Considering Glassell Park Help! (Glendale, Pasadena: low income, rent, crime)

[jessalicious]

I am considering moving to Glassell park. I found an amazing house, great roomates, and good rent. However, I am new to LA and havent heard the best things about Glassell Park (drive-bys, gangs, some seedy locations). I really want to move to this home, but need to consider my safety. I assume of course there are better and worse parts. The house is on Alice street. Does anyone know if this is an okay area to live in? Also, I drove there at night to see the place and it looked like factories and random buildings? Are there good restaurants/entertainment/shopping/etc?

Thanks!

[strategery52]

Alice Street is more in Cypress Park than Glassell Park. But generally, these neighborhoods are pretty similar: Largely Hispanic, relatively quiet but with some gang problems. I wouldn't say it's particularly dangerous, since I live nearby and don't feel afraid walking around, even at night. There isn't really any reason to be walking around at night, though. There's a King Taco nearby and some eateries on Figueroa, but you basically have to go to Glendale or Pasadena (or Eagle Rock) for most of your entertainment, about 15 mins. However, you've got a great location for commuting to downtown LA (20 mins at the height of rush hour, can avoid freeways altogether) or escaping the city (via the open space of the 2 fwy). But yeah, San Fernando Rd cuts an industrial swath through the city all the way to the Valley.

[the one]

as stated this is more cypress park than glassell and it is not as bad as the pocket of streets dominated by the AVEs gang. if you like the house and the house mates then go for it.

and contrary to popular belief you DO have a night life in the surrounding areas. mostly on york, fig and eagle rock. lil cave. verdugo bar. la casa blue. lemongrass rest. this area is changing and you should take advantage of it. you will also be close to the train. a short ride from either downtown or old town pasadena.

i have friends that live on cypress ave, further up in Mt. wash, over on ave 43 and fig and they all love it. theyve never had a problem with crime or anything like that. but this is urban living so always be cautious. stuff can go down just about anywhere these days.

good luck

[karkyco]

Originally Posted by jessalicious

I am considering moving to Glassell park. I found an amazing house, great roomates, and good rent. However, I am new to LA and havent heard the best things about Glassell Park (drive-bys, gangs, some seedy locations). I really want to move to this home, but need to consider my safety. I assume of course there are better and worse parts. The house is on Alice street. Does anyone know if this is an okay area to live in? Also, I drove there at night to see the place and it looked like factories and random buildings? Are there good restaurants/entertainment/shopping/etc?

Thanks!

Ugh, the part you are looking at is not great. It's not horrible, but it's definitely nothing to write home about.

Alice street, los angeles, ca - Google Maps

This location is low income working class, it's going to be heavily blue collar first and second generation Latino and illegal aliens, and if that doesn't tell you what you need to know (that it's not very good, at all), then I don't know what to tell you.

Shopping? Only convenience/liquor stores and little mom and pop shops around there, lots of third world type shops catering to the neighborhood populace, there's a huge third world type supermarket, King Market, that opened up a couple of years ago further up San Fernando (by the 2 FWY), and the Home Depot, further down San Fernando (by the 110 FWY and Figueroa). Along San Fernando where you are indicating is mainly industrial, light manufacturing, but also stores open to the public. Past the 2 freeway you get lots more stores and light manufacturing. Figueroa has lots of stores as well, it depends on what you're looking for. Outside of that you will have to go to Eagle Rock and/or York for your nearest shopping as well as entertainment, or across the 5/2 to Echo Park or Silverlake.

The only positives are (A) that it is centrally located to key parts of the city/county, with numerous freeways close by. (B) Your area also barely began to be gentrified during the housing boom, hopefully this will continue. However more gentrification took place in the more desirable, higher elevation areas located nearby, namely Mount Washington, Echo Park, and of course Silverlake. Eagle Rock as well is behind the curve. Highland Park also has become far more gentrified (though with SOOOOOO much further to go) than the area you are looking at (Cypress Park), as well as Lincoln Heights, and Glassell Park.

Hopefully your rent is dirt cheap.

[the one]

third world type shops? truly astounding!!! no matter how hard some people try they certainly cant hide their ignorance...

[karkyco]

Well, would you prefer something more politically correct and pleasant sounding, such as bodegas?

How else would you describe eateries and ethnic grocery stores that are filthy and certainly not up to the standards of the civilized world, as demonstrated by their awful Health Code violations, scores in the C's at best etc.?

Oh, but I'm sorry...it's simply so ignorant to call a spade a spade. Have you ever driven through that area, or actually shopped in said store? Because I have, chump. If you had, you would either call said stores the same, or be in total denial. I've seen DEAD RATS, HUGE DEAD RATS, that were caught inside said stores, dumped in cardboard boxes used as trash cans right outside the doors of these establishments. At various locations. But I guess it could be worse - at least they weren't using the rats for meat, right?

Perhaps I should simply lie to the OP and tell her that it's a simply FAAAAAAAAAAAAABULOUS neighborhood where things are peachy and wonderful, huh? Absolutely no crime, just a peaceful utopia.

[sgvkev]

Looked at the map and I agree that it's not very good... and "third world shops" does fit those types of markets accurately. How often do you see the small stores that look really unkept on the outside and have a big smell inside in good areas? I haven't seen one yet. Those buildings in the map are NOT pretty...

[streetscenes]

There is a gang in the Cypress Park/Glassel Park area known as the Aves (as in Avenue 41, etc.). This latino gang has been on a rampage agains african-americans and killing black people in there "hood" indiscrimenantly. There was a recent high profile case against some of the gang members and city of LA injuction against them. Not a great area, especially for african-americans. On the other hand my wife has a friend who has lived in Glassel Park all her life, and we go over for dinner, etc. at different times of day/night and have never had any problems. Just don't think I would want to live there.

[mommabear2]

Glassell Park has it's bad areas (Drew Street) but there's also working class families. Staying away from the Drew street area is probably a good idea... that's where some serious gang bangers seem to live for generations (thanks rent control) and that particular area is the source of the areas bad reputation. I don't think any resident (former or current) would dispute this. It's not known for shopping or nightlife, it's just a place to live that's close to everything (downtown Pasadena 15 min, downtown L.A. 10-15 by street, Glendale - less than 5). Unless a person has actually lived there I would take a person's opinion (whose never lived there) with a grain of salt. It's very L.A., some blocks are really nice - (big houses, people parking their BMW's, etc.)... other areas are notoriously sh*tty.

[the one]

i do frequent this area regularly and have never felt like i was in the 3rd world. actually having travelled to the 3rd world i would recognize it. your EXAGERATION is not un PC, ITS JUST RIDICULOUS. meet me at verdugo bar for some drinks. you might like the place.