DavidT1

I am a little biased as I live on Echo Park Ave. have been there off and on for over 3 decades. This street is the main thoroughfare of the neighborhood. Echo Park Ave starts at the exit of the 101 fwy North at the end of the lake. It goes up to Sunset Blvd where there are many shops and bars and dining. Continue up the Ave and it becomes more residential. After passing the Chevron gas station and the local shops there are the new condos. A block up and it becomes all homes on either side of the street. Most are well kept and yards clean. You will see a few local shops and grocers and in an old warehouse property is artist Peter Shire. There is a yoga studio, pilates and a hair salon. Continue up north of the avenue are other small shops a bicycle shop, small grocery store and a coffee cafe Fix. The street starts to grade up as you see some fine examples of craftsman style homes on both sides of the street most fix back to original glory. The street ends as it winds down and around back down. There are some great sites on the sidestreets. steepest hill in Los Angeles, Baxter Street, the stairs of Echo Park and many hideaway homes just off the street. There is a bus that runs up and down Echo Park ave every 15 mins or so from 5a till 10p so its very convenient for those who dont want to walk or drive. Its only .50cents. I call this street home for many years and plan to more many more,. To me this is a great street to live on.

I have been a resident of Echo Park since 1973 when my parents moved us there. I have subsequently moved away but have come back to live in the family house after my parents passed away. The neighborhood has seen a big change in both demographics and housing prices. Back iin the 80s you never saw people walking on Echo Park Ave. ( my house is on the main street), Now you see young couples walking their dogs or their kids at all times of the day and night. The locals never really bothered those who lived there but there were lots of gunshots in the back alley at night. Also, there was always tagging on blank walls or garage doors. I have not seen a tagged wall with the ExP on anything in quite a while. There was definitely a feel of being in the"hood". I don't think it was ever like areas in Boyle Heights or other well known East LA hispanic neighborhoods. ( no knock on them, just using as a example). I remember friends saying oh you live in Echo Park? like it was dangerous to come visit, But now say Echo Park and people say oh cool place to live.

There is definitely a huge revival of artists and hip young crowd who have moved in. I do not go to music venues any longer but the Echo attracts some good bands. But th e first time I really noticed the change was when I saw a valet service at a new restaurant. lol Who would of ever imagined Echo Park having a valet service. With the neighborhood gentrification, comes the rise in rent for a lot of the shops who have been there. El Batey a small grocery store who had been there for many many years finally closed it doors. It went through the rough years when the local gang would hang out across the street where the new Chevron is now. The neighborhood has become a very safe one to live, walk and it is evident with the foot traffic at night. People who have purchased the craftsman homes have remodeled and updated the gardens giving the neighborhood curb appeal and less of a urban feel.

And those who have not taken a walk in the hills of Echo Park should walk the various stairs which leads to some great views and beautiful hideaway homes. Also there are a couple streets that rival any in the Bay Area in terms of steepness. Take a left on Baxter off of Echo Park Ave. and you'll end up on one of the steepest streets in Los Angeles, and its not just one but a drop and another one to climb. It's a roller coaster in someone's front yard. Ewing also has that steep rise and drop. And if you take Echo Park Ave straight to the end, it will wind back down to some side streets going to Riverside Drive. But just before you get there, there is a house which has a tram going up to it. You will find some very beautiful hideaway houses in the hills but the con to that is it gets a little congested in the tiny street with cars on both sides parked. But patience and the right timing and a drive through the lovely hills of the neighborhood would be a nice sight.

I don't think anyone has mention Elysian Park and proximity to Chavez Ravine home of our Dodgers team. To me it is still one of the best ball parks in the country. Its view of the Los Angeles downtown skyline on a warm summer night is a sight to behold and the stadium is still well kept. Echo Park is no longer an annex of Silverlake as I have heard it being referred to but we have our own sign proudly displaying the name Echo Park.