Silverlake is located steps from Downtown Los Angeles. It
was always a place where people in the ?know? moved. Particularly artists and
musicians. What many people love about Silverlake is the sense of community. In
the 1990s, one could rent a house for $800 per month whereas on the Westside
prices were double or triple for the same sized house. As housing prices
increased throughout many other parts of Los Angeles, the news spread. Now the
prices in Silverlake tend to be similar to other parts of Los Angeles. The area
is still a draw for artists, hipsters and also many bobos (bourgeois bohemians).
There is something about the mix of hills, lake/reservoir and City that makes
this place a magnet for many.
The name Silverlake is coined from the Water Board Commissioner, Herman Silver,
who was instrumental in creating the Silverlake Reservoir in 1906. The upper
basin is named Silverlake, and the lower basin is named Ivanhoe, after the
novel by Sir Walter Scott. Surrounding the reservoir is a jogging trail about
2.2 miles long, a recreation center and an off leash dog park.
Silverlake zip codes are 90026, 90039 and also partially
90028 near Santa Monica and Sunset/Sunset Junction.
Silverlake Architecture
Silverlake includes a high concentration of some of the most
famous modern architects in North America, including John Lautner, John D.
Williams, R.M. Schindler, Alan Siskind, Richard Neutra, Gregory Ain, Ralph
Soriano, David Hyun and Eric Lloyd Wright.
The area also includes many Spanish homes, California bungalow and Craftsman
homes.This reflects the periods
when most of the area was developed.
Some early businesses included Walt Disney?s first Studio,
built in the 1930s at the corner of Griffith Park Blvd and Hyperion (where the
Gelson?s now stands).
The Laurel and Hardy Film ?The Music Box? was filmed on
Vendome and Descanso Drive. The famous flight of stairs is also still there.
Another popular movie filmed in Silverlake was Falling Down.
The scene where Michael Douglas purchases his gear was filmed at the Supply
Sergeant. This store is located in Sunset Junction on Sunset.
The best time to get a sense of Silverlake and its community
is to visit the Sunset Junction Street Fairheld every August. There are carnival rides, live music, and
vendors from many of the stores in the area.
Notable businesses and organizations:
Silverlake Neighborhood Council was
formed in the early 2000s. It includes a 21 member governing board. Silverlake Residents Association
Silverlake Improvement Association
Committee to Save Silverlake Reservoir
Love Craft Bio Fuels, located at Sunset Junction, which
offers conversion kits for diesel engine cars to run on vegetable oil
Silverlake Conservatory of Music, founded by
Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is a non-profit organization that provides
music education to youth in the area.
