Reminder, Meeting Tonight: Acquisition of Park Lands for Local Hikers and Equestrians

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2007.  The Red Car Property falls within the National Parks Service's Rim of The Valley Corridor Special Resource Study.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

Los Angeles Equine Advisory Committee will host a special presentation by The Trust for Public Lands at their meeting tonight:

"Acquisition of Park Lands for Local Hikers and Equestrians"

Monday September 26, 2011

6:30 PM

Friendship Auditorium

3201 Riverside Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90027

Griffith Park - El Pueblo de Los Angeles Trail Is Within The Rim Of The Valley Trail Corridor

Photo: August 13, 2009. Menlo Property has ample usable space for a recreational trail. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor and the Griffith Park to El Pueblo Trail alignment in our neighborhood runs between Griffith Park and Elysian Park via properties on Riverside Drive, including the Menlo Property, Red Car Property, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, and the 18-Acre Elysian Park addition.

The alignment for the Griffith Park to El Pueblo Trail was determined by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) in 1983, after community meetings and public hearings in Silver Lake, Echo Park, Glassell Park and Woodland Hills, combined with considerable public input from Atwater and Elysian Valley residents as well. The El Pueblo Technical Advisory Committee even walked the proposed trail from Mulholland Fountain to El Pueblo State Historic Park.

In 1983, SMMC filed the trail alignment map with the Secretary of State and City Council as required by the State Legislature mandating the Griffith Park to El Pueblo de Los Angeles Trail with Public Resources Code Section 33204.5.

What does the trail alignment offer in our neighborhood? Click here for a selection of photos (from earlier posts on a variety of topics). See also our catalogs of neighborhood native plants and wildlife.

SMMC will appeal the approval of 120 condos on the Menlo Property at the City Planning Commission, tomorrow, April 8, 2010.

Menlo Property: Appeal Hearing April 8, 2010 City Planning Commission

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 14, 2009. Menlo Property includes much open space (to the left of the fence) above their upper retaining wall. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

February 23, 2010, the City Planning Advisory Agency issued a decision to approve 120 condo units on the Menlo Property. The scheme includes removal of almost all of the manufactured slope on Riverside Drive, while leaving the giant retaining walls.

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy filed an appeal of the decision for failure to include a recreational trail in the approved plan.

The Advisory Agency failed to require a General Plan Amendment to remove the trail from the Community Plan map. This is important because it sets a bad precedent allowing developers to ignore whatever they don't like in the Community Plan.

It also sets precedent for developers to get rid of trails in higher use areas without going through the proper approval process, which includes review by the Planning Commission.

The Silver Lake - Echo Park - Elysian Valley Community Plan includes a trail through the Menlo Property as part of a the trail between Griffith Park and Elysian Park, connecting further to El Pueblo de Los Angeles. It is also a part of the Rim of The Valley Trail Corridor which includes the Red Car Property, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract and Elysian Park in our neighborhood.

City Planning Commission Hearing
Thursday, April 8, 2010
After 8:30 AM
City Hall 10th Floor
200 N. Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Case # VTT-70871-A1
2600-2750 Riverside Drive

See also: our neighborhood's Legacy of Failed Development

Red Car Property: California Black Walnuts Indicate Season Change

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 20, 2010. First day of Spring and the California Black Walnut Trees are sprouting new leaves. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 12, 2010. The Black Walnuts had completely dropped their leaves prior to the big January rainstorms. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 22, 2009. Black Walnuts were late in dropping leaves for winter. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Updated Neighborhood Map

Corralitas Red Car Property Neighborhood. (Click on map to enlarge.)

Red Car Property: Take A Walk

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2009. California Black Walnuts are still green on the Red Car Property between Lake View Ave. & Riverside Place. Their leaves will soon turn yellow and drop for winter. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Sept. 30 Community Meeting: 18-Acre Elysian Park Parcel

Photo: Diane Edwardson, Spring 2003. 18-Acre Elysian Park Parcel.

The 18 Acre Parcel of Elysian Park, fronting on Riverside Drive between Allesandro and Stadium Way, was acquired in the 1990s using Prop K money. For more on the history of this parcel, see #3 under "Legacy of Failed Development."

