Palms, Los Angeles, California
Encyclopedia
Palms ˈpɑːlmz is a community founded in 1886 in West Los Angeles, California, and was the oldest neighborhood annexed to the city of Los Angeles
, in 1915. The 1886 tract was marketed as an agricultural and vacation community. Today it is a primarily residential area, with a large number of apartment buildings, ribbons of commercial zoning and a quiet single-family residential area in its northwest corner.
, where in 1819 Agustín and Ygnacio Machado, along with Felipe Talamantes and his son, Tomás, acquired grazing rights
to 14000 acres (56.7 km²) of land. It was thenceforth used as grazing land
for cattle and sheep.
According to Culver City History, a 2001 work by Julie Lugo Cerra, published for the Culver City Unified School District
:
Agustin Machado died in 1865, the same year La Ballona School was constructed to serve all elementary-age children within the Ballona School District. In 1871, Ygnacio Saenz established a general store
at the crossing which later became Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue. (Three corners of that intersection are in Culver City and one is in Palms.) The store, which was also a way stop on the county road between Los Angeles and the ocean, also housed the area's first post office.
By 1882, the county's electoral district serving Palms was known as Ballona, with voting at La Ballona School.
La Ballona Valley was part of that land rush. In 1882, several Midwestern families chartered a reconditioned freight car and left their homes in Le Mars, Iowa
, to settle in the valley. They held their first Sunday school
in the old La Ballona School on Washington Boulevard, and in fall 1883 they organized a United Brethren Church
with 11 members.
About that time the valley drew the attention of three speculators — Joseph Curtis, Edward H. Sweetser, and C.J. Harrison. They paid $40,000 for 500 acres (2 km²). They surveyed their land and cut it up, and then they sold it to the new arrivals. They planted 5,000 trees along eight miles (13 km) of graded streets. They named it The Palms, even though they had to bring in palm trees and plant them near the train station. Their first tract map was dated December 26, 1886, which is now considered the birth date of Palms.
The location for the new subdivision was partially based on the fact that the site was midway between Los Angeles and Santa Monica
on the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad
(which later became part of the Pacific Electric
"Red Car" system). Before the massive urban growth engendered by the Los Angeles Aqueduct
, Palms was the center of a farming and ranching area.
The residential development of a vast area west of the Los Angeles city limits brought a pressure for annexation to the city. Particularly noted was, first, the construction by L.A. of a new outfall sewer that could serve the area and, second, plans by the city engineer for a flood control project for the La Cienega region. Agitation for annexation was begun by Palms residents, but the reach was extended all the way west to the then-separate city of Sawtelle limits so that municipality could be annexed later.
There were two annexation elections. Both were hard fought. The first, on April 28, 1914, was voted down, according to the Los Angeles Times, "because the people in the suburban territory are afraid of the municipal bond craze, of which the power scheme is the last straw, and the threatened burden of extra high taxation." The vote was 387 in favor and 264 against; a two-thirds vote was needed, so the "yes" vote was shy by 47.
A new petition was almost immediately submitted, leaving out all the areas that had voted against annexation. Nevertheless, Harry Culver
, the founder of Culver City, denounced the new plan as a gerrymander and opposed it. But The Times wrote:
On June 1, 1914, the annexation succeeded, by a 342–136 vote, and on May 4, 1915, Los Angeles voters approved the annexation of the Palms district, as well as that of the extensive San Fernando Valley
. Both Palms and the Valley entered Los Angeles on May 22, 1915.
In the latter part of the 20th Century, much of Palms (except principally for the upscale Westside Village) was rezoned for multiple housing, and now some 92 percent of Palms residents outside of Westside Village live in rented apartments or condominiums. Even in Westside Village the number of renters is about 70 percent because of UCLA family housing and other multiple uses on the main streets.
Since the mid 1990s, Palms has seen an upturn in its fortunes, with the revival of Culver City's adjacent downtown adding new life to the area. The district's diversity, affordability, and central location have made it an appealing center for young professionals seeking alternatives to traffic-choked Westwood
and Santa Monica, but still wanting to live in a diverse urban setting in a neighborhood relatively close to the beach. Palms' growth will probably continue well into the 21st century with the arrival of the Metro Expo Line, a light-rail corridor stretching along Exposition Boulevard from Downtown Los Angeles
to eastern Culver City, southeast of Palms. This line will eventually extend to Santa Monica, mostly along the original Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line right-of-way.
