitably, a handful of people turn around and move their cars before coming in the door.  

LAPD is telling people if you see someone shooting off fireworks, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD. 

Historic Landmark Landacre Cabin & Grounds: Big Parade LA Walking By Today

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.  Preeminent 20th Century wood-block print artist carved a petrel, his signature bird into the eaves of his cabin in Elysian Heights hidden in the oak trees in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract where he lived from 1925 to 1963.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The City declared Landacre's cabin and grounds a cultural historic landmark in 2005.  Landacre took inspiration from what was a spiritual place neighborhood with dramatic light.  Sadly much of the character of the community fell to a developer's chainsaws and bulldozers in 2011-2013.  Now the tree filled hillside from which Landacre drew inspiration now has an Orange County office park aesthetic.  

The Big Parade LA is the epic urban hike from Hike from Downtown to Hollywood featuring 32 miles and  86 public staircases. It's free, fun and festive.  Join for a few miles, staircases, a day or both days. Info, routes and everything you need to know about the Big Parade: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

2 & 5 Freeway Interchange: 1961 Massive Grading Project

Photo: Smith, 1961.  From El Moran & Peru Streets in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. The State built up a massive wall of dirt for the 2 Freeway.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The huge cut into the Corralitas hillside is more evident in this photo than the photo we reviewed for the past few days.  Keep in mind, Corralitas Drive drops below the level of the freeway to meet Rosebud Ave under the Freeway. Take a look at the 1940 photo to try to understand the complete reshaping of the landscape imposed on our neighborhood. 

The slope reshaping/stabilization continued downslope between Corralitas Drive and the Southbound 2 Freeway lanes (below the oldest house on Corralitas), stretching down to Riverside Drive below.  Since the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) didn't take effect until 1972, it's a good bet they did not use adequate dust control measures. 

If you can match the above photo from a time before the freeways were built, please send it to redcarproperty@gmail.com with any details like year, photographer, if it was in your family's photo album, etc. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 13, 2013.  I don't have a good match in my archives for the 1961 shot because the trees on Modjeska block the matching shot. 

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: 2009-2013, Not So Spiritual Anymore

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April 17, 2009.  In 2009, neighbors lost their final appeal against the controversial 16-lot subdivision of the former "garden lots" in the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  The nearly 4-acre parcel was an urban forest which was originally designed as open space in the 1905 subdivision.   (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Alissa Walker, May 19, 2012.  Planet Home Living & VanDaele Homes graded the hell out of the slope after cutting down almost all of the trees on the entire parcel in 2012.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 13, 2013.  The Orange County office park aesthetic will soon be taking over Silver Lake & Echo Park as the same developers have quite a few projects in the works in our area. 

Can't wait 'till CalTrans cuts down the trees & builds sound walls on Allesandro Street to really enhance the neighborhood. 

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Paul Landacre Cabin & Grounds, Historic Landmark*

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

 

In 2005, the City declared Paul Landacre's Cabin and grounds, at 2006 El Moran, a Cultural Historic Landmark. Landacre's work was influenced by and often depicted the neighborhood in his work.

 

Paul Landacre wrote about his life in the Echo Park hills in 1958, not so different from those who live in the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists' Tract today:

"You see, art is practiced here along with various other concerns -
pruning trees, repairing the roof, watching and feeding wildlife and so
on. Of course, other artists live on wooded hillsides, too, and so do
other people, and it must be conceded that to some of us this kind of
environment is not only valuable, but absolutely necessary - a degree of
seclusion, the life of growing things, awareness that we are a part of
nature."

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.

 

Landacre carved a petrel, his signature bird into the roof vents on each side of his house. He used the petrel as his trademark on his work, often in place of his signature.

Landacre struggled with physical disabilities most of his life. He identified with the petrel since they learn to fly by jumping off a cliff; falling into the raging sea; hurling themselves off the peaks of waves until they learn to fly. They crash into the rocks and waves, beat up, but they learn to fly.

*This post was originally published November 7, 2007, on our short-lived sister blog, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  In an effort to connect neighbors across the 2 Freeway in our shared issues & development battles, we folded the Semi Tropic blog into the Corralitas Red Car Property Blog in 2009.

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Is This Any Way To Treat A Historic Landmark?

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, 2013.  In addition to someone killing the native and protected Coast Live Oak Trees and owner neglect of  the City Cultural Historic Landmark Paul Landacre Residence, graffiti vandals have run amok for years.

Click here for more of our Paul Landacre related posts.

2 & 5 Freeway: 1961 From Rosebud Ave

Photo: Smith, 1961.  The 2 & 5 Freeways were built at breakneck speed through our neighborhood in 1960-1962.  Shot from Rosebud Ave in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. (Click on photos to enlarge.)  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 13, 2013.  Trees matter.  They help fight air pollution, in addition to blight caused by the freeways. 

