Talk:Westwood, Los Angeles, California

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[edit] Mentions of Westside Pavilion??

By the definitions of Westwood given in this article, WSP isn't in Westwood. I don't know if WSP should be in this article. Just my 2 cents. Decafpenguin 00:32, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

I agree. Westside Pavilion is in West L.A., not Westwood! The article needs to be fixed. --Coolcaesar 06:41, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

Is this a consensus then? Decafpenguin 09:59, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

I'm gonna go ahead and make the fix... Decafpenguin 01:19, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

Westside Pavilion is in "Rancho Park", I believe (not "West LA"), but close enough.

Although Westwood is still busy and vibrant on weekend evenings, the number of empty storefronts and vacant lots has gradually increased since 1990: many nationally successful chains have opened stores in the area, only to close them within two years.

What about BestBuy/Longs/Ralphs complex, Jerry's Deli, all the coffee places. I know, Circuit City/Gap, etc, but I'm not sure this is the best phrasing for the issue. jengod 03:23, Dec 4, 2004 (UTC)

Isn't Santa Monica considered to be the southeast border of Westwood? Aznfurball 21:48, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

That depends. I've seen many sources give Wilshire but I've also seen many others give Santa Monica. I suppose the best way to resolve this would be to see how the City of Los Angeles actually defines Westwood. I think I saw an official Neighborhood Map on the city Web site a couple of years ago. --Coolcaesar 23:28, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

Yeah you were right about the city maps. I looked http://www.lacity.org/PLN/complan/westla/pdf/genlumap.wwd.pdf and it definitively shows Santa Monica to be the Border of Westwood. Aznfurball 02:27, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

The South boundary is probably Olympic, and possibly Pico. S.M. Blvd doesn't really make any sense.

The City maps referenced are merely community planning sectors, not necessarily “official” neighborhoods. Look at the link -[1] – the only “neighborhoods” (if that’s what they are) shown for this section of town are “Westwood” and “West LA” – no mention of Rancho Park or Cheviot, etc. These may just be groupings for ease of planning administration without being anything official or culturally or historically accurate.

The area between Olympic/S.M.Blvd is Westwood, not Rancho Park – look at the Wikipedia entry for Rancho Park – the debate there is whether Rancho Park ends (going north) at Pico, or at Olympic ! (No mention of S.M.) So if both Wikipages are right, then Olymp/SM is no mans land . . .

Westwood (or "Westwood Hills") went all the way to Pico originally (see original Janss map at [2]) – it was split off at Olympic for Rancho Park only later in the late 30s when Olympic was extended through the area, bisecting it (see 2004 LA Times article [3]).  : “ . . . residents south of the newly extended Olympic Boulevard clamored for their own identity by the late '30s. "We thought it was time to have our own community and separate ourselves from Westwood," said Bob Hindall, longtime area resident. "Many names were suggested, but pioneer real estate broker Bill Heyler is credited with naming the area Rancho Park."

As someone who grew up north of Wilshire and now lives just south of S.M. Blvd (such as it is, darn that construction!), I think this should be fixed once and for all. Samsinister 00:35, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that Santa Monica is the border. The area between Olympic and Santa Monica is considered to be West LA, but not a distinct neighborhood. I live North of Santa Monica and I know many people who live between Santa Monica and Olympic, and they never refer to their area as Westwood, but simply as West LA. But until, we get a definitive answer, I'll put it back to Olympic Blvd. I however, will stick to my belief that Westwood ends at Santa Monica.

If you look at the other maps though, they show the area you're talking about as West LA Aznfurball 05:26, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I looked at the other maps (which are really just conveniently packaged community planning areas, not necessarily official "neighborhoods"). As I noted above, the maps have only two names: “Westwood” and “West LA” – no mention of Rancho Park or Cheviot, etc. If that means that this southern part of Westwood doesn't exist and is instead just "West LA", then it also means that Rancho Park and Cheviot Hills don't exist for the same reason - right? I don't think that's what the planning commission intends. Samsinister, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

This is all subjective, of course. I used to live just barely north of Santa Monica, and no one _I_ knew called it Westwood, except for real estate people who wanted the cache of the neighborhood. But since neighborhoods are not official exactly (there are associations). I have no opinion where the south boundary is, but this project[4] helps show how subjective this sort of thing can be. (Unfortunately, they don't have enough L.A. data yet to answer our question.) Still A Student 03:12, 11 March 2006 (UTC)

Sure, it's all subjective . . . which is what makes it interesting to try and nail down. For what it's worth (only a little in my book), the neighborhood association for this area is called "Westwood South of Santa Monica" - a name which, according to Aznfurball's definition, would be something of an oxymoron.

I think the case for Olympic as the SE boundary is pretty clear based on: (1) the original Janss plans and maps, (2) the relative boundary of Rancho Park (i.e., Pico, or at the most northern possibility, Olympic), (3) the actual posted City sign for "Rancho Park" being south of Olympic (go south on Overland, you'll see it), (4) the area's own neighborhood association is called "Westwood" [South of S.M.], and (5) the elementary school right smack in the middle of that area is called "Westwood Charter". Honestly, at this point, I can't imagine the counterargument, other than the planning maps (which are a wrong turn for this debate, as noted above), and perhaps some vaguely forgotten north-of-______ exclusivism. (Anyway, thanks for considering and taking part in this discussion, I think it's historically and culturally fun stuff to play with . . . and it's my own neighborhood so I want to get a clear sense of it.) Samsinister, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Business component

It'd be pretty nice if somebody (maybe me, but not right now) could maybe add a section on Westwood's businesses--I think it's the third-biggest commercial district in Los Angeles, behind downtown and Century City.

Aren't the single family homes South and Southeast of UCLA rather than North???

Right you are--I will fix that. --Slightlyslack 00:16, 21 July 2005 (UTC)

With the buisnesses, someone should mention Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash