San Vicente Boulevard
Encyclopedia
San Vicente Boulevard is a major northwest-southeast thoroughfare located in the western portion of the Metropolitan Area
of the U.S. city of Los Angeles
, California
.
Built in the early 20th century and named for the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica
that had previously occupied the area, the Boulevard ran from the Soldiers' Home Sawtelle Veterans Home
to Ocean avenue in Santa Monica. This tree-lined street was 130 feet wide, with trolley lines used by the Los Angeles Pacific Electric Railway Pacific Electric Railway
running down its center. It was oiled and surfaced in 1906 and, when completed, it "made one of the finest drives in the country".
(Luther A. Ingersoll: Ingersoll's Century History, Santa Monica Bay Cities, 1908)
Today the boulevard begins at Venice Boulevard between Crenshaw Boulevard and La Brea Avenue
and travels in a northwesterly direction towards Beverly Hills
. The roadway splits into two streets past La Cienega Boulevard, with the western branch becoming Burton Way, which eventually becomes Santa Monica Boulevard South and connects directly to Downtown Beverly Hills. San Vicente Boulevard itself continues north into West Hollywood
and ends at Sunset Boulevard
(served by Metro Local
line 305 and Metro Express
line 550). A separate stretch of road with the same name, San Vicente Boulevard, runs from Santa Monica
to Brentwood
.
Locating an address on San Vicente Blvd can be especially tricky. The easternmost end at Venice Blvd begins with the number 4600, and increases to the west. By Los Angeles convention, since there is no E. San Vicente Blvd, i.e. the boulevard does not go east of Main St., San Vicente Blvd is not termed W. San Vicente Blvd. The address numbers continue to increase up to 6600 at Wilshire Blvd. Two complications begin at Wilshire Blvd. Firstly, since San Vicente Blvd does not follow the overall grid of Los Angeles but rather a slowly arcing curve, the intersection at Wilshire Blvd is chosen as the point where the numbering switches from east-west numbers to north-south numbers with respect to the city grid. Secondly, between Wilshire Blvd and La Cienega Blvd, the median of San Vicenete forms a border between Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The east side of San Vicente is known as S. San Vicente Blvd, with numbering decreasing between 700 at the Wilshire end and 400 at the La Cienega end—even numbers only. The west side of San Vicente is known as N. San Vicente Blvd, with numbering increasing between 100 at the Wilshire end and 300 at the La Cienega end—odd numbers only. North of La Cienega, both sides of the street are in Los Angeles. The numbering continues accordingly as 400 S. San Vicente Blvd. The street becomes N. San Vicente Blvd at Gracie Allen Dr. As in the rest of Los Angeles, the numbers at the city's grid axis start with 100. Numbers 0-99 are not used. At 300 N. San Vicente Blvd, the boulevard enters the City of West Hollywood at Beverly Blvd. The street name and numbering do not change. The street terminates at Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood at the number 1100 N. San Vicente.
A second San Vicente Blvd begins in the Brentwood neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. This street is unrelated to the former except in name. Once again, and for the same reason at before, this street is not known as W. San Vicente Blvd. However, some navigation systems call this street West San Vicente to differentiate it from the other. This San Vicente Blvd begins at Wilshire Blvd west of Interstate 405. This second intersection of Wilshire Blvd and San Vicente Blvd is five and one-half miles west of the former. Once again, the numbering increases to the west, beginning with the number 11400 at Wilshire Blvd. As the street continues, it eventually crosses the border of the City of Santa Monica, and does not change names, at Santa Monica's 26th St. The last number on San Vicente Blvd in Los Angeles' address grid is 13100. On the Santa Monica side, the numbering follows that city's grid and begins at 2600 and decreases towards the ocean. At Ocean Avenue
, San Vicente Blvd has its western terminus at the number 100.
San Vicente curves diagonally and cuts through both east-west and north-south streets, allowing quick access between Downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills or West Hollywood.
--
In summer 2011, construction will begin on the San Vicente median between Pico Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.
Planning meetings have taken place in the affected Olympic Park Neighborhood Council, Pico Neighborhood Council, and the Mid-City West Community Council. Money for the project is coming from these three councils and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA). The Olympic Park Neighborhood Council is committing $30,000 for the project. According to the Beverly Press (4/21/2011), "The plan calls for the medians between Fairfax Avenue and Pico Boulevard to be adorned with new trees, a walking path and seating areas. Trees and plaques at the intersections at Pico Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, identifying them as gateways, will also be installed."