, south of Cheviot Hills
, southeast of Rancho Park
and northeast of Mar Vista
. The 1886 subdivision map filed with Los Angeles County showed Palms as bounded on the northeast by what would today be Manning Avenue.
(It should be noted that this area includes the 10400 block of Irene Street, which has been placed by the city within the bounds of the Westside Neighborhood Council to the north.)
When Palms was annexed to the city of Los Angeles in 1915, the bounds extended westward from Arlington Avenue on the southeast and about Rimpau Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard on the northeast to Pico and Exposition Boulevards on the northwest. West of Overland Avenue wasn’t annexed until 1927.
The portion of Palms girded by Overland, Sepulveda, National, and Charnock Road was developed just before World War II as Westside Village
and is considered by its property owners' group (the Westside Village Civic Association
) to be a distinct neighborhood.
The Palms Neighborhood Council boundaries were defined by the city to omit Westside Village (which had already been claimed by the Mar Vista Community Council) and the area north and east of National Boulevard, which went to the Westside Neighborhood Council. Petitions were passed in both districts for boundary adjustments.
, 20.2% Asian, 12.2% African-American, 23.4% Latino
, and 5.9% from other races. The median household income was $50,684.
and Spanish Colonial
styles that dominated Southern California in the first quarter of the 20th century. Under pressure to provide affordable housing
, the city of Los Angeles rezoned most of the district for large multifamily dwellings. (Homeowners' associations in Westside Village, Mar Vista, Rancho Park, and Beverlywood successfully banded together to fight against any such rezoning in their neighborhoods.) This had the result of most of Palms' historic housing stock being razed and replaced with two-story (or larger) apartment buildings. Very few original houses remain, and many of those are on lots where additional housing units have been built on what were once backyards. Palms is now one of Los Angeles' most densely populated neighborhoods.
The housing stock in historic Palms is now almost completely composed of apartment buildings, and 92% of the population there are renters. The upscale Westside Village district contains the only significant remaining concentration of owner-occupied single-family home
s, largely constructed by developer Fritz Burns in assembly-line style just before World War II; most of these houses have been expanded during their lifetime, and some have been replaced in recent years by bigger, two-story dwellings. Apartment buildings, including two UCLA family- and graduate-student housing complexes, line even Westside Village's major thoroughfares.
offers a commuter freeway express to downtown in the morning and return in the afternoon.
The Metro Expo Line, currently under construction, will serve the Palms area. Plans call Phase I to become operational in 2011, with its western terminus located near the intersection of Venice and Robertson Boulevards.
Palms' diversity is reflected in its landmarks. Religious sites include the complexes of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
on Watseka Avenue and the Iranian-American
Muslim Association of North America (IMAN) on Motor Avenue.
Palms has a large number of Indian and Pakistani restaurants and businesses. In addition, it is also one of the centers of the Brazilian community in Los Angeles, with a number of Brazilian-oriented restaurants and shops, and one nightclub.
In 1979 the original Chippendales erotic male dancing club at 3739 Overland Avenue at McCune Avenue was started by Bengali immigrant Steve Banerjee when he turned his nightclub-disco, Destiny II, into a venue for male strippers.
The area is host to an unusual museum, the Museum of Jurassic Technology
, and a research institute
, the Center for Land Use Interpretation
. It has a legitimate theater, the Ivy Substation, which is now home to the Actors Gang, led by Tim Robbins
. The Ivy Substation is within Media Park, which has been leased to Culver City on a long-term basis.
The council was certified as part of the city government on December 14, 2004. Its founding president was Len Nguyen, who resigned shortly after his taking office to work for newly elected City Council Member Bill Rosendahl
. Todd Robinson succeeded as the second president, but he resigned a few months later. In March 2006 Vice President Pauline Stout moved up to become president.
All of the stakeholders in Palms are members of the neighborhood council. Stakeholders include not only those who live, work or own property in the district, but also a broader category of people who can claim affiliation through some other kind of activity on behalf of Palms organizations. Three from that category were elected in spring 2005 to the Representative Assembly, a 13-member governing body composed of officers chosen on a districtwide basis and representatives elected from local areas.
operates Station 43, which also serves portions of Rancho Park and Cheviot Hills.
Los Angeles Police Department
operates the Pacific Community Police Station at 12312 Culver Boulevard, 90066, serving the neighborhood.
SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Palms.
