Torrance

Torrance is a city that prides itself on offering a balance between residential, commercial, and retail uses. People live here for the relatively affordable housing compared to the other South Bay beach communities. The school system is good, and access to jobs and shopping is excellent. It is home to some of the largest shopping malls in the region, and Hawthorne Boulevard, that runs north/south through the center of the town. is the retail center of the South Bay of Los Angeles. Pacific Coast Highway, which runs east/west at the southern part of the City is also home to one of the highest concentration of car dealerships in the Los Angeles basin. Torrance is also home to a large regional airport in the southeast part of the city, and has a large concentration of commercial and office uses along 190th Street between Hawthorne Boulevard and Western Avenue, south to Del Amo. Two large regional hospitals are also located in the city (Little Company of Mary Hospital on Torrance Boulevard, west of Hawthorne Boulevard, and Torrance Memorial Hospital on Lomita Boulevard, to the east of Hawthorne Boulevard.

Neighborhoods:

North Torrance : This neighborhood is bounded by Redondo Beach Boulevard on the north and 190th Street on the south. Homes here tend to be smaller starter homes built in the 1940's and 1950's.

Central and Old Torrance : This area is bounded by Madronna, 190th Street, Western and Sepulveda Boulevard.

Central Business District ): This area is the central business district for Torrance and includes Del Amo Regional Mall, Torrance Promenade (formerly Old Towne Mall), and many office and retail buildings.

West Torrance and Southwood : West Torrance is the area west of Hawthorne Boulevard between 190th Street and Torrance Boulevard, and Southwood is the area west of Hawthorne Boulevard between Torrance Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard.

Hollywood Riviera and South Torrance : Hollywood Rivera is at the northern edge of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, south of Pacific Coast Highway, and west of Hawthorne Boulevard. This area is the "gateway" to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and many homes in this area enjoy spectacular beach and city light views. South Torrance is the area to the west of Hawthorne Boulevard, and between Sepulveda Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway. Many people don't realize that Torrance has a small area of beach just north of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The area of beach just before where the Peninsula begins is known as RAT beach for "Right After Torrance".

Walteria and South East Torrance: This neighborhood is the area south of Pacific Coast Highway between Hawthorne Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard.

Culture: The Torrance Cultural Arts Center, located on Civic Center Drive near the City offices and County Courts Building, houses a 502 seat theater, meeting and conference rooms, two large outdoor plazas, and an authentic Japanese Garden. The Joslyn Fine Arts Gallery is a 9,200 square foot municipal gallery located at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. The Gallery offers a variety of exhibitions in its three gallery spaces, as well as educational programs, artist talks, lectures, and symposiums. The El Camino College Center for the Arts, located in Torrance, also provides a varied program of theatrical, ballet, and other artistic performances.

The Torrance Unified School District consists of 17 elementary schools, 8 intermediate schools, 5 High Schools (Torrance High, West High, South High , North High and Shery High Continuation School), and 3 Adult schools. Torrance schools are noted for their academic excellence. Elementary, middle school and high school students routinely score significantly above the national median in tests. The Torrance Unified School District has been recognized for its innovative programs and its schools are included on the annual list of California Exemplary Schools. Vocational and technical training for high school students and adults is available at S.C.R.O.C. and the Torrance Adult Education program offers hundreds of classes each year. The El Camino Community College campus houses an art gallery, a planetarium, a theater and the 2,000 seat Marsee Auditorium. Its South Bay Center for the Arts provides much of the Torrance cultural life and its Small Business Development Center offers information, referrals, and one-on-one business counseling to entrepreneurs and small business owners-free of charge.

There are numerous excellent parks throughout the City of Torrance. There are also excellent youth and adult sports programs available.Numerous sports activities are available at Wilson Park on Crenshaw Boulevard between Carson and Sepulveda Boulevard (Park #40 in first map above). Men's, Women's and Co-ed softball leagues, and Men's basketball leagues are available, and youth roller hockey.The park includes a tennis and paddle tennis facility, horseshoe courts, four softball diamonds, and a state-of-the-art roller hockey rink. There is also a skateboard park and batting cages.

The city also has a public plunge on Torrance Boulevard (Park #37 in first map above) with a summer swimming program.

One of the largest regional park facilities is located in the City at Columbia Park on 190th Street, just east of Hawthorne Boulevard (Park #5 in first map above). This park plays host to many soccer tournaments.

The City operates a small 9 hole pitch and putt golf course designed for the young junior golfer just starting out at it's Sea-Aire Park (Park #33 in first map above) at very reasonable fees ($2.50-$4.00). The park is located in a "hidden" area of a residential neighborhood in South Torrance at the end of Lupine Drive (turn east on Linda Drive, off of Palos Verdes Drive (just south of Sepulveda Boulevard), and then turn right on Lupine)

In addition to the 28 regional and neighborhood parks in the City, the Madrona Marsh (sometimes misspelled Madronna Marsh) Nature Center and Preserve is located just east of the Del Amo Fashion Center, at the corner of Madrona and Sepulveda Boulevard ( Park #23 in first map above). Madrona Marsh is one of last remaining vernal marshes remaining in Southern California.

The City also has Senior Centers at several of the parks and operates a very active Senior Activities Program, with planned tours, dances and other functions.

Property Taxes: The property tax rate for the fiscal year 2011-2012 is 1.102817% (computed by the standard 1.0% of the property's assessed valuation (in accordance with Proposition 13, a property's assessed valuation is the original purchase price, plus the cost of improvements, based on the value of permits pulled, plus an increase in valuation of 2% per year) plus additional tax rates for voted bonded indebtedness) plus direct assessments of approx. $300-$400 per parcel for such items as school parcel taxes, etc..