Glassell Park

Glassell Park is a middle-class, majority Latino neighborhood just south of Glendale where Forest Lawn cemetery is located. It is a sprawling neighborhood with a variety of different types of homes from bungalows down in the flats to Ranch Homes up in the hills. There is actually a fairly big difference between the apartments and semi-urban feel of the northern end of the neighborhood and the hilly, suburban feel of the southeast of the neighborhood where ranch homes line gently twisting streets with views north to Griffith Park. Rents and home prices have a similar variation in this area.

One of the main draws to this neighborhood for many residents is its relatively low rent and home prices and its central location. You can rent a place in the flats for under $1,000. From Glassell Park, you have easy access to all the major and minor freeways in LA. The neighborhood borders Glendale and is minutes from Pasadena, Downtown LA, Westside, Hollywood, South LA—basically, you have a nice little oasis right in the middle of things.

In addition, the neighborhood is relatively safe. There have only been six murders here in the last four years (and only one last year). Violent crimes and property crimes are about average which is unusual in a part of LA where usually one or the other is in the negative range.

The local high school is Glendale High, a solid school and diverse school. (Some residents end up going to Eagle Rock High, also a good school.) In addition, several private schools and daycares are also in the neighborhood.

In other words, this is a nice, affordable neighborhood in which to have a family and several young couples have gotten the word and are locating here. In addition, since the bordering neighborhoods on the west are hipster heavy, it is probably only time before you get some spillover into Glassell Park, which will help improve the nightlife.

Another great feature of this neighborhood are the parks. Not only are you extremely close to Griffith Park (just outside the neighborhood to the northwest) but you also have Elyria Canyon Park and a handful of other green spaces throughout the neighborhood. These parks are great for hiking, biking and jogging. Strong neighborhood counsels are actively trying to improve these even further. A proposed freeway extension is currently being opposed by the NIMBY’s in the area—a good sign, regardless of whether you believe in the particular project or not.

As far as restaurants go this is a great spot for Mexican food with El Pescador (a yummy Spanish seafood place), Gorditas Laputa, and the taco stand on Verduga being the standouts in this category. You also have all the typical fast food places and supermarkets as well.

There are a few night spots and bars here such as the Eagle Rock Brewery and New Tops Bars, but the neighboring hipster lounges haven’t really emigrated into this area at this time. You do have a couple of dance clubs here too—Los Candiles and Kali Club, but I have not been to or know anyone who has been to either, so I could really tell you much about those places.

There have been crime problems in parts of Glassell in the past, and those unfamiliar with the area should get a good sense of it before setting down stakes, but overall this seems to be a neighborhood that’s on its way up.