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Virgil Village, Los Angeles

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Coordinates: 34°05′13″N 118°17′16″W / 34.0868902°N 118.2878768°W / 34.0868902; -118.2878768
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Virgil Village
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
Virgil Village Neighborhood Sign located on Virgil Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard
Virgil Village Neighborhood Sign
located on Virgil Avenue
and Santa Monica Boulevard
Virgil Village is located in Los Angeles
Virgil Village
Virgil Village
Location in Central Los Angeles
Coordinates: 34°05′13″N 118°17′16″W / 34.0868902°N 118.2878768°W / 34.0868902; -118.2878768
CountryUS
State California
CountyLos Angeles
CityLos Angeles
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
90029
Area codes323

Virgil Village is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.

History

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In 1985, when the restaurant Cha Cha Cha opened at the corner of Virgil Avenue and Melrose Avenue, the Los Angeles Times questioned its location on Melrose Avenue and described the area as both "graffiti-splattered"[1] and "shabby".[2] Nine years later, in 1994, the Times stated that Cha Cha Cha owner Mario Tamayo had started a "renaissance" in the area.[2]

In 1994, the city, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI), installed banners in the neighborhood with the name Virgil Village.[3] Also that year, Huell Howser visited the neighborhood as part of his PBS series Visiting... with Huell Howser.[4]

In 1996, Virgil Village was one of seven Los Angeles neighborhoods to receive federal funding for improvements. Trees, street lights and bus shelters would be added to the community.[5] The funds were disbursed through LANI and the improvements were focused on Virgil Avenue, the neighborhoods major thoroughfare.[6] By 2007, panaderías, carnicerias and other small, local stores were being replaced with upscale businesses.[7] In 2011, Virgil Village received additional funding from LANI for traffic calming.[8] In 2014, bike lanes and new crosswalks were dedicated at a community event sponsored by Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell.[9]

In the fall of 2016, after 30 years in the neighborhood, Cha Cha Cha restaurant closed and the name Cha Cha Cha was re-used for a condominium development that was built on the restaurant's site.[7] In 2017, after 77 years in the neighborhood, The Smog Cutter, a local bar, closed.[7][10]

In 2018, after a new landlord bought the building, Super Pan Bakery was given a 60-day notice to vacate. Community residents started a change.org petition to help the panadería. After 20 years in Virgil Village, the bakery relocated to South Park in South Los Angeles.[11][12] The bakery was replaced by an upscale bagel shop.[13] In addition to bagels, the owners also sell pandulce they pick up from the South Los Angeles location of Super Pan Bakery.[14]

Geography

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Located in East Hollywood, the neighborhood of Virgil Village is bounded on the north by Santa Monica Boulevard, on the west by Vermont Avenue, on the south by Melrose Avenue, and on the east by Hoover Street. Virgil Village is bordered by Los Feliz on the north, and Silver Lake on the east.[15] Virgil Avenue, the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, is lined with Trumpet Trees.[16]

Landmarks and attractions

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  • The Smog Cutter, 864 N. Virgil Avenue – A dive bar that was open for 77 years. It closed in 2017.[10]
  • The Dog Cafe, 240 N. Virgil Avenue – The first dog café in the United States to offer dogs for foster and adoption on site.[17]

In media

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  • The Virgil, 4519 Santa Monica Boulevard – The bar was used for the drag show where the main characters meet in A Star is Born.[18]

Government

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Virgil Village is within the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council. Virgil Village is identified as district 6.[19]

Education

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There is one public school within the Virgil Village boundaries:

  • Lockwood Avenue Elementary School – 4345 Lockwood Avenue[20]

Parks and recreation

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  • Virgil Village Park – In 1998, the city made a motion to create Virgil Village Park (at Madison Avenue and First Street) through a proposed negotiation with LAUSD.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Finke, Nikki (July 22, 1988). "How an Immigrant From Colombia Cha Cha Cha-ed His Way Into a Chic Set". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Hall, Carla. "The Close of a Flamboyant Life : Style: Restaurateur and Latin art promoter Mario Tamayo dies. He started renaissance on eastern Melrose". Los Angeles Times. No. May 14, 1994. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Council File 95-1044". LACity.org. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "Virgil Village-Visiting (203)". Chapman.edu. Chapman University. September 4, 1994. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  5. ^ "U.S. Gives $1.6 Million for Neighborhoods". Los Angeles Times. May 11, 1996. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Merl, Jean (February 7, 1996). "Results Take Root in Community-Led Make-Overs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2022. ....Centered on Virgil Avenue between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.....
  7. ^ a b c Shatkin, Elena (November 15, 2019). "Cha Cha Cha Rises Like A Neon Phoenix In Virgil Village (Except Now It's Condos And No One Asked About The Name)". LAist.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Kudler, Adrian Glick (October 12, 2011). "Virgil Village Set to Get a Little Friendlier Toward Non-Drivers". Curbed.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  9. ^ Newton, Damien (January 21, 2014). "O'Farrell Dedicates New Virgil Ave. Bike Lanes". Streetsblog.org. Retrieved August 2, 2022. "During a community meeting in September, my constituents in Virgil Village asked for a safer Virgil Avenue," said O'Farrell. "A few months later, with community input, we implemented a solution...
  10. ^ a b Lloyd, Annie (October 26, 2017). "Legendary Virgil Village Dive Bar The Smog Cutter To Close Sunday". LAist.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022. ...the neighborhood stalwart is the Smog Cutter, a Virgil Village dive bar that's been around for at least 77 years. Its final day of service is Sunday, October 29.
  11. ^ Holmes, Mona (October 2, 2018). "20-Year-Old Virgil Village Panadería Faces Eviction as Community Steps In to Help". Eater.com. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  12. ^ Holmes, Mona (July 19, 2022). "9 Delectable Bakeries to Know in South Los Angeles". Eater.com. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  13. ^ Miller, Jeff (January 13, 2021). "The 10 Best Bagel Shops in Los Angeles". Thrillist.com. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  14. ^ Rao, Tejai (March 8, 2021). "The Best Bagels Are in California (Sorry, New York)". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2022. Last October, she and her partner, Chris Moss, opened Courage Bagels in the Virgil Village neighborhood, in the space where Elvia Perez had previously run a bakery called Super Pan.
  15. ^ "Virgil Village Neighborhood Guide". DoLA.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Arellano, Gustavo (March 15, 2022). "Column: For $5 a month, three East Hollywood residents want to change L.A. journalism". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^ Specter, Emma (October 18, 2017). "The 7 Best Places To Dog-Watch Around L.A. (Even If You Don't Have A Dog)". LAist.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022. The Virgil Village spot holds the distinction of being the first dog cafe of its kind in the U.S.
  18. ^ Turner, Gustavo (March 14, 2022). "Discover the LA Locations of "A Star is Born"". Retrieved August 1, 2022. Jackson meets Ally at a drag bar. (The location used for the lip-synching drag show is none other than The Virgil)
  19. ^ "East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Map". East Hollywood Neighborhood Council. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "Lockwood Avenue Elementary School". lausd-ca.schoolloop.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  21. ^ "Council File 98-1297" (PDF). LACity.org. Retrieved August 1, 2022. ...ideal location for the new Virgil Village Park ... THEREFORE MOVE that the Council instruct Department of Recreation and Parks to: 1. Negotiate a MOU with LAUSD for acquisition and use of the Pedus property located at Madison Avenue and First Street.
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