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of the U.S. city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Built in the early 20th century and named for the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica
Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica
Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given by governor Juan Alvarado in 1839 to Francisco Sepulveda soldier and citizen of Los Angeles...
that had previously occupied the area, the Boulevard ran from the Soldiers' Home Sawtelle Veterans Home
Sawtelle Veterans Home
The Sawtelle Veterans Home was a care home for disabled American veterans in what is today part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area in California in the United States. The Home, formally the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, was established in 1887 on of Rancho...
to Ocean avenue in Santa Monica. This tree-lined street was 130 feet wide, with trolley lines used by the Los Angeles Pacific Electric Railway Pacific Electric Railway
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
running down its center. It was oiled and surfaced in 1906 and, when completed, it "made one of the finest drives in the country".
(Luther A. Ingersoll: Ingersoll's Century History, Santa Monica Bay Cities, 1908)
Today the boulevard begins at Venice Boulevard between Crenshaw Boulevard and La Brea Avenue
La Brea Avenue
La Brea Avenue is a prominent north/south thoroughfare in Los Angeles. Several museums are located along La Brea, and it is known for having many stores and eateries.-Description:...
and travels in a northwesterly direction towards Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. The roadway splits into two streets past La Cienega Boulevard, with the western branch becoming Burton Way, which eventually becomes Santa Monica Boulevard South and connects directly to Downtown Beverly Hills. San Vicente Boulevard itself continues north into West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
and ends at Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
(served by Metro Local
Metro Local
Metro Local is a bus system in Los Angeles County operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . This retronym designation was placed to differentiate it from the Metro Rapid service...
line 305 and Metro Express
Metro Express
Metro Express is a form of express bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Buses are usually express for a portion of the route, then run either local or limited stop in other areas...
line 550). A separate stretch of road with the same name, San Vicente Boulevard, runs from Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
to Brentwood
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Brentwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, the border of Topanga State...
.
Locating an address on San Vicente Blvd can be especially tricky. The easternmost end at Venice Blvd begins with the number 4600, and increases to the west. By Los Angeles convention, since there is no E. San Vicente Blvd, i.e. the boulevard does not go east of Main St., San Vicente Blvd is not termed W. San Vicente Blvd. The address numbers continue to increase up to 6600 at Wilshire Blvd. Two complications begin at Wilshire Blvd. Firstly, since San Vicente Blvd does not follow the overall grid of Los Angeles but rather a slowly arcing curve, the intersection at Wilshire Blvd is chosen as the point where the numbering switches from east-west numbers to north-south numbers with respect to the city grid. Secondly, between Wilshire Blvd and La Cienega Blvd, the median of San Vicenete forms a border between Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The east side of San Vicente is known as S. San Vicente Blvd, with numbering decreasing between 700 at the Wilshire end and 400 at the La Cienega end—even numbers only. The west side of San Vicente is known as N. San Vicente Blvd, with numbering increasing between 100 at the Wilshire end and 300 at the La Cienega end—odd numbers only. North of La Cienega, both sides of the street are in Los Angeles. The numbering continues accordingly as 400 S. San Vicente Blvd. The street becomes N. San Vicente Blvd at Gracie Allen Dr. As in the rest of Los Angeles, the numbers at the city's grid axis start with 100. Numbers 0-99 are not used. At 300 N. San Vicente Blvd, the boulevard enters the City of West Hollywood at Beverly Blvd. The street name and numbering do not change. The street terminates at Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood at the number 1100 N. San Vicente.
A second San Vicente Blvd begins in the Brentwood neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. This street is unrelated to the former except in name. Once again, and for the same reason at before, this street is not known as W. San Vicente Blvd. However, some navigation systems call this street West San Vicente to differentiate it from the other. This San Vicente Blvd begins at Wilshire Blvd west of Interstate 405. This second intersection of Wilshire Blvd and San Vicente Blvd is five and one-half miles west of the former. Once again, the numbering increases to the west, beginning with the number 11400 at Wilshire Blvd. As the street continues, it eventually crosses the border of the City of Santa Monica, and does not change names, at Santa Monica's 26th St. The last number on San Vicente Blvd in Los Angeles' address grid is 13100. On the Santa Monica side, the numbering follows that city's grid and begins at 2600 and decreases towards the ocean. At Ocean Avenue
Ocean Avenue (Santa Monica)
Ocean Avenue is a road in Santa Monica, California that starts at the residential Adelaide Drive on the north end of Santa Monica and ends at Pico Boulevard...
, San Vicente Blvd has its western terminus at the number 100.
San Vicente curves diagonally and cuts through both east-west and north-south streets, allowing quick access between Downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills or West Hollywood.
--
In summer 2011, construction will begin on the San Vicente median between Pico Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.
Planning meetings have taken place in the affected Olympic Park Neighborhood Council, Pico Neighborhood Council, and the Mid-City West Community Council. Money for the project is coming from these three councils and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA). The Olympic Park Neighborhood Council is committing $30,000 for the project. According to the Beverly Press (4/21/2011), "The plan calls for the medians between Fairfax Avenue and Pico Boulevard to be adorned with new trees, a walking path and seating areas. Trees and plaques at the intersections at Pico Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, identifying them as gateways, will also be installed."