Silver Lake Neighborhood Tours pt. 1-Silver Lake Blvd.

Silver Lake Neighborhood tours are something that Rachel and I did for our Silver Lake Real Estate site. We love this area of Los Angeles. We basically came of age in Silver Lake, spending our 20's and now into our 30's in the restaurants, music venues, coffee shops and boutiques in this wonderful area. We wrote articles about the different areas of Silver Lake to share our own experiences and to show outsiders what this neighborhood is all about. Here is our first installment, Silver Lake Blvd.

Silver Lake Boulevard is the eponymous road going through the hills of Silver Lake. It begins just North of the 101 freeway and passes under Sunset Boulevard then passes the two Silver Lake Dog Parks, and the hiking trail that runs alongside Silver Lake's namesake reservoir before it ends at Glendale Blvd.

Silver Lake Blvd. Through the hills of Silver Lake CA.

Throughout the years this scenic, winding street has become more urbanized and polished while never compromising it's artsy, laid back style. Silver Lake Boulevard has never had a shortage of culture. It houses popular music venues like Spaceland and The Silverlake Lounge. The crowd here is typically young and excruciatingly hip, but even just going for the people watching is a quintessential Silver Lake Experience. For the more mature crowd, Silver Lake Blvd offers fantastic shops, cafes and restaurants. Reservoir and LA Mill Coffee are two newer eateries which recently popped up on the blvd and are always packed with the creative, intellectual Silverlakers who come down from their homes and estates in the hills above. The boutiques that line the street are fashion-forward, artistic and cater to the higher brow set.















As the street crests the hill and runs alongside the reservoir, some of Silver Lake's architectural treasure properties can be seen peeking out through the lush foliage. Silver Lake has more architecturally significant properties per square mile than any other area of Los Angeles. Now-famous architects Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, John Lautner and many others created breathtaking Modern and Avant Garde buildings in the middle part of the 20th century. The star among the group was a Frank Lloyd Wright understudy named Richard Neutra. He was so revered he even had his own cul-de sac just off Silver Lake Blvd called Neutra Place with about 10 modern masterpieces designed in "Pavillion" style. These modern homes have strong horizontal lines and large windows to take in the stunning views. Truly distinctive and unique properties abound in this region of Silver Lake. There are more Neutra homes in Silver Lake than any other place.

















The Silver Lake reservoir is surrounded by hills speckled with these gorgeous homes, a running track on the peripherals of the lake, 2 dog parks (separated by big and little, gotta remember the little guys), tennis courts, a rec center, meeting places, community sports activities and more. The reservoir was named after Herman Silver who was an early Los Angeles water commissioner in the 1900's. This reservoir was one of many built around the LA metro area by the DWP for water management. The reservoir does not provide water for the Silver Lake neighborhood, it actually comes from Eagle Rock.


The Silver Lake Reservoir. In the background is the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory.

Silver Lake Reservoir and the San Gabriel mountains in the distance.

When Silver Lake ends on Glendale Blvd, drivers can see the brand new Silver Lake library, a stunning example of modern architecture that is perfectly suited for Silver Lake's rich modernist architectural history.

Homes around the Silver Lake reservoir are among the most desirable in Silver Lake and Los Angeles at large. Seven figure price tags are common for the vintage and architecturally significant properties nestled in the hills around the sparkling reservoir. There are old Hollywood vintage mansions and Spanish Mission style homes that are as beautiful as anywhere else in California. This area is the high end of Silver Lake, and the arguably the entire East side of Los
Angeles.

The modern homes fetch high price tags, and they are rarely up for sale. These houses are trophy homes for architecturally savvy owners. They are increasing in value despite real estate market turbulence because they are so rare and coveted.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home or property in Silver Lake, Please contact us.

Sky Minor 310-709-8283/Rachel Mintz 323-632-5020