Palms Post Office is located at 3751 Motor Avenue.
Residents of Palms are served by schools in the Los Angeles USD.
Elementary schools which serve portions of Palms include:
All residents are served by Palms Middle School, Alexander Hamilton High School
and Venice High School
.
The Lycée Français de Los Angeles
, a French-language school that boasts actress Jodie Foster
among its alumni, occupies several buildings in various parts of the neighborhood. It is in the process of building a new high school campus on Exposition Boulevard at the top of Vinton Avenue.
St. Augustine
School provides Catholic education
for boys and girls through the eighth grade
.
The Notre Dame Academy Girls High School, located at 2851 Overland Avenue is a private Catholic high school.
Palms Middle School is the largest public school within Palms. Its bifurcated campus lies between Woodbine Avenue and Charnock Road. A major highway, Palms Boulevard, runs through it, with a pedestrian tunnel underneath the road to get from one side of the campus to another. Other public schools are Charnock Road, Clover Avenue and Palms elementary schools, as well as Pacifica Community Charter School
.
The Palms-Rancho Park Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library
serves Palms.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, in 1915. The 1886 tract was marketed as an agricultural and vacation community. Today it is a primarily residential area, with a large number of apartment buildings, ribbons of commercial zoning and a quiet single-family residential area in its northwest corner.
Rancho La Ballona
In Spanish and Mexican days, the area that later became Palms was a part of the Rancho La BallonaRancho la Ballona
Rancho La Ballona was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California confirmed by governor Juan Alvarado in 1839 to Ygnacio and Augustin Machado and Felipe and Tomas Talamantes...
, where in 1819 Agustín and Ygnacio Machado, along with Felipe Talamantes and his son, Tomás, acquired grazing rights
Grazing rights
Grazing rights is a legal term referring to the right of a user to allow their livestock to feed in a given area.- United States :...
to 14000 acres (56.7 km²) of land. It was thenceforth used as grazing land
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
for cattle and sheep.
Culver City Unified School District
Culver City Unified School District, abbreviated CCUSD, is a school district located in Culver City, California that serves approximately 6,500 pupils in a variety of schools....
:
- The family lore relates that Agustín was chosen, by virtue of his skill as a horseman to ride his fastest steed, from dawn until dusk, beginning at the foot of the Playa del Rey hills to claim Rancho La Ballona, or Paso de las Carretas. It stretched to Pico BoulevardPico BoulevardPico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA...
(abutting Rancho San Vicente y Santa MonicaRancho San Vicente y Santa MonicaRancho 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...
) and to what we know as Ince Boulevard, where Rancho Rincón de los BueyesRancho Rincon de los BueyesRancho Rincon de los Bueyes was a land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1821 to Bernardo Higuera and Cornelio Lopez by Pablo Vicente de Sola, the Spanish Governor of Alta California. In 1843, this Spanish grant was confirmed by Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena...
began.
Agustin Machado died in 1865, the same year La Ballona School was constructed to serve all elementary-age children within the Ballona School District. In 1871, Ygnacio Saenz established a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
at the crossing which later became Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue. (Three corners of that intersection are in Culver City and one is in Palms.) The store, which was also a way stop on the county road between Los Angeles and the ocean, also housed the area's first post office.
By 1882, the county's electoral district serving Palms was known as Ballona, with voting at La Ballona School.
Land rush and land division
Deke Keasbey, real estate investment specialist for Tierra Properties, has noted that:- "The Southern Pacific completed its Los Angeles route in 1883, and only three years later the Santa Fe finished its Los Angeles spur. With a huge investment in their new coast-to-coast rail lines and large Los Angeles land holdings, the railroads set forth a long-term plan for growth. Southern California citrus farming was born. Tourism and the building of towns were promoted to attract investors, to raise land values, and to increase the value of railroad shipments."
La Ballona Valley was part of that land rush. In 1882, several Midwestern families chartered a reconditioned freight car and left their homes in Le Mars, Iowa
Le Mars, Iowa
Le Mars is a city in and the county seat of Plymouth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,237 at the 2000 census. Le Mars is the home of Wells' Dairy, the world's largest producer of ice cream novelties in one location and is the self-proclaimed "Ice Cream Capital of the World". Wells...
, to settle in the valley. They held their first Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
in the old La Ballona School on Washington Boulevard, and in fall 1883 they organized a United Brethren Church
Church of the United Brethren in Christ
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington, Indiana. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania, as well as close...
with 11 members.
