Lafayette Square, Los Angeles
| LaFayette Square | |
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| Neighborhood of Los Angeles | |
The LaFayette Square neighborhood sign at St. Charles Place
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 LaFayette Square
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| Coordinates: 34°02′35″N 118°19′59″W / 34.043°N 118.333°WCoordinates: 34°02′35″N 118°19′59″W / 34.043°N 118.333°W | |
| Country |
 United States of America
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| State |
 California
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| County |
 Los Angeles
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| Time zone | Pacific |
| Zip Code | 90019 |
| Area code(s) | 310/424, 323 |
LaFayette Square is a historic, semi-gated neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California.
Although founded in 1913 by developer George LaFayette Crenshaw, it is named after the French marquis who fought alongside Colonists in the American Revolution. It sits just off of Crenshaw Boulevard in the Mid-City area. It was designated by the city as a Los Angeles Historic Preservation Overlay Zone in 2000 for its significant residential architecture and history.
LaFayette Square is regarded as one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Central LA region, along with Hancock Park and Windsor Square. In addition to its significant architecture and large homes, the neighborhood is also notable for its central location to the entire city—an important incentive for many residents.
According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, "LaFayette Square was the last and greatest of banker George L. Crenshaw's ten residential developments in the City of Los Angeles." Around the turn of the twentieth century, there was a large oil boom in southern California: Between the extraordinary climate that California had to offer and the rich resources that provided jobs to the oil and agricultural industries, the state experienced great population booms. In Los Angeles, Crenshaw invested in and oversaw the development of ten residential real estate ventures to help satiate the population growth.
LaFayette Square was founded in 1913 and developed during the early 20th century. Wrought-iron gates surrounding the district are a relatively recent addition, coming only in 1989. The addition of the iron gates eliminated cut-through commuter traffic; the only way into the neighborhood is through St. Charles Place.
LaFayette Square is situated about 7 miles (11 km) west of Downtown Los Angeles, 2 miles (3 km) east of Beverly Hills, and 4 miles (6 km) south of Hollywood. The nearest beach is Santa Monica Beach which is about 9 miles away. It consists of eight blocks, centered on St. Charles Place, and situated between Venice Boulevard on the north, Washington Boulevard on the south, Crenshaw Boulevard on the east and West Blvd on the west.
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Wikipedia