Note: The vacant lots in the foreground (on Rosebud Ave) are up for a public hearing Tuesday for setback variances.  They want to build closer to the street on this insanely steep hill.  However they also sit on a very steep, tight hairpin turn on the only access road on a notoriously difficult hill to build. 

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Who Or What Is Killing Oak Trees At Cultural Historic Landmark, Paul Landacre Cabin?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 13, 2013.  The Coast Live Oaks were protected from developers by not only the City's Protected Native Tree Ordinance 177404, but also by the City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark Status for the Paul Landacre Cabin & Grounds, landmark #839 (which specified landscape & oak tree protections).  

Something or someone has killed off at least 7 Coast Live Oaks adjacent to the controversial 16-lot subdivision in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  Yet, all the other Coast Live Oaks on the hill that did not fall victim to the 4-acre deforestation are seemingly healthy.  So it's not just the drought killing them.  Two years ago, the trees were in good shape & seemingly healthy.  Hmmm.  We'll be digging through the archives for older photos. 

Semi Tropic Hell: Living Up To Its Name

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 5, 2013, 3:50 PM.  The heat island effect surrounding the Artis development just grew more intense this weekend, with the taking down of 90% of a 60' tall, non-native Ficus tree at the "corner" of El Moran & Alvarado.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

This was one of about 5 large trees remaining of the nearly 4-acre hillside urban forest, clear cut by the developer in 2012 to make way for the controversial 16-lot subdivision (15 single family homes; 1 "open space" lot). 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 5, 2013, 3:51 PM.  The 10% tree that remains is balancing precariously against the power lines leading to the top of the hill.  It seemed a bit dangerous and there was no DWP or Fire truck standing by in a Red Flag Warning day. No work occurred on Sunday.

It's incredibly hot on this slope since we lost the nearly 4 acres of trees here, next to the 2 & 5 Freeway heat islands.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 22, 2013.  It looks like the tree had been the victim of some bad tree trimming on the El Moran Street side.  But that's no reason to take down the entire tree.  Now it's so dangerous they have to take it down. 

The developer's tree report submitted to the Board of Public Works in 2011, as a part of the permit process for removing the protected native trees, identified this tree as a "high quality tree" (but somehow only stated it to be 24" diameter trunk - clearly it is much more looking at the first photo).  But in the big scheme of things - non native, non-protected trees don't count.  Since they are still under construction, they may only have to replace this tree with a tree that won't reach this size in our lifetime.

Most people moved to Silver Lake, Echo Park, Elysian Heights because they didn't want live in cookie cutter homes without trees.  Large trees add value to property, provide shade & reduce cooling costs.   

Note: "Semi Tropic Hell" is my file name for Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract development battles, which date back to the late 1970s.  The Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract was cut in 1905.

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: 2 Years Later, Not So Spiritual Anymore

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 28, 2011.  The Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract's former almost-4-acre garden lots lived up to their tract's name with a thriving urban forest. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 28, 2012.  The neighborhood endured 9 months of grading on the denuded slopes. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 29, 2013.  The controversial development of 15 stucco boxes will soon be completed.  It will take another 50 years for the trees to reach become an urban forest again, if they grow on the compacted slopes.  

Allesandro Street between Rosebud & El Moran is a heat island now.  The developer chose to plant no trees in the parkway between the street and the sidewalk, despite neighbors asking for trees there from the beginning of the discretionary approval process for the subdivision.  There are trees appropriate for planting beneath power lines. 

There are, however, additional concrete light poles now, so we have additional clutter, but no trees.  They couldn't just put a few more arms on the existing wood power poles? 

Note: The mature trees remaining on the hill above the new homes are NOT on the 4-acre development site.  Only 5 mature tree remained in the plans after deforestation, most of those; Eucalyptus. 

Riverside Drive: Paramount Pest Control, 1960 Another Summer Rerun*

Photo: A. Futterer, Holyland Exhibition, 1960.  The Paramount Pest Control building was one of the few to survive the eminent domain action to clear a path for the 5 Freeway.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Read more about  the Paramount Pest Control building on Riverside Drive at Allesandro on The Eastsider.

 

*This post first ran November 16, 2011.  The foreground grading, through the center of the photo, is for the 2 Freeway.



Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Stuff You Missed Last Year Because We're Trying Not To Look Across The 2 Freeway

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 24, 2012.  Some neighbors are reminded every day how great the loss of 4 acres of urban forest and a complete regrading of the slope in the controversial Semi Tropical Spiritualists' Tract 16-lot subdivision has been for the neighborhood.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Gee, once Cal Trans cuts down the trees on the opposite side of the 2 Freeway and builds sound walls, it will certainly improve the neighborhood!