The 18 Acre Parcel is the only portion of Elysian Park that is safely accessible by pedestrians from Elysian Valley, Corralitas Red Car Neighborhood and Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. Our neighborhoods cannot safely access the rest of Elysian Park on foot because there are no sidewalks on Stadium Way. Click here for map.

The environmental review for the park development is finally available on the Rec & Parks website. Deadline for public comment is 3PM October 19, 2009.

The City is hosting a community meeting to review the plans:

Wed., September 30, 2009
6PM
Location: Dickerson Employee Benefits
1918 Riverside Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Info: CD 13 Deputy, Alejandra Marroquin
(323) 957-4500

Day 2 of "The Big Parade:" Red Car Property

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009. The Big Parade on Silver Lake Court, a paper street (unbuilt City street). (Click on photos to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009. From Silver Lake Court, the hikers found the hidden Roselin Staircase, once used by neighbors to reach the India St. stop for the Red Car Trolley.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009. After winding their way through the Roselin & Adelbert Public Staircases, the hardy group went down Adelbert to the Red Car Property for a brief trek through the urban wilderness.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009. While a Red-Shouldered Hawk soared overhead, at top of the historic Red Car Viaduct Footings, the intrepid urban hikers learned about the huge bridge (viaduct) that crossed Fletcher. The group continued across Fletcher and up the Waverly Staircase, on their way to their eventual goal of Day 2: The Hollywood Sign.

Follow their progress, join "The Big Parade" later today or offer up cold drinks as they pass thorough your neighborhood. Route and approximate time tables are on www.bigparadela.com. They are about an hour and half behind schedule.

Day 2 of "The Big Parade" Features Fletcher Red Car Viaduct Footings

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2004. City of Los Angeles Historic Landmark #770, Red Car Viaduct Footings as seen from Waverly. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Photo: Bill Volkmer, Dave's Rail Pix, undated photo. Fletcher Red Car Viaduct from Waverly. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Sunday morning, July 19, "The Big Parade" will hike through the Corralitas Red Car Property Neighborhood including the Fletcher Viaduct Footings. If you want to join the ultimate urban hike for a few staircases, a few miles or both days, see www.bigparadela.com for details, routes and schedules of approximately 40 miles and 135 staircases.

Red Car Property: Not a Park. It Just Feels Like One.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, April 10, 2009. The Red Car Property is a well-used recreational trail. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract Cut in 1905

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2005. Modjeska Street entrance to Elysian Park from the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

We're reviewing the photographic history of our neighborhood surrounding the 2 Freeway, in anticipation of the EIR for the 2 Freeway Terminus Project.

Unfortunately, we have no neighbors' photos from the early days of the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, other than when it appeared in the background of photos posted earlier. However, the 1905 Articles of Incorporation for the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Association shed some light on the the design of the tract.

The Articles of Incorporation clearly state the purpose of the Association was "to acquire, operate and maintain permanent camp grounds in the County of Los Angeles." (In 1905, the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract was just outside Los Angeles City limits.) The purpose of such campgrounds was to hold meetings "devoted to the maintenance and spreading of the religion of Modern Spiritualism, its philosophy and its phenomena."

They designed the tract so there were hundreds of tiny lots subdivided and sold to their members. The tiny lots surrounded one large central lot for camping, meetings, "mediums," lectures and concerts. The typical lot size within the tract is 2500 sq. ft., with some as small as 600 sq. ft., surrounding the 3 acre lot in the center.

The large 3 acre parcel was later subdivided into 3 lots in the 1970s. In the 1980s, even though a series of engineers disappeared in the process, City Planning approved a zone change for 30 units, now since expired.

Currently, a developer is attempting to subdivide the 3 lots into 16 lots, which would require cutting down almost every tree on the parcel and removal and grading of 95% of the slope. Neighbors are currently appealing the approval by City Planning.

Shifting Soils

Photo: 1904. Curve north of India St. Red Car trolley stop. (Click on photo to enlarge.)


Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 2003. Curve north of India St. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The slope north of India on the Red Car Property has always been a crumbly one. Enlarge the 1904 photo to see the pile of rocks to the right of the tracks. It is likely they were recently cleared from the tracks. Anyone who walks the property regularly can witness rocks tumbling down without warning.

