| The Byzantine-Latino Quarter area is an older
residential and commercial Los Angeles neighborhood. Pico Boulevard,
the "Main Street" of the neighborhood, is a predominantly Latino commercial
strip. It has an intact street wall in which almost all the storefronts
meet the sidewalk with no building setback. The storefronts create
an even rhythm of windows, doorways, and facades. Many have residential
units on the top floors. Most of the retail stores have a "mom & pop"
quality, selling a variety of goods. Newer strip malls, characterized
by large setbacks and a front parking lot, are located on Pico east of
Vermont. The newer strip mall developments suffer from higher vacancy
rates than the older retail storefronts in the neighborhood.
There are several cultural and civic establishments
in the project area. Along and near Pico Boulevard are St. Sophia
Greek Orthodox Cathedral, St. Thomas Catholic Church, Berendo Middle School,
Menlo Adult School and Loyola High School, a vacant historic Masonic Temple,
an old Masonic Lodge, and a convalescent home. The only park space in the
project area, Normandie Recreation Center, is a block south of Pico on
Normandie.
Pico Boulevard is lined with ficus trees, although
the rhythm of tree placement is very uneven. The trees' roots have
damaged the sidewalks in several areas. This section of Pico also
has a few historic street lamps -- although they are rare. While
many buildings and storefronts have striking historical elements, most
are in need of repair. Early 20th century mixed-use apartment buildings
often feature interesting architectural detail. One of these older
apartment buildings, located at Pico and Fedora, is covered with an intricate
pattern of glazed tiles.
The surrounding residential blocks showcase
a wide variety of housing types. Housing varies from Craftsman, Colonial
Revival, and Mediterranean houses, to single story bungalows, to "dingbat"
apartment buildings. Residential street types also vary.
Some, like Westmoreland and Menlo, are wide, palm tree-lined residential
boulevards while others, like Orchard, are small-scale, cottage-lined streets. |
