Mid City (also Mid-City) is a neighborhood in

Central Los Angeles __NOTOC__ Central Los Angeles is the historic urban region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Geography The City of Los Angeles The Los Angeles Department of City Planning divides the city into Area Planning Commission (APC) areas, each fur ...

, California. Attractions include

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

s and a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

named for singer

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

, who had his recording studio in Mid City. The neighborhood hosts eleven public and private schools. The K Line from north-south is proposed to serve this area.

Geography

Mid-City Neighborhood planter decoration at Burnside Avenue Crossing of Ballona Creek

City of Los Angeles boundaries

The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation has posted Mid City signage to mark the area. City installed signs are at the following intersections (from east to west): Hoover Street and Washington Boulevard, Vermont Avenue and Pico Boulevard, Western Avenue and Pico Boulevard, Normandie Avenue and the Santa Monica Freeway, and La Brea Avenue and the Santa Monica Freeway.

Google Maps

Google Maps outlines an area labeled "Mid City" that roughly runs from Hoover Street on the east to La Cienega Boulevard and Robertson Boulevard on the west. The north is roughly bordered by Olympic Boulevard, and the Santa Monica Freeway is on the south.

Mapping L.A. boundaries

The

Mapping L.A. Mapping L.A. is a project of the ''Los Angeles Times'', beginning in 2009, to draw boundary lines for 158 cities and unincorporated places within Los Angeles County, California. It identified 114 neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles and 42 ...

project of the ''Los Angeles Times'' states as follows: Mid City is bounded on the north by

Pico Boulevard Pico may refer to: Places The Moon * Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin Portugal * Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde * Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribei ...

, on the east by

Crenshaw Boulevard Crenshaw Boulevard is a north-south thoroughfare in Los Angeles, California, that runs through Crenshaw and other neighborhoods along a 23-mile (37.76 km) route in the west-central part of the city. The street extends between Wilshire Boulevar ...

, on the south by the Santa Monica Freeway, on the southwest by

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

and National boulevards, on the west by

Robertson Boulevard Robertson Boulevard is a street in Los Angeles, in the U.S. state of California, that also passes through the incorporated cities of West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Culver City. Location Robertson Boulevard is a major north–south thoroughfa ...

and on the northwest by Cadillac Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard.''The Thomas Guide,'' 2006, pp. 632-3 It is flanked by

Carthay Carthay is a half-square-mile neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California. It contains Carthay Circle, Carthay Square and South Carthay. Mid-Wilshire to the north, Arlington Heights to the east,

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...

and

West Adams West Adams is a historic neighborhood in the South Los Angeles region of Los Angeles, California. The area is known for its large number of historic buildings, structures and notable houses and mansions throughout Los Angeles. It is a youth ...

to the south, Palms to the southwest,

Beverlywood Beverlywood is a neighborhood in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. History Beverlywood was developed in 1940 by Walter H. Leimert, who also developed Leimert Park. The neighborhood consists of 1,354 single family homes, and wa ...

to the west and Pico-Robertson to the northwest.

Ballona Creek

Three bridges in Mid-City cross over Ballona Creek, at Hauser Blvd., Burnside Ave. and Thurman Ave.

Population

The 2000 U.S. census counted 52,197 residents in the 3.47-square-mile neighborhood—an average of 15,051 people per square mile, among the highest

population densities Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...

. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 55,016. The median age for residents was 31, about average for both the city and the county. Mid City was said to be "highly diverse" when compared to the city at large, with a diversity index of 0.637. The ethnic breakdown in 2000 was: Latinos, 45.2%;

blacks Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in s ...

, 38.3%;

whites White is a racialized classification of people and a skin color specifier, generally used for people of European origin, although the definition can vary depending on context, nationality, and point of view. Description of populations as " ...

, 9.5%;

Asians Asian people (or Asians, sometimes referred to as Asiatic people)United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purpos ...

, 3.9%; and others, 3.1%. Mexico (46) and El Salvador (15.6%) were the most common places of birth for the 35.1% of the residents who were born abroad, a figure that was considered average for the city and county. The median household income in 2008 dollars was $43,711, considered average for the city. The percentage of households earning $20,000 or less was high, compared to the county at large. The average household size of 2.8 people was just about average for Los Angeles. Renters occupied 68.9% of the housing units, and home- or apartment owners the rest. The percentages of never-married men (43.2%) and never-married women (35%) were among the county's highest. The census found 2,748 families headed by single parents, the 23.4% rate being considered high for both the city and the county.

