Tag: san-fernando-valley

Valley News Chum

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

A few San Fernando Valley news items, seen over lunch today:

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Looking Back

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

The LA Daily News has put up an interesting retrospective of the San Fernando Valley by decade. It is interesting to look at the different years. Here are some of the items that caught my eye:

March 20, 1915: Residents in Van Nuys, Owensmouth, Chatsworth, Pacoima and Roscoe vote to be annexed by Los Angeles, allowing them to share in the new water supply coming from the Owens Valley.

May 29, 1915: A modern road opens through Topanga Canyon to Santa Monica, cutting the 60-mile drive to the beach for Valley residents to 16 miles.

Jan. 5, 1917: A subway is proposed to connect Owensmouth and downtown L.A.

Jan. 24, 1920: The Van Nuys Cannery announces plans to build a $50,000 plant on East Bessemer Street that can process 30 tons of apricots a day.

Aug. 6, 1921: More than 2,000 people gather for the opening of Marian, a trading center at Sherman Way and Reseda Avenue surrounded by lush orchards and farmland.

Sept. 12, 1922: The Valley and Hollywood began a move to widen the Cahuenga Pass road to 100 feet and smooth down its high point, reducing the grade from 10 percent to 5 percent.

Feb. 27, 1923: Plans are announced for a “great scenic highway” from Griffith Park to Topanga Canyon to be named for city engineer William Mulholland.

Sept. 7, 1923: “Gasoline Row” is established on Sherman Way between Calvert and Delano streets as buildings are leased to dealers for Buick, Studebaker, Chevrolet, Willys-Knight and Overland, Chalmers and Maxwell. (Note: Sherman Way at this point later became Van Nuys Blvd)

Feb. 26, 1924: Leesdale Street is renamed Victory Boulevard as a memorial to those who died in the Great War. The city approves a Cahuenga Pass route with a 5.5 percent grade.

Nov. 22, 1924: Franklin Canyon Road opens through the Santa Monica foothills.

Dec. 27, 1924: Mulholland Drive opens amid much fanfare.

Oct. 26, 1926: Van Nuys High begins serving a “mid-morning lunch” of graham crackers and milk to female students deemed underweight.

May 6, 1927: A group of businessmen proposes extending Sepulveda Boulevard northward, providing a shortcut to the Antelope Valley.

June 19, 1928: Louis Greenberg spearheads plans to build a synagogue in Van Nuys. KNX announces it will move to Sherman Oaks.

Jan. 19, 1929: Boeing Co. announces it will build an airplane factory at Sherman Way and Vineland Avenue.

Jan. 24, 1930: The 40-bed Valley Hospital of Van Nuys opens at Sherman Way and Van Nuys Boulevard. RKO begins shooting a series of 10 “all-talking” Western movies. The city plans to extend Sherman Way through the entire Valley.

July 29, 1930: Gov. C.C. Young opens Weldon Canyon Road near Castaic, giving Valley drivers a new, faster way to reach Bakersfield and points north.

Jan. 15, 1932: Amazed and awe-struck Valley residents awake to find 2 inches of snow blanketing the ground

June 30, 1938: Walt Disney Productions offers to pay $100,000 for 51 acres near Riverside Drive and Alameda Street in Burbank.

July 2, 1943: Construction begins on a 1,720-bed Army hospital at Victory and Balboa boulevards. The San Fernando Valley Historical Society is formed.

Dec. 16, 1946: Kaiser-Burns shows models of prefabricated homes at Vanowen Street and Whitsett Avenue, and announces it can build 1,800 of the houses for returning vets.

July 3, 1947: Radio station KGIL plans to build a new station in the 14000 block of Lassen Street.

Feb. 5, 1948: Central and West Valley school enrollment totals 14,944. Van Nuys High is the largest in the state.

Sept. 12, 1955: Reseda High opens, the first new high school built since 1937 in Los Angeles.

Dec. 12, 1955: Plans are approved for construction of Valley Presbyterian Hospital at Vanowen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard.

Sept. 14, 1959: Twelve new Valley schools open as 165,000 kids head back to school. Plans are announced for a 13-story office building, the tallest in the Valley, at Van Nuys Boulevard and Vanowen street.

June 3, 1960: Three fatal traffic crashes are reported in a week’s time on a ramp that was built to route autos both on and off the 101 Freeway in Encino. Officials recommend the ramp’s design be changed.

July 27, 1962: A two-level “shopping city” is proposed on Warner Ranch in Canoga Park. More than 200 merchants clamor to move into the Topanga Center along with the May Co., the Broadway and Montgomery Ward.

Dec. 21, 1962: A 5.7-mile, eight-lane stretch of the San Diego Freeway opens between the Valley and West Los Angeles.

Jan. 5, 1964: A meeting is held in Granada Hills to decide on a route for a Valley-to-Simi freeway. Residents object that the east-west routes would cut through heavily populated areas.

August 1966: Anheuser Busch adds a $5 million theme park and monorail to its Van Nuys brewery. A bird sanctuary was added in January 1977, but the tourist attraction later closed.

