Echo Park
A lake in the middle, hills all around.
A neighborhood that gathers around its lake.
Echo Park sits just northwest of downtown Los Angeles, between Silver Lake, Elysian Park, Chinatown, and Westlake. The lake and its park are the center of it all. Sunset Boulevard, Glendale Boulevard, and Echo Park Avenue carry the shops, restaurants, and music venues, and the hills on either side hold everything from Victorian homes to hillside bungalows.
I'm Breanne Wahl, a real estate agent with ACME | SERHANT., and I help buyers and sellers here in Echo Park.
Photos by Neue Focus.
Echo Park Lake: the neighborhood's front yard.
The lake began as a city reservoir in the 1860s and became a park in 1892. Today it covers about 14 acres, with pedal boats, a tall fountain, lotus beds, and a path around the water that looks out at the downtown skyline.
In 2011 the city drained the lake for a $45 million renovation, and it reopened in 2013 with cleaner water, new wetlands, and the lotus beds replanted. Every July, the Lotus Festival celebrates them.
a few Places Within
Angelino Heights
One of the first suburbs in Los Angeles, laid out in 1886 on a hill above downtown. Carroll Avenue is lined with restored Victorian homes, and the area is a city Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.
Elysian Heights
The hills north of the lake, climbing toward Elysian Park. Steep streets like Baxter Street, public stairways, and a long history as home to artists, writers, and architects.
Sunset Boulevard
Echo Park's busiest stretch, with independent shops, coffee, restaurants, and music venues, a few blocks from the lake.
Edendale
The old name for the area along Glendale Boulevard, where some of the first movie studios on the West Coast opened in the 1910s.
Thinking about buying or selling in Echo Park?
From reservoir to Lotus Festival.
The city built a reservoir in the arroyo here. It would become Echo Park Lake.
Angelino Heights was laid out as one of the city's first suburbs, and Elysian Park was founded as the oldest park in Los Angeles.
The park got its name. Parks superintendent Joseph Henry Tomlinson chose Echo Park for the echoes he heard during construction.
Selig Polyscope, Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, and others made Edendale the center of filmmaking on the West Coast.
Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson opened Angelus Temple across from the lake.
The Lady of the Lake statue was installed at the water's edge.
Dodger Stadium opened in Chavez Ravine, just over the hill.
Echo Park Lake reopened after a two-year renovation, lotus beds and all.
Homes I've Sold
A 1922 home with 2 bedrooms and about 1,183 square feet. I represented both the sellers and the buyers. Listed at $1,149,000, it sold in 14 days for $1,500,000, and both sides left me a review (below).
Buying and selling in Echo Park: FAQ
What is Echo Park known for?
Echo Park Lake and its lotus beds, the Victorian homes of Angelino Heights, the shops, restaurants, and music venues along Sunset Boulevard, and its spot right next to Elysian Park and Dodger Stadium.
Where is Echo Park?
Just northwest of downtown Los Angeles, between Silver Lake, Elysian Park, Chinatown, and Westlake. The neighborhood is in ZIP code 90026.
How big is Echo Park Lake?
About 14 acres, with a walking path around the water, pedal boats, a fountain, and lotus beds.
When is the Lotus Festival?
Every July, at Echo Park Lake.
What should I know before buying a home in Echo Park?
Many homes sit on steep hillside lots, so I always walk buyers through foundations and drainage, permits on any additions, fire zone rules for the exact address, and parking on narrow streets. In Angelino Heights, the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone has its own rules for exterior changes.
How do you get around from Echo Park?
Sunset and Glendale Boulevards run through the neighborhood, and the Hollywood Freeway (101), Pasadena Freeway (110), and Glendale Freeway (2) are close by. Downtown is minutes away.
Does Breanne Wahl help buyers and sellers in Echo Park?
Yes. I specialize in Northeast Los Angeles, plus Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz, and I'm right there with clients wherever else in Los Angeles their search takes them.
“She helped us get the house ready for sale and was so helpful in thinking through which items to prioritize and which items would stand out to buyers. Her staging referral was amazing and our house sold for well over asking. I couldn't be more pleased!!”
“It's an intimidating process in LA and our house received a ton of offers. Breanne helped us with every aspect from preparing and submitting our offer, figuring out contingencies, planning inspections, and closing smoothly.”
Thinking about buying or selling in Echo Park?
Let's talk. I'll walk the neighborhood with you or pull comps for your street.