It is the same slope a neighbor has been digging into with a backhoe, so he can park his large vehicles on the Red Car Property.

In 2003, the slope was included as an "open space lot" in a developer's proposal for 75 homes on the Red Car Property. The County assessor's maps identify the lot as "Lot C." Could it be "C" for crap?

Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 23, 2007.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Every now and then, you see horses on the Red Car Property. The Corralitas Red Car Property is a key link in the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor through Silver Lake between Griffith Park and Elysian Park. The equestrian trail was added to the Silver Lake Echo Park Community Plan in 1987. While equestrian use may not be the primary draw to this portion of the trail, it is a heavily used neighborhood recreational resource.

"Silver Lake's Stonehenge"

Ever wonder what those concrete blocks are on the hillside above the Arco Station at Riverside and Fletcher Drives in Silver Lake? Hope Urban, who grew up in the neighborhood, calls them “Silver Lake’s Stonehenge.”

What are those concrete blocks? Who put them there? What purpose did they serve? While many neighbors think of them as gravestones of failed Red Car Property developers, they’re actually a piece of Los Angeles History.

While the Fletcher Red Car Viaduct no longer exists, its concrete foundations stood silent vigil to the changing attitudes toward public transportation in 20th Century Los Angeles.

The Pacific Electric “Big Red Car” trolleys were a hugely popular means of transportation for Los Angeles, particularly among the neighborhoods on the Edendale and Glendale lines.
In 1904, L.C. Brand & Assoc. constructed the Fletcher Viaduct for Los Angeles & Glendale Electric Railway, then sold the Glendale Line to Pacific Electric in 1906.

The viaduct, or bridge, was huge: 453’6” long, and 40’9” high, of wood trestle construction. In 1927, a 97’ center section of the viaduct was replaced with steel, accommodating the paving of Fletcher Drive. Fletcher was also lowered; the viaduct then stood 61’ above the roadway.

The Pacific Electric Red Car created the horizontal development pattern for Los Angeles – the sprawl we have today. Everywhere a Red Car Line was planned, real estate speculators followed.

Locally, the Glendale and Edendale Lines brought settlement to the Ivanhoe Hills. Our Silver Lake neighborhood reflects the typical development pattern surrounding Red Car Lines. In the early part of the century, as soon as new Red Car lines were planned, real estate speculators bought up the land immediately adjacent to the tracks; carved it into tiny lots; sold the lots to working families to build their own homes.

Riverside Place is one such street where it’s not unusual to find 500 sq. ft. homes on 800 sq. ft. lots. Moving further out from the tracks, homes and lots get larger. The ensuing socio-economic diversity still surrounds the Red Car Property in Silver Lake today. Most neighborhoods adjacent to Red Car Lines were bulldozed for freeway construction. Thus, making our neighborhood unique.

Homes and neighborhoods were built with easy access to the Red Car stops, with stairways and walkways instead of streets. In 1955, the Glendale Line was decommissioned and the tracks removed in favor of freeway construction. Neighbors on Riverside Place voted to give up 10’ of their front yards so the City could pave the street to their homes. Today, many of those homes have no setbacks or driveways.

The Red Car Viaduct Footings are symbolic of changing attitudes toward public transportation in 20th Century Los Angeles. First, Southern Californians embraced the Red Car as an economical, efficient and popular means of public transportation. Mid-century, the Red Cars were forgotten in favor of automobiles and freeways. Late in the 20th Century, Southern Californians rediscovered the Red Car, studying a successful model of public transportation.
The Fletcher Red Car Viaduct Footings are more than just the foundation for a Pacific Electric bridge. The concrete blocks are a foundation for not only Los Angeles, but also the region. Settlers, real estate speculators and population growth followed the Red Car Lines, wherever they went.

In 2003, the Los Angeles City Council confirmed the action of the Cultural Heritage Commission, declaring the Fletcher Red Car Trestle Footings as Historic-Cultural Monument #770.

As one neighbor put it, “It’s an oddly beautiful testament to our community’s past. It’s a quirky kind of landmark that fits Silver Lake.” The Red Car Viaduct Footings bring a unique identity to our neighborhood.