Enclaves

Smaller neighborhoods within Mid City include: * Reynier Village.

Rocha House Rocha House is a historic site in Los Angeles, California, that was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #13 in 1963. It is located in Reynier Village in Mid-City, Los Angeles. Originally part of Rancho Rincón de Los Bueyes, t ...

, the 13th Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, is located in the village. * Lafayette Square, a historic semi-gated neighborhood. It was designated by the city as a

Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zone The Historic Preservation Overlay Zone of the City of Los Angeles in California has been hailed by historic preservation advocates for its pioneering program, which designates not just buildings but entire neighborhoods or districts as worthy of h ...

in 2000. * Brookside * Crestview *

Little Ethiopia Little Ethiopia may refer to: * Little Ethiopia, Los Angeles Little Ethiopia is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles. It is known for its collection of Ethiopian restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques and thrift stores. History ...

* Picfair Village * Faircrest Heights * La Cienega Heights *

Wellington Square Wellington Square may refer to: * A neighbourhood in Burlington, Ontario, Canada * Wellington Square, Chelsea, a garden square in Chelsea, London * A square in Hastings, on the south coast of England * A square in Kolkata, India, renamed Subodh ...

Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...

* Arlington Heights

Transportation

Electric railways (-1960s)

Mid City was a key junction and terminus in the days of the electric railways from the early 1900s through the end of service in the 1963. The Rimpau Loop in Mid City was an important terminus of the

Los Angeles Railway The Los Angeles Railway (also known as Yellow Cars, LARy and later Los Angeles Transit Lines) was a system of streetcars that operated in Central Los Angeles and surrounding neighborhoods between 1895 and 1963. The system provided frequent loc ...

("Yellow Cars") streetcars. The Pico Blvd. city streetcar line "P" turned around here in the Rimpau Loop. From here, Santa Monica city buses ran to Downtown Santa Monica, and to this day, Pico and Rimpau is the terminus for several

Santa Monica Transit Big Blue Bus (stylized, big blue bus) is a municipal bus service serving the city of Santa Monica and the greater Westside region of Los Angeles County. The service, operated by the city of Santa Monica, was founded on April 14, 1928 and thro ...

lines. Vineyard Junction in Mid City was where Pacific Electric "Red Car" lines converged. The lines ran from Downtown Los Angeles south to Venice Boulevard, then West along Venice to Vineyard Junction. From here they went along Venice Blvd. to

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

and

Redondo Beach Redondo Beach (Spanish for ''round'') is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located in the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the Greater Los Angeles area. It is one of three adjacent Beach Cities, b ...

; while others went along San Vicente Blvd. northwest toward what is now

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...

as well as via

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...

to Santa Monica. It was the site of an accident on July 13, 1913, in which two wooden streetcars crashed into each other, with 14 people dead and 200 people injured. As a result, the Pacific Electric ordered its future cars to be made of steel, and it was recommended that signaling be introduced on the PE's lines.

Today

As part of their long-range plans, the Los Angeles County MTA has proposed an extension of the K Line, which would place a rail transit station in Mid City. The proposed rail stop is at the intersection of Pico and San Vicente Boulevards—site of the old Vineyard Junction. The old Vineyard Junction site is now occupied by the end terminal for the Santa Monica

Big Blue Bus Big Blue Bus (stylized, big blue bus) is a municipal bus service serving the city of Santa Monica and the greater Westside region of Los Angeles County. The service, operated by the city of Santa Monica, was founded on April 14, 1928 and thro ...

. The K Line would allow Mid City residents to easy access to the city's east/west rail lines: the D Line along Wilshire Boulevard, the E Line from

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...

to Downtown Santa Monica, and the C Line from Norwalk to Redondo Beach and soon near LAX. Currently, the Mid City alignment is unfunded and part of the K Line's

Crenshaw Northern Extension Rail Project The Metro K Line Northern Extension is a project planning a Los Angeles Metro Rail light rail transit corridor extension connecting Expo/Crenshaw station to Hollywood/Highland station in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood. The corridor is a north- ...

. DASH Midtown serves the Mid City area.

Landmarks and attractions

* Nate Holden Performing Arts Center – Located at 4718 West Washington Boulevard, the center is the home of the Ebony Repertory Theater Company. * The Del Mar Theater – Located at 5036 W. Pico Boulevard, the theater's blue and yellow neon facade was re-lit in 2003 as part of the non-profit "Pico Revitalization Project". *

The Comedy Union ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speak ...