About that time the valley drew the attention of three speculators — Joseph Curtis, Edward H. Sweetser, and C.J. Harrison. They paid $40,000 for 500 acres (2 km²). They surveyed their land and cut it up, and then they sold it to the new arrivals. They planted 5,000 trees along eight miles (13 km) of graded streets. They named it The Palms, even though they had to bring in palm trees and plant them near the train station. Their first tract map was dated December 26, 1886, which is now considered the birth date of Palms.
The location for the new subdivision was partially based on the fact that the site was midway between Los Angeles and 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...
on the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad
Los Angeles and Independence Railroad
The Los Angeles and Independence Railroad , opened October 17, 1875, was a steam powered rail line which travelled from a wharf North of the current Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica along a private right-of-way to 5th and San Pedro Street in downtown Los Angeles...
(which later became part of the Pacific Electric
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...
"Red Car" system). Before the massive urban growth engendered by the Los Angeles Aqueduct
Los Angeles Aqueduct
The Los Angeles Aqueduct system comprising the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, is a water conveyance system operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power...
, Palms was the center of a farming and ranching area.
Since 1886
The subdividers gave the United Brethren Church two lots and $200 in cash to get started. In 1887 the church building was completed, and in 1889 the parsonage was built. In 1908 the old chapel was moved to the rear of the lot and new sanctuary built. In 1916 the old parsonage sold and a new one built. Later a bungalow was added next door to be a Sunday school.Annexation
There were two annexation elections. Both were hard fought. The first, on April 28, 1914, was voted down, according to the Los Angeles Times, "because the people in the suburban territory are afraid of the municipal bond craze, of which the power scheme is the last straw, and the threatened burden of extra high taxation." The vote was 387 in favor and 264 against; a two-thirds vote was needed, so the "yes" vote was shy by 47.
A new petition was almost immediately submitted, leaving out all the areas that had voted against annexation. Nevertheless, Harry Culver
Harry Culver
Harry Hazel Culver was a real estate developer and promoter. He was born in Milford, Nebraska, the middle child of five of Jacob H. and Ada L. Culver, who lived on a farm. At age 18, he enlisted in the Spanish-American War and served as a corporal and sergeant, respectively...
, the founder of Culver City, denounced the new plan as a gerrymander and opposed it. But The Times wrote:
- "This district comprises some of the richest country between the city and the sea and is directly in the path of the residence expansion westward. Because its growth is inevitable and its population certain to be greatly increased soon, advocates of annexation believe the necessity for securing adequate and permanent water rights is urgent and are working diligently to secure the required two-thirds vote."
On June 1, 1914, the annexation succeeded, by a 342–136 vote, and on May 4, 1915, Los Angeles voters approved the annexation of the Palms district, as well as that of the extensive San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. Both Palms and the Valley entered Los Angeles on May 22, 1915.
Rezoning and urban growth
Since the mid 1990s, Palms has seen an upturn in its fortunes, with the revival of Culver City's adjacent downtown adding new life to the area. The district's diversity, affordability, and central location have made it an appealing center for young professionals seeking alternatives to traffic-choked Westwood
Westwood, Los Angeles, California
Westwood is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles .-History:...
and Santa Monica, but still wanting to live in a diverse urban setting in a neighborhood relatively close to the beach. Palms' growth will probably continue well into the 21st century with the arrival of the Metro Expo Line, a light-rail corridor stretching along Exposition Boulevard from Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
to eastern Culver City, southeast of Palms. This line will eventually extend to Santa Monica, mostly along the original Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line right-of-way.
Geography
Palms has no official boundaries, but it lies generally northwest of Culver CityCulver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
, south of Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, California
Cheviot Hills is a small residential district on the West Side of Los Angeles, California. It served as the location for the Three's Company spin-off The Ropers.-Geography:...
, southeast of Rancho Park
Rancho Park, Los Angeles, California
Rancho Park is a small residential neighborhood in West Los Angeles, California with mostly single family homes and tree lined streets. The community is nestled between Westwood and Cheviot Hills. This enclave draws young professionals and families and is home to residents working in a variety of...
and northeast of Mar Vista
Mar Vista, Los Angeles, California
Mar Vista is a district on the West Side of Los Angeles, California.-Geography and transportation:Mar Vista is near the center of LA's West Side. The city of Santa Monica lies to the northwest, West Los Angeles to the north, Palms to the northeast, Culver City to the east, Del Rey to the southwest,...
