Venice Canal Historic District facts for kids
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Venice Canal Historic District
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Venice Canal Historic District
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Los Angeles, California |
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| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Moses Sherman, Eli Clark |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002193 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 30, 1982 |
The Venice Canal Historic District is a special neighborhood in Venice, Los Angeles, California. It's famous for its man-made canals, which are like small rivers. These canals were built in 1905 by a developer named Abbot Kinney. He wanted to create a place called "Venice of America."
Kinney's dream was to make Los Angeles feel like Venice, Italy, with its beautiful waterways. He named the first canals after stars and animals: Aldebaran Canal, Altair Canal, Cabrillo Canal, Coral Canal, Grand Canal, Lion Canal, and Venus Canal.
Other canals were built nearby by different investors. These included the Carroll Canal, Linnie Canal, Howland Canal, Sherman Canal, Eastern Canal, and another Grand Canal. These canals had gondolas (special boats) and pretty arched bridges. They became very popular and helped sell homes in the area.
By the 1920s, cars became very popular. Many people thought the canals were old-fashioned. So, in 1929, several canals were filled in to make space for new roads. By 1940, the remaining canals were in bad shape. The sidewalks next to them were even declared unsafe by the city.
For over 40 years, the canals stayed in poor condition. Many plans to fix them failed because there wasn't enough money or agreement on who should pay. Finally, in 1992, the canals were renovated. They were drained, and new sidewalks and walls were built. The canals reopened in 1993. Today, they are a very popular and expensive place to live.
The neighborhood around the canals was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. In recent years, many old houses have been updated, and new, modern homes have also been built.
Water flows into the canals from the ocean through special gates. These gates open at low tide to let most of the water out. At high tide, they close, trapping water for about three days before it's refreshed again.
Contents
Past Canals: Where They Went
Before 1929, the Venice canal system was much larger. There were 13 canals, but only six remain today. The original canals were located in an area bounded by Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, Westminster Avenue, and Venice Boulevard.
Seven of these canals were later filled in and turned into concrete roads by the City of Los Angeles. For example, Coral Canal became Main Street and Canal Street. Cabrillo Canal became Cabrillo Avenue, and Venus Canal became San Juan Avenue. Lion Canal became Windward Avenue, Altair Canal became Altair Street, and Aldebaran Canal became Market Street. The original Grand Canal became Grand Boulevard.
The traffic circle you see today at Pacific and Windward Avenues was once part of the Venice Lagoon.
Fixing the Canals: A Long Journey
Over the years, many people tried to repair and improve the canals. Often, these plans faced problems and were eventually canceled. One idea in the 1960s was to make the canals deep enough for large boats. This plan was approved by the city, but a lawsuit stopped it. The lawsuit was about who owned the land under the water in a section called Ballona Lagoon.
Community Efforts to Restore the Canals
In 1977, a group of residents formed the Venice Canals Resident and Homeowners organization. They wanted to create a special district to pay for the canals' restoration. This group later became known as The Venice Canals Association (VCA). The VCA gathered signatures from most property owners to support the restoration project.
The VCA presented their plan to the city, and city engineers began to design a new improvement project. This plan, designed by engineer Luis Ganajas, was called the "Vertical Wall plan." It