March 17, 1970: An appellate court rules that a Valley school’s ban on long hair for boys is unconstitutional. The LAUSD is ordered to rewrite its dress code.

Jan. 8, 1971: A special freeway lane is proposed only for buses and car pools.

June 12, 1976: Construction starts on the fifth northbound lane of the 405 Freeway between the Santa Monica Freeway and Ventura Boulevard.

Nov. 11, 1976: Construction of Birmingham High is completed, culminating a 10-year effort to pair a World War II veterans hospital with a school.

May 15, 1977: Property owners are warned to expect a 17.5 percent increase in the assessed value of their homes. Elderly residents complain they cannot afford the tax bills, laying the groundwork for passage of Proposition 13 in November. The landmark legislation sets a base value on homes and allows only a 2 percent increase each year.

Feb. 15, 1979: Anheuser- Busch announces a $250,000 million expansion of its Van Nuys brewery, along with the closure of its landmark Bird Sanctuary. The expanded brewery creates 600 to 700 jobs.

March 26, 1999: Former Monroe High School student Kevin Mitnick pleads guilty to five wire fraud and computer fraud. His computer hacking exploits fueled Web sites and books and earned him a place on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.

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Whither Levittown: The Changing Face of Suburbia

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

When one talks about suburbia, one gets the image of white-bread America—a homogenous Caucasian land of tract-homes, with nary a minority to be seen, except, perhaps, in the service-provider role. Certainly, that’s the image television still portrays to some extent, although if not Caucasian, then certainly homogenous middle-class. Now, I live in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles: a suburb that in the 1950s and 1960s certainly fit that bill.

Today, that image is no longer true. I ride my bike regularly across the valley for exercise, and I see the increased heterogeneity. Not only do I see a strong influence of hispanic culture (not a surprise in Los Angeles), there is an increased vital Korean and Armenian culture element, as well as a significant Islamic element. I base this on the increased signage I see in Korean, Armenian, and Arabic characters, and the increased number of prominantly-signed Halal markets. The latter aspect is what prompted this article: I don’t remember noticing a growing Islamic community in the valley… and now I’m noticing it a lot more.

I’ll also note how this reflects a change from the America of 100 years ago. At the turn of the previous century, we had an equally large influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe, China, Japan, and Ireland (among other countries). Back then, the goal was to blend in: to become part of the fabric of America and melt into the melting pot. The 1960s and 1970s saw an emergence of ethnic pride, and it became acceptable to stand out from the homogenous blob. This started what I’ll call the world culture of suburbia today: individuals, families, and merchants that are not only American but proudly serving specific ethnic and religious groups.

I tend to try to take the role of neutral observer: I’m not saying this is good or bad, only interesting. I would love to learn more about some of these cultures and how they differ, and why they chose to make particular pockets within the San Fernando Valley their home. I’d love to learn how their communities are thriving and shifting (community shifts are normal: witness the movement of the Jewish community from Boyle Heights to Fairfax to the Westside and the Valley (such as the strong Orthodox pockets in North Hollywood and Encino)). In particular, I’d love to learn about the growth of the Islamic community in the valley, for it seems to have just popped out to me… and I don’t know whether this is due to commuity growth, conscious increased community visibility, or that I just have increased awareness that the community is there.

Now, I know that not all of my readers live out here in the San Fernando Valley. What about where you live? Have you noticed the changing of suburbia from the GI-bill era to the world culture? How has your community changed?

P.S.: As usual, the current music is very appropriate. Richie Valens was a San Fernando Valley native, having grown up in the community of Pacoima, part of one of the cultures that was and is an integral part of the valley.

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Things That Are Disappearing

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Today’s news chum brings news of three items that are soon-to-be gone:

  • If you’ve ever driven by the corner of Sherman Way and Tampa in Reseda, you’ve seen Lorenzen Mortuary across the street from the Jewish Home. According to the Daily News, they are going to have to relocate. The mortuary at 19300 Sherman Way was founded in 1952 by Virginia and Donald Lorenzen (who later served on the Los Angeles City Council). Virginia died in January at age 92; in early 2009, the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Guardian, serving as her trustee and conservator, received court approval to sell her real estate holdings to pay for her care and expenses. They were sold to Robert Hirsch, chairman of the board of the Jewish Home, who then donated the land. The Home plans to build Senior Housing, and so the mortuary has to move.
  • You might just have driven by that corner in a Chevy. If you didn’t, someone else did. However, if GM has its way, you won’t be able to say that: GM wants people to stop using the term “Chevy” and go back to the full name, “Chevrolet”. Some dealers even have a “Chevy Jar”, just like a curse jar. I’ve seen responses to this that say they don’t think an American car should have a French name. This is something I think GM will have trouble with—it’s like Anheiser-Busch trying to get folks not to call their swill “Bud”. (hmmm, interesting parallel there: Quality automobile are to Chevys as quality beer is to Bud). In other car news, Cadillac has redesigned their logo again.
  • And while in that car, you might have been listening to the radio. Thirty years ago, you might have been turned to KMET listening to Dr. Demento (I know I did in high school). Soon, you won’t be able to do that, at least on the radio. Dr. D is leaving the airwaves after 40 years. He’ll still be streaming a 1 hour show on the Internet. In many ways, though, the nature of novelty records has drastically changed. Nowaday, who makes audio recordings—they are all You-Tube videos.
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Valley News Chum

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

A few interesting items from the Daily News:

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Hump-Day News Chum: Car Tones for Hybrids, Cake Wrecks, KTLA’s Logo, and Sportsmans Lodge

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Ah, it’s Wednesday. Time for some hump-day lunchtime news chum. Today’s theme seems to be “What Change Hath Wrougt”. Some of our stories are about the impact of technology changes, the others relate to changes in the San Fernando Valley….