. The 1886 subdivision map filed with Los Angeles County showed Palms as bounded on the northeast by what would today be Manning Avenue.
When Palms was annexed to the city of Los Angeles in 1915, the bounds extended westward from Arlington Avenue on the southeast and about Rimpau Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard on the northeast to Pico and Exposition Boulevards on the northwest. West of Overland Avenue wasn’t annexed until 1927.
The portion of Palms girded by Overland, Sepulveda, National, and Charnock Road was developed just before World War II as Westside Village
Westside Village, Los Angeles, California
Westside Village was originally part of Rancho La Ballona. The area that later became Westside Village was one of the first housing tracts created in the late 30s and early 40s by developer Fritz B. Burns...
and is considered by its property owners' group (the Westside Village Civic Association
Civic Association
The Hong Kong Civic Association is a political group founded in 1954 in Hong Kong by Dr. Hilton Cheong-Leen. In 1975 it claimed a membership of 10,000....
) to be a distinct neighborhood.
The Palms Neighborhood Council boundaries were defined by the city to omit Westside Village (which had already been claimed by the Mar Vista Community Council) and the area north and east of National Boulevard, which went to the Westside Neighborhood Council. Petitions were passed in both districts for boundary adjustments.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census the population of Palms was 42,545. With a population density of 21,983 people per square mile it is one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Residents were 38.3% whiteWhite people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, 20.2% Asian, 12.2% African-American, 23.4% Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
, and 5.9% from other races. The median household income was $50,684.
Housing
Until the early 1960s, most of Palms was single-family homes and small duplexes and triplexes, most of which were built in the CraftsmanArts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
and Spanish Colonial
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
styles that dominated Southern California in the first quarter of the 20th century. Under pressure to provide affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
, the city of Los Angeles rezoned most of the district for large multifamily dwellings. (Homeowners' associations in Westside Village, Mar Vista, Rancho Park, and Beverlywood successfully banded together to fight against any such rezoning in their neighborhoods.) This had the result of most of Palms' historic housing stock being razed and replaced with two-story (or larger) apartment buildings. Very few original houses remain, and many of those are on lots where additional housing units have been built on what were once backyards. Palms is now one of Los Angeles' most densely populated neighborhoods.
The housing stock in historic Palms is now almost completely composed of apartment buildings, and 92% of the population there are renters. The upscale Westside Village district contains the only significant remaining concentration of owner-occupied single-family home
Single-family home
A single-family detached home, also called a single-detached dwelling or separate house is a free-standing residential building. It is defined in opposition to a multi-family dwelling.- Definitions :...
s, largely constructed by developer Fritz Burns in assembly-line style just before World War II; most of these houses have been expanded during their lifetime, and some have been replaced in recent years by bigger, two-story dwellings. Apartment buildings, including two UCLA family- and graduate-student housing complexes, line even Westside Village's major thoroughfares.
Transportation
Palms is served by the 405 San Diego and 10 Rosa Parks freeways. Its No. 12 Santa Monica Big Blue Bus (and the express Super 12) provide a direct line to UCLA on the north, Culver City on the south and the South Robertson area on the east. Venice Blvd. is served by the Local 33 and Rapid 733 bus lines of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The No. 6 line of Culver CityBus on Sepulveda Blvd. links UCLA with the Los Angeles Airport and the Green Line of the light-rail system, while Culver City's No. 3 line runs from Century City on the north to link with other bus lines at the southern terminus. The Los Angeles Department of TransportationLos Angeles Department of Transportation
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, commonly referred to as LADOT, is an agency created by Los Angeles City Ordinance, and is governed by a citizen commission. The LADOT is best known for providing public transportation to the City of Los Angeles. It currently operates the second largest...
offers a commuter freeway express to downtown in the morning and return in the afternoon.
The Metro Expo Line, currently under construction, will serve the Palms area. Plans call Phase I to become operational in 2011, with its western terminus located near the intersection of Venice and Robertson Boulevards.
Landmarks and attractions
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
on Watseka Avenue and the Iranian-American
Iranian-American
Iranian-Americans are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship.Iranian-Americans are amongst the most highly educated groups in the United States...
Muslim Association of North America (IMAN) on Motor Avenue.
Palms has a large number of Indian and Pakistani restaurants and businesses. In addition, it is also one of the centers of the Brazilian community in Los Angeles, with a number of Brazilian-oriented restaurants and shops, and one nightclub.
