Studio City, Los Angeles, California

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For other uses, see Studio City (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 34°08′37″N 118°23′43″W / 34.14357, -118.39526 Studio City is a four-square-mile district in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is bounded roughly by Ethel Avenue to the west, Highway 101 to the north and east, and Mulholland Drive and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south.

[edit] Origin of Name

Studio City Theater, now a Barnes & Noble branch

Studio City earned its name in the 1920s when Mack Sennett moved his studios from a neighborhood known as Edendale (near Echo Park) to a property near Colfax Avenue and Ventura Boulevard. His soundstages, Mack Sennett Studios, were later renamed Mascot Pictures Studios, Republic Pictures Studios, MTM Enterprises Studios and today are known as the CBS Radford Studios.[1]

[edit] Geography

Studio City is located in the south east part of the San Fernando Valley. It is connected to Los Angeles' vast network of freeways by Highway 101. Access to other parts of the city is also provided by Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Coldwater Canyon Avenue, and Ventura/Cahuenga Boulevards. Its main thoroughfare is Ventura Boulevard, where the bulk of its commercial activity resides.

The area, like many parts of L.A., has seen a great deal of tear-down building, with large condominiums replacing single family homes, and a surge in retail. A local golf and tennis facility is in danger of being displaced by a senior residential complex. Nearby, the historic Sportsmen's Lodge is also threatened with eventual redevelopment; however, negotiations among the Los Angeles Conservancy, Studio City Residents Association, and the facility's owner have led to the suggestion of public review before any planned alterations to this site.^[1] Traffic and parking problems have recently worsened, and the construction of parking structures has not made a visible improvement.

[edit] Population

Dupar's Restaurant, Ventura Blvd.

According to the 2000 San Fernando Valley Almanac, Studio City has a population of 25,841 people and 13,086 households. The median home price is $811,000. The population demography is 81.6% White (much of the white population is Jewish or of Middle Eastern descent), 8.1% Latino, 5.8% Asian, and 8.6% African American. True to the city's name, many residents work in film, television and media. [2]

Like its neighbor Sherman Oaks, Studio City has seen a surge in restaurants of note in past decades[3], including a number of high quality sushi bars, two top delis and many restaurants known for fine dining (such as Firefly, Spark, La Loggia and Outtake Cafe). There are relatively few fast-food restaurants.

The area is served by two publications with local content. The Studio City Sun (part of a regional chain) covers issues such as development and traffic, and keeps up with local celebrities. Studio City Lifestyle, an advertiser-friendly glossy magazine, is partial to profiles and pieces on merchants.

[edit] Landmarks

Studio City Hand Car Wash, Ventura Boulevard

CBS Studio Center
Ventura/Laurel Canyon shopping districts
Fryman Canyon Park
Los Angeles River walk [4]
Exterior of Brady Bunch house [5]
Exterior of the Wilkersons' House (Malcolm in the Middle) - 12334 Cantura Street
Exterior of the "Gidget" house (SE corner Hortense St. and Beeman Ave.)
Sacred Heart set from Scrubs

[edit] Local Government Officials

Studio City is part of the 2nd City Council District of Los Angeles, represented by Councilwoman Wendy Greuel. The area is also represented by Los Angeles County District 3 Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, District 23 California state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, California state Assemblyman Mike Feuer and US Congressman Howard Berman.Studio City is also represented by the Studio City Neighborhood Council under Council President Ben Neumann.

[edit] Education

[edit] Primary and secondary schools

[edit] Public schools

Walter Reed Middle School

Studio City is zoned to Los Angeles USD schools [6].

Carpenter Avenue Elementary School (in Studio City), Walter Reed Middle School (in Studio City), and North Hollywood High School (in Valley Village) serve the community.^[2]

[edit] Private schools

Studio City is also home to the following private schools: Campbell Hall Episcopal School, Oakwood Elementary School, Harvard-Westlake School's Upper School as well Bridges Academy, a private middle and high school for gifted students with learning disabilities.^[2]