  • From the “I Can’t Hear You” Department: We’re all familiar with fake telephone rings: that is, ring tones that sound like an old-fashioned phone, even though they are being generated by a non-physical bell. Well, it appears that we may soon have “drive tones” because hybrids are too silent. Car manufacturers are building in car sound effects to warn pedestrians of a car’s approach. For example, the Fisker Karma, an $87,900 plug-in hybrid expected to go on sale next year, will emit a sound — pumped out of speakers in the bumpers — that the company founder, Henrik Fisker, describes as “a cross between a starship and a Formula One car.”. So, want your car to sound like a Ferrari… or a Model-T… there’s an app for that. And speaking of apps and sound effects, a company has developed an iPhone app for everyday sound effects: crickets for bad jokes, rimshots for other jokes, evil laughs, etc.
  • From the “Yes, Everyone is Watching You” Department: Used to be, when you screwed up, only you or a small circle of your friends knew it. Now the whole world knows. Isn’t that comforting? The NY Times is reporting about a popular blog and book about cake icing disasters called Cake Wrecks. Quoting from the first paragraph of the article, “Finally, a few words about customer service: When someone requests that nothing be written on the cake, “NOTHING” should not be written on the cake.” Supposedly, around 100,000 visitors a day are gawking at Cake Wrecks, and more than a million people subscribe to the author’s updates on Twitter.
  • From the “Everything Old Is New Again, Part I” Department: The Franklin Avenue blog has an interesting article on KTLA-5’s new News Set… and an even more interesting discussion on the evolution of KTLA’s logo, and how it has returned to the stylized “5” of the old days. This particularly interests me, as I find corporate logos and icons interesting (I was once obsessed with articles on the NBC “N”).
  • From the “Everything Old Is New Again, Part II” Department: Another old thing being reborn is Sportsmans Lodge in Sherman Oaks, which is reopening under new owners, newly remodeled. According to the new owners, the previous darkness is gone, and the place has been restored to the brightness and elegance of the 1930s and 1940s with an emphasis on white. Supposedly the rubber chicken cuisine is gone as well. However, some valley institutions are going away. Curbed LA reports on a plan to demolish Victory Plaza at Coldwater Canyon and Victory, and replace it with a mixed use development with condos, business, a transit plaza, and a hotel, ala the Americana development in Glendale. Somehow, I don’t think it will be that successful: that part of the Valley doesn’t really call out for luxury shopping and hotels.
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The Internet Is For …

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

[Short Post #1 before we head out…] There was an interesting article I ran across while skimming the LA Times this morning. It appears the porn industry is having (ahem) hard times. The problem is that the Internet really is for porn, much of it free, much of it amateur. Their paid sites aren’t making the money that they used to… and of course, no one is buying DVDs. As such, pay rates in the industry are (ahem) shrinking fast, and folks are turning to real jobs to make their money. Of course, this is of interest to me as a concerned citizen, for I live in the San Fernando Valley (and I’m sure it is affecting lots of ancillary businesses).

Seriously, though, the article is an interesting read with respect to unanticipated side-effects of the Internet.

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Disappearing Landmarks: Granada Hills, Westwood Village

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Today’s lunchtime reading of the news led me to some interesting articles regarding disappearing landmarks:

  • Granada Hills. The LA Observed Blog (la_observed) today highlighted a new blog on Granada Hills (now syndicated to LJ as granada_hills), which led me to this post about the 1960’s Ralphs at Chatsworth and Balboa. I drive past that location every day (it’s where we pick up ellipticcurve for the vanpool). I never knew that was a former Ralphs, or one that had such interesting design, with a fascinating roof and signage. I’ll have to look closer when I go by today.
  • Westwood Village. The LA Times is reporting on how the movie theatre scene in Westwood Village is changing. A while back, the Manns National closed (the big brown whale) — I had many a good time at that theatre, and its where I saw the first Star Wars. Last Thursday, the Mann Festival theatre on Lindbrook closed (this was the former UA theatre next to the former Bratskeller… which used to be a Ralphs), and early the Mann Westwood 4 (which I think was the old UA theatre south of Wilshire, near where Westward Ho used to be) and the Mann Plaza (not sure which this one was). The article also notes that Mann isn’t renewing the lease of the Bruin and the Village. I remember seeing many movies in Westwood in my college days (including at the Avco — I have no idea what that is these days). Westwood Village has really changed — from the happening hot spot in the 1970s and 1980s to a dead zone.
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