Elysian Valley, Los Angeles, California
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Elysian Valley is a small community of the City of Los Angeles, California.
It is part of the Elysian Park/Silver Lake area.
[edit] History and General Demographics
The history of Elysian Valley reflects the social and political history of Northeast Los Angeles, California. Developed as a working class community of small bungalow and cottage homes, Elysian Valley thrived through the 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's because of its proximity to downtown Los Angeles and the growing communities of Eagle Rock, Glassell Park and Cypress Park. Riverside Drive was a center of commerce and business, anchored by the neighborhood's public library at the corner of Riverside Drive and Allesandro Street.
In the 1950's, Elysian Valley was severely impacted by the construction of U.S. Interstate Five (known as "I-5" or the "Golden State Freeway"). The freeway, which runs north-south from the U.S.-Mexico border in California to Washington State, was constructed through Elysian Valley, displacing both residents and business. The commercial corridor along Riverside Drive ceased to exist, and the freeway served to effectively isolate Elysian Valley from other local communities, such as Echo Park and Silver Lake. The public library was razed, never to be replaced. In the 1960's, additional residents were displaced by the construction of California Highway Two (known locally as the "Glendale Freeway").
Today, Elysian Valley remains without retail business (aside from two liquor stores) or health services. The only library available to residents is independently operated by the Elysian Valley United Community Services Center (CSC), a local non-profit group organized in the 1990's by three area teachers. Although millions of dollars are slated to be invested in the Elysian Valley basin of the Los Angeles River, funds to bring services to neighborhood residents remain scarce.
Elysian Valley is sometimes referred to as "Frogtown"; accounts differ as to the origins of this name, and its use is a somewhat contentious issue between long-time residents and newer urbanites moving into the community. One account is based on events related to the area's proximity to the Los Angels River. In the 1960's and 1970's the frog population increased, literally covering the streets and lawns of the neighborhood. Another account from long-time local residents ascribes the name to a connection between the annual exodus of frogs from the Los Angeles River into Elysian Valley. This occurred in greater numbers when the river basin remained wild, prior to flood control channeling constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; this occurred after several major floods in the 1930's. The latter account appears to have greater validity, taking into consideration the generational use of the name "Frogtown" by the area's youth gang; the "Frogtown" gang has been a local fixture (for better or worse) since the 1930's.
Roughly, Elysian Valley borders Atwater Village on the north, Silver Lake on the west, Elysian Park on the southwest, and south, and the Los Angeles River on the east. Its boundaries are considered Fletcher Drive on the northwest, Riverside Drive on the west, the Figueroa Street Bridge on the south, and the Los Angeles River on the east.
The area is well connected to Los Angeles freeways, with the 5 and 110 Freeways having entry and exits on Riverside Drive, and connections to the 101, 10, and 2 Freeways within the neighborhood.
Elysian Valley is divided between the ZIP codes of 90039 and 90031. Demographic information regarding the latter zipcode area does not necessarily reflect Elysian Valley residents, as it is shared with other residents in Northeast Los Angeles.
Elysian Valley is predominately composed of Latino and Asian residents. In 2000, the per capita income was estimated at approximately $20,000.
[edit] Community and Future
The community is primarily residential and composed largely of single-family homes. Retail business is located outside of the community.
Given its geographic isolation and limited street transportation access routes, Elysian Valley remains a traditional "bedroom community," despite its proximity to Silver lake and Downtown Los Angeles.
In recent years, there has been an influx of newer residents to the area, who view Elysian Valley as an affordable alternative toSilver lake or Hollywood. Its relative affordability, along with shorter commute times to commercial and entertainment hubs, have made it an attractive area to developers, real estate speculators, artists and other hipsters. Older residents see this influx as the harbinger of gentrification.
The community is included as part of the Echo Park/Elysian Valley/Siver Lake General Plan. In 2002, Elysian Valley was approved by the City of Los Angeles to have its own neighborhood council (Elysian Valley Riverside Neighborhood Council) which oversaw its affairs. The EVRNC has been known to proactively oppose zoning changes that accelerate gentrification in Northeast Los Angeles. This stance developed through local concern for the displacement of current residents arising from increased property values. This, along with the EVRNC's concern for the expanded development of high-density live-work lofts and townhomes along the local portion of the Los Angeles River has caused a political backlash from the City Council.
Nevertheless, artists lofts and other residences have gradually increased along Elysian Valley's industrial district, which runs parallel with one of the few portions of the Los Angeles River with a natural river bed. In this area, great blue herons, white egrets, mallards, cormorants and other fowl are abundant. Carp are present in the river. In years past, crawfish have been abundant. This stretch of the river has also been an area of particular interest for such environmental groups as Friends of the Los Angeles River and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
If the Los Angeles River is indeed to be the focus of major redevelopment (as supported by the evolving L.A. River Master Plan), the portion of the river running along Elysian Valley will be the pivotal area of political and economic dispute, and will determine the social demography of Northeast Los Angeles for decades to come.
