On one of my first bus trips from my residence in West Adams/Jefferson Park/USC quadrant to West Hollywood, I was noticing the shift in neighborhoods, demographics, architecture, etc, and could not help but notice and want to find out more about this stretch of a gated community right smack dab in the middle of working-class Los Angeles. So, I did some research about this area west of Crenshaw and south of Venice and found it it is called "Lafayete Square". The houses in this area are really nice. Architectural styles include Neo-Federalist, Craftsman, Italianate and Spanish Revival, as well as several notable examples of early Modern. According to a Los Angeles Times real-estate section article on the district, "Most of the properties have period details: Juliet balconies, mahogany staircases and libraries, sitting rooms, stained glass windows, triple crown molding, soaring ceilings—even four-car garages."
Through the past century, the demographics of the area has changed from all-white to nearly all-black, to today majority black with new asian, white, and latino couples priced out of L.A.'s nearby westside. Yeah, its getting a little gentrified (im not a big fan of gentrification), but for the most part, old Black families are not selling these beautiful homes and are passing em down to the younger generation. Also, there are bans on multifamily/apt-type settlements in the area, so its full of couples and families, which makes it seem calm and all family-oriented.
For the most part, I really like the architectural contrasts of the area. Still, I find it kinda weird that it's gated. (??--hate gates around neighborhoods)
My oh my, how LA intrigues me sometimes.
Lafayette Square:
Wat's hood son?
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