Cypress Park, Los Angeles, California

Cypress Park is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California, United States.

History

Around 1:45 PM on September 17, 1995, in Cypress Park members of the "Avenues" gang shot a vehicle containing a family returning from a cookout; the vehicle made a wrong turn into an alley. A 3-year old girl named Stephanie Kuhen died, and another occupant of the car sustained injuries. The perpetrators were arrested and convicted. [" [http://articles.latimes.com/1999/jul/18/local/me-57198 Slaying Still Haunts Cypress Park] ." "Los Angeles Times". July 18, 1999.] [" [http://www-cgi.cnn.com/US/9509/wrong_turn/index.html Wrong turn costs a child's life] ." "CNN". September 18, 1995.] [" [http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/02/local/me-18770 Gang Members Sentenced in ‘Wrong Way’ Shooting] ." "Los Angeles Times". August 2, 1997.] [" [http://www-cgi.cnn.com/US/9509/wrong_turn/09-23/pm/index.html Three more arrested in toddler's shooting] ." "CNN". September 23, 1995.] [" [http://www.lapdonline.org/special_operations_support_division/content_basic_view/1013 Community Law Enforcement And Recovery (CLEAR)] ." "The Los Angeles Police Department". Accessed August 27, 2008.] The killing caused a lot of media attention in the United States. ["Child killing sparks action against Los Angeles gangs." "The Christian Science Monitor". September 25, 1995. Volume 87, Issue 210. Page 4.]

Geography

Cypress Park lies about 2.6 miles (4.2 km) north of Downtown Los Angeles. The western boundary of the district is formed by the Los Angeles River. Adjacent communities include Highland Park to the northeast, Mt. Washington to the north, Glassell Park to the northwest, and Lincoln Heights to the east; Elysian Park lies across the L.A. River to the south and west.

The neighborhood is served by Los Angeles City Council district 1 [http://www.lacity.org/council/cd1/pdf/Map_NeighborhoodStreet.pdf LA City Council District 1 map] and California Congressional District 31. The entire community is part of ZIP code 90065 and area code 323.

The community is close to many transportation options. Major arterial thoroughfares, Figueroa Street and San Fernando Road, run through the neighborhood, and there is easy access to the Pasadena and Golden State freeways. The Metro Gold Line also serves the area, with a station on Avenue 26 and Lacy Street.

Neighborhood

Cypress Park is one of the first suburbs of Los Angeles.Fact|date=May 2008 It was developed mostly in the early 20th Century as a working class neighborhood whose main attraction was its proximity to the nearby railroad yards. The population back then was predominantly white and Italian-American.Fact|date=May 2008

Currently Cypress Park has a predominately Spanish speaking Latino population with a significant community of Chinese speakers as well.Fact|date=May 2008 However like many communities in the surrounding area, Cypress Park is undergoing rapid gentrification due to its proximity to both Downtown Los Angeles and Silverlake, plus easy commutes via three freeways (the 5, the 110, and the 2) to Hollywood, Burbank, Pasadena, and the San Fernando Valley.

Cypress Park was the long-time home of the Jeffries family who had a large Victorian house and estate at Cypress Ave and Figueroa St., now the site of Florence Nightingale Middle School. One of the Jeffries' children was James J. Jeffries, the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1899-1905. The Jeffries Family developed one of the real estate tracts in Cypress Park known as the Jeffries-Highland View Tract,Fact|date=May 2008 and there is a street named after them, Jeffries Avenue, that goes from the Los Angeles River Center at Avenue 26 to Isabel Street.

Another notable historic home in Cypress Park is at 901 Isabel St, a 1905 Greek Revival Mansion designed by John C. Austin, architect of the Griffith Observatory and Los Angeles City Hall.Fact|date=May 2008

Cypress Park is also home to The Los Angeles River Center, formerly Lawry's Restaurant, as well as Footsie's, a local bar popular with east-side hipsters.Fact|date=May 2008

Cypress Park is represented by the Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council.

Education

Residents are zoned to Los Angeles Unified School District schools:
* Loreto Street Elementary School
* Aragon Elementary School
* Florence Nightingale Middle School
* A choice between Lincoln High School , Franklin High School

Economic Development

Cypress Park is the home of Antigua Cultural Coffee House founders and Francisco Bravo Medical magnet alumni. The community's first coffee house is a symbol of continue economic development. The coffee house is involved with many fundraising projects and is an example of transcultural businesses in the city of Los Angeles. Cypress park community for years has been an important entity of hard-working classes and major contributors to the city's growth compose of highly professional individuals. Cypress Park is overshadowed by the "famous hill community of Mt. Washington", yet as of recent years it has begun to transform into a gentrified region of northeast Los Angeles.Fact|date=May 2008Many store fronts are showing up along the Figueroa street corridor, which is also a pathway for residents of Mt. Washington and Highland Park.

Notable Facilities/Organizations in Cypress Park

*Los Angeles River Center
*Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council
*Friends of Cypress Park Improvement Association
*C-Tech
*Anahuak Youth Soccer Association
*Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
*El Rio de Los Angeles State Park, also known as Taylor Yard
*Cypress Park Recreation Center
*Cypress Park Branch Library
*The Opts and their garage

References

External links

* [http://www.gcpnc.info/ Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council]
* [http://www.lamountains.com/planning_river.html Los Angeles River Center]
* [http://www.folar.org/ Friends of the L.A. River]