In 1979 the original Chippendales erotic male dancing club at 3739 Overland Avenue at McCune Avenue was started by Bengali immigrant Steve Banerjee when he turned his nightclub-disco, Destiny II, into a venue for male strippers.
The area is host to an unusual museum, the Museum of Jurassic Technology
Museum of Jurassic Technology
The Museum of Jurassic Technology is an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the lower jurassic...
, and a research institute
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
, the Center for Land Use Interpretation
Center for Land Use Interpretation
The Center for Land Use Interpretation is a non-profit "research organization involved in exploring, examining, and understanding land and landscape issues...
. It has a legitimate theater, the Ivy Substation, which is now home to the Actors Gang, led by Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis "Tim" Robbins is an American actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is the former longtime partner of actress Susan Sarandon...
. The Ivy Substation is within Media Park, which has been leased to Culver City on a long-term basis.
Neighborhood council
Palms is served by a Los Angeles city-certified neighborhood council, whose governing body, the Palms Neighborhood Council (PNC), meets on the first Wednesday of each month. http://www.Palms-California.usThe council was certified as part of the city government on December 14, 2004. Its founding president was Len Nguyen, who resigned shortly after his taking office to work for newly elected City Council Member Bill Rosendahl
Bill Rosendahl
William Joseph "Bill" Rosendahl is an American politician. He is serving on the Los Angeles City Council, representing Council District 11. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Biography:...
. Todd Robinson succeeded as the second president, but he resigned a few months later. In March 2006 Vice President Pauline Stout moved up to become president.
All of the stakeholders in Palms are members of the neighborhood council. Stakeholders include not only those who live, work or own property in the district, but also a broader category of people who can claim affiliation through some other kind of activity on behalf of Palms organizations. Three from that category were elected in spring 2005 to the Representative Assembly, a 13-member governing body composed of officers chosen on a districtwide basis and representatives elected from local areas.
Public safety
The Los Angeles Fire DepartmentLos Angeles Fire Department
The Los Angeles Fire Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles....
operates Station 43, which also serves portions of Rancho Park and Cheviot Hills.
Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
operates the Pacific Community Police Station at 12312 Culver Boulevard, 90066, serving the neighborhood.
County representation
The Los Angeles County Department of Health ServicesLos Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Palms.
Post office
The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
Palms Post Office is located at 3751 Motor Avenue.
Education
Elementary schools which serve portions of Palms include:
- Palms Elementary School
- Charnock Road Elementary School
- Clover Avenue Elementary School
- Pacifica Community Charter School
All residents are served by Palms Middle School, Alexander Hamilton High School
Alexander Hamilton High School (Los Angeles, California)
Alexander Hamilton High School is a public high school within the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is in the Los Angeles Unified School District.-History:...
and Venice High School
Venice High School (Los Angeles)
Venice High School is a public high school located in western Los Angeles, California within the Los Angeles Unified School District . The school contains a Foreign Language and International Studies Magnet, Bilingual Business and Finance Academy and a New Media Academy...
.
The Lycée Français de Los Angeles
Lycée Français de Los Angeles
Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles is a bicultural independent, private school based in Los Angeles. Offering preschool – 12th grade, the learning institution was founded by Esther and Raymond Kabbaz in 1964 and is structured as a non-profit organization...
, a French-language school that boasts actress Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
among its alumni, occupies several buildings in various parts of the neighborhood. It is in the process of building a new high school campus on Exposition Boulevard at the top of Vinton Avenue.
St. Augustine
St. Augustine
-People:* Augustine of Hippo or Augustine of Hippo , father of the Latin church* Augustine of Canterbury , first Archbishop of Canterbury* Augustine Webster, an English Catholic martyr.-Places:*St. Augustine, Florida, United States...
School provides Catholic education
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
for boys and girls through the eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
.
The Notre Dame Academy Girls High School, located at 2851 Overland Avenue is a private Catholic high school.
Palms Middle School is the largest public school within Palms. Its bifurcated campus lies between Woodbine Avenue and Charnock Road. A major highway, Palms Boulevard, runs through it, with a pedestrian tunnel underneath the road to get from one side of the campus to another. Other public schools are Charnock Road, Clover Avenue and Palms elementary schools, as well as Pacifica Community Charter School
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
.
Public libraries
Los Angeles Public Library
The Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...
serves Palms.