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Paul Landacre Exhibit, Pasadena Museum Of California Art

Print: Paul Landacre, Sultry Day, 1937.  Landacre found inspiration in the neighborhood; Sultry Day depicts his wife and cat relaxing in their beloved home, with the intersection of Modjeska Ave & Peru St in the background.

 

Pasadena Museum of California Art

White on Black:

The Modernist Prints

of Paul Landacre

October 28, 2012 - February 24, 2013

 

Paul Landacre was the preeminent American wood-cut print artist of the 20th Century. Landacre's work reflected not only the character of the California landscape, but particularly in the 1930s; the character of his own Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract neighborhood in Echo Park/Elysian Heights from 1925 - 1963. 

 

The City of Los Angeles declared Landacre's cabin & grounds (including the trees and landscape) a cultural historic landmark in 2005.

 

Related: LA Times

The Eastsider

Echo Park Historical Society 

 

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Truck Got Stuck

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 7, 2012.   A double trailer dump truck got stuck on top of Rosebud at the hairpin turn of Peru.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

How many things are wrong here?

 

1. According to the conditions for approval for the 16-lot subdivision in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, they are only supposed to use Allesandro Street for access to the property for all truck traffic.  No use of the Hillside streets is allowed, as there is only one means of access to the entire hillside.

 

2.  It's a double trailer dump truck.  According to the conditions for approval, only single trailer dump trucks are allowed.

 

3. The driver told a neighbor, he was lost trying to find 2055 Elmoran.  2055 Elmoran is the address on the building permits, which is in the middle of Hillside streets, which they are not supposed to be using.  (They hid the permits under 2055 Elmoran, misspelling El Moran, and not using the public address they used in their public relations: 2400 Allesandro.)

 

4.  Random point: The truck was stuck at the where the hairpin turn to Peru from Rosebud is slated for 6 single family homes - downslope side of the hill from the truck.  Another developer for that project is requesting frontyard setback variances. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 9, 2012.  Neighbor have been reporting a lot of truck traffic up on the Semi Tropic SPiritualists' Tract extremely substandard Hillside streets lately. 

 

5. Perhaps the problem is the sign identifying the property as 2055 Elmoran has gone missing from the corner of Allesandro St & Rosebud Ave. 

 

We made the aforementioned points in every step of public comment - in writing, throughout the approval and appeal process - because we knew this would happen.  And sure enough, there was an incident with a neighbor trapped by the truck, unable to get down the hill to pick up medication for a sick family member.  

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: 6 More Proposed Homes Up For Environmental Review On Rosebud Ave

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 9, 2012.  The 6 vacant lots in question are to the left (downslope) of the police activity on Rosebud Ave in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Six vacant, adjacent, hillside lots (together totalling only 9,000 square feet) are under public environmental review for Zoning Administrator's Adjustment for reductions in front and sideyard setbacks for 6 new single family homes.    

 

They are legal lots, as they were cut in 1905.  The lots are at the hairpin turn at Peru and Rosebud, on the downslope side.  It's not just fire engines that have trouble making that turn.  Trash and delivery trucks, and even cars have trouble navigating that turn.

 

We have not yet reviewed the plans available for public review in

City Planning: (213) 978-1332. 

Case # ENV-2010-399-MND for 1943 Rosebud Ave. 

 

DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: October 1, 2012.

 

We first learned of the availability in the City Environmental Notices, buried in the Classifieds on page 6 of the LA Times Business Section, yesterday, August 30, 2012. 

 

The notice failed to mention the significantly sized, protected native trees on the lots.

 

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Hawk Update

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 4, 2012, 8:54 AM.  A Red Tailed Hawk was calling insistently, perched on the telephone pole (seen in an earlier post, frequented by the hawks) high above the meadow of the Red Car Property.  I don't think it was an adult, but one of this year's juveniles.  The distance was too far to get a better shot.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

We've been seeing the young hawks practicing flying updrafts with the adults. We usually only see one young hawk with an adult at a time. You can tell they've the recently fledged because they are unsteady in the air, have skinny chests (they haven't developed much muscle yet) and often soar with their feet and talons outstretched as if they were saying, "Holy crap! I didn't mean to fly this high!"

At least 2 of the young hawks have very red tails. Last year's fledglings did not have the red tail at this stage.

In the late afternoons neighbors have seen a couple of hawks flying low slow circles over Red Car Canyon, between Lake View Ave and Corralitas Drive. We are seeing them more than last week, but not as often as years past.  Last week, neighbors report hearing at least one hawk calling to be fed near the intersection of Walcott and Peru in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.

See a great slide show of what life is like in a Red Tailed Hawk nest: Cornell Lab of Ornithology on YouTube.