silver lake
Silver Lake is an area of Los Angeles known for its diverse neighborhoods, some of the trendiest homes in the area, and relatively modest home prices. It is considered to have a bohemian vibe due to the diversity of its art culture, as well as being the only high-priced area in Los Angeles where the majority of its residents are non-white.
Silver Lake is actually one half of a man-made reservoir area that was partitioned in 1906. The lower half, Silver Lake, is named for Herman Silver, one of the original members of the first board of Los Angeles Water Commissioners. It currently supplies water to the city, but is being decommissioned at some point in the near future. Walt Disney’s first studio was built here in the 1930s, as was Tom Mix’s studio. The area is now overseen by the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, whose mission is to “promote greater citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs through a citywide network of neighborhood councils.”
To this end, they have been very successful. Silver Lake is the center of the alternative and indie rock scene in Los Angeles. The Sunset Junction Street Fair takes place every year in August. It has also been home to many musicians, including Beck, Jane’s Addiction, Porno for Pyros, Henry Rollins, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tom Waits. It is sometimes referred to as the “Williamsburg of the West”, and is compared to the borough of New York City.
Silver Lake contains some of the most famous modernist architecture in North America. Architect Richard Neutra, designer of many houses in the area, built his own house on Silver Lake Boulevard. Other notable houses and buildings include: the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit organization geared toward music education; the Lipetz House, designed by Raphael Soriano and built to feature an outstanding music room that ended up being chosen as one of four buildings in the United States for the 1937 International Architectural Exhibition in Paris, earning Soriano the award Prix de Rome; the Model House, designed by William Kesling to provide a great view of the canyon; and the Canfield-Moreno Estate, a 22,000-square-foot country villa designed by Robert Farquhar, and these days rented out by many musicians as a residence and recording studio, though it is said to be haunted. Silver Lake seems to be the place even for actors wanting to produce music, like Keifer Sutherland, who owns a residence here with a full recording studio.
What makes the neighborhood different in style and culture is its majority Latino population and safe haven for the gay and lesbian community. The mix of these two cultures, as well as many others, is reflected in the restaurants and shops in the area, and mixed with the different musical styles, it’s no wonder that Silver Lake is a popular nightlife destination.
It is also a relatively affordable area to live. The median home price is $545,000, where higher priced homes can approach $4 million, but you can actually find homes for under $100,000 in the area as well. This shows that Silver Lake has something for everyone, which is their mission.