– Located at 5040 W. Pico Boulevard, The Comedy Union is a comedy club that showcases black comedians. *

Midtown Crossing Pico/Rimpau is an area of Mid-City, Los Angeles, at the junction of Pico Boulevard, Rimpau Street, San Vicente Boulevard, Venice Boulevard, Vineyard Avenue and West Boulevard. This area is the location of several key former and current transportat ...

, a

retail power center A retail park is a type of shopping centre found on the fringes of most large towns and cities in the United Kingdom and other European countries. They form a key aspect of European retail geographies, alongside indoor Shopping center, shopping ...

on the site of the former large Sears store (1930s–1990s) at Pico and Rimpau * The Mint – Located at 6010 W. Pico Boulevard, The Mint is a music club that was established in 1937. Past performers include Macy Gray, The Wallflowers, and Natalie Cole. * Beth Chayim Chadashim – recognized by the

Los Angeles Conservancy The Los Angeles Conservancy is a historic preservation organization in Los Angeles, California. It works to document, rescue and revitalize historic buildings, places and neighborhoods in the city. The Conservancy is the largest membership based ...

for its "cultural significance" as the world's first lesbian and gay

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

* Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles – Local branch of the restaurant chain. *United States Post Office, Ray Charles Station – An existing post office at 4960 West Washington Boulevard was renamed in honor of singer

in 2005.

Parks and recreation

*Gladys Jean Wesson Park, 2508 S W Blvd *Vineyard Recreation Center, 2942 Vineyard Ave *Mascot Park, Mascot Street and Pickford Street *Washington Irving Pocket Park, 4103 W. Washington Blvd *Mid City has an aquatic gym in the name of Eleanor Green Roberts Aquatic Center located on 4526 W Pico Blvd

Education

Mid City residents aged 25 and older holding a four-year degree amounted to 16.8% of the population in 2000, about average for both the city and the county. These are the elementary or secondary schools within the neighborhood's boundaries: Hamilton High School LAUSD Entrance

The

Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a public school district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the 2nd largest public school district in ...

(LAUSD) operates public schools: * Hamilton High School, 2955 Robertson Boulevard * Saturn Street Elementary School, 5360 Saturn Street * Los Angeles Senior High, 4650 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, 90019 * Alta Loma Elementary School, 1745 Vineyard Avenue * Shenandoah Street Elementary School, 2450 Shenandoah Street * Virginia Road Elementary School, 2925 Virginia Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 * Marvin Avenue Elementary School, 2411 S Marvin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90016 * Cienega Elementary School, 2611 S Orange Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90016 * Futuro College Preparatory Elementary School, LAUSD charter, 3838 Rosemead Avenue * Crescent Heights Boulevard Elementary School, alternative school, 1661 South Crescent Heights Boulevard * Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, alternative school, 5931 West 18th Street

Community Magnet School Community Magnet Charter School (CMCS) is a magnet school, magnet primary school of the Los Angeles Unified School District, located in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California. It was previously located on the property of the Los An ...

, an arts and humanities magnet primary school, was located in Mid City since its founding in 1977,Groves, Martha.
'Blue Ribbon' School's Move Criticized
" ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

''. December 5, 1999. Retrieved on January 15, 2012.Mithers, Carol Lynn. "LAUSD's Building Fantasy." (Opinion section) ''

''. January 13, 2002
1
Retrieved on January 15, 2012. for a period of around 25 years. It had been located in an area within the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies campus. By October 2002, Community Magnet had moved to its new location in Bel-Air. Previously the community was home to the Open Magnet Charter School, which was located on the campus of the Crescent Heights School. The Open school later moved to

Westchester Westchester most commonly refers to Westchester County, New York, immediately north of New York City. __NOTOC__ It may also refer to: Geography Canada *Westchester Station, Nova Scotia, Canada United States *Town of Westchester, the original seat ...

. Current charter school includes Stella Middle Charter Academy

Notable residents

* Harold Harby, Los Angeles City Council member, 1939–42, 1943–57Ted Thackrey Jr., "Harold Harby Services Set; Longtime L.A. Councilman,"
''Los Angeles Times,'' November 29, 1978, page A-30 * Charles Bukowski, 1931–42, then returned in 1947 *

Earl Sweatshirt Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, ...

, rapper, record producer and songwriter from Los Angeles * Blueface, rapper, grew up in Mid City for most of his youth.

References

Notes

External links

* {{Los Angeles Neighborhoods in Los Angeles Central Los Angeles Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zones Wilshire, Los Angeles West Los Angeles Westside (Los Angeles County)