City, Los Angeles County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 90230, 90231, 90232, 90233
Bedroom city where “Gone With The Wind” and the “Wizard of Oz” were shot. Still part of the movie-entertainment scene. Calls self “Heart of Screenland.” www.mccormacks.com
Located three miles south of Beverly Hills and about three miles southeast of Santa Monica. Population 40,694. Median age of residents is 39. Under 18 years, 21 percent. Over 55 years, 23 percent. Mature, fairly even mix of ages.
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Disjointed town, split by a creek that creates many cul-de-sacs. Parts of the city blend into nearby neighborhoods. The western side wiggles down Washington Boulevard in a shape that looks like a dog.
The city started 1940 with 1,827 residential units. In that decade it built 3,000 homes and apartments and in the 1950s, about 4,000 units. The 1960s saw the construction of 2,600 units and the 1970s, 4,200 units. In the 1980s, housing starts fell to 900, and in the 1990s, the city constructed about 500 units, most of them apartments.
Culver City was built for the middle class at a time when two- and three-bedroom homes were the vogue. The streets are clean, homes are generally kept up and remodeled, the town seems to get a lot of the old tender loving. Some streets are decorated with old-fashioned lights. A small neighborhood on the south rises into hills with view homes.
State in 2008 counted 17,148 housing units: 6,623 single homes, 1,912 single attached, 8,432 multiples, 181 mobiles. www.mccormacks.com
One homicide in 2005, zero in 2004, two in 2003, zero in 2002, two in 2001, three in 2000. The counts for previous years are 0, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 2, 6, 0. Culver City fields its own police department. See Crime.
Educated by Culver City Unified School District. School rankings range generally from the 50th to 90th percentile. Voters in 1997 approved $40 million bond to renovate schools.
Check school boundaries. Some streets may be Los Angeles Unified School District. Several charter schools near Culver City. See Schools.
Library, about ten parks, senior center, teen center, skate park, town swimming pool.
In California, cities often do a much better job on parks and rec. than unincorporated towns because they have a steadier source of funds. And older cities often do a better job than new because they have had a longer time to acquire parks and set up programs. www.mccormacks.com
Always exceptions. Some major cities have skimped on parks and rely heavily on school grounds for playing fields.
Culver City probably falls into the category of bountiful. The city offers a variety of programs for adults, kids and the elderly. And what the city doesn't offer — baseball, football — private groups or the schools provide. Summer day camps, summer music festival.
One wrinkle that may reflect the city's demographics. Culver City offers adult basketball, volleyball and soccer. The census figures — median age 39 — suggests families with kids coming up on college age and many adults in their 30s and 40s — people with enough steam for energetic but not contact sports. And the programs, while including a lot for the kids and the elderly, may be tilting a bit toward adults who can still move fairly fast. Or who think they can.
West Los Angeles Community College located on the east border of town. Community colleges offer many one-shot classes that fall into “recreational” — dance, aerobics, gymnastics, etc.
And they offer many classes in the arts, which Culver City is trying to nourish. The city has spruced up its downtown and created an arts district of art stores and galleries. New civic center. www.mccormacks.com
Culver City is about four miles from the Pacific and public beaches. L.A. and Culver City have built a linear park that extends almost to the ocean. Good for hiking, jogging and walking the dog.
Fox Hills Mall (Macys, Penney’s). Costco. Best Buy. Two medical centers.
Downtown revived: art galleries, new restaurants, two playhouses: Kirk Douglas Theater, renovated movie palace that seats 317, and the Ivy Substation, also renovated, home to the ”Actors' Gang,’’ a resident theater company that draws from Hollywood talents and works with schools to get the kids interested in plays. Also stages free performances for locals.
L.A. “newest, stylish neighborhood,” pronounced the New York Times in 2007.
Short hop to the Santa Monica Freeway, which leads to downtown L.A., 11 miles to the east. Five miles to LAX. Area has a good jobs base, which means a short commute for many. Sony Pictures studio on the north side of town.
After decades of freeway building, Los Angeles is declaring itself a convert to rails and buses. The next big project is a light-line that will run down Exposition Boulevard from the University of Southern California to Culver City, a distance of about 10 miles. If all goes well, the line could be running by 2010.
Holy Cross Cemetery is located in Culver City: John Candy, Rita Hayworth, Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, Bela Lugosi, Mario Lanza, Rosalind Russell. www.mccormacks.com
For orientation on cities, towns and neighborhoods of Los Angeles County, see County Overview.
Chamber of commerce (310) 287-3850.
City web site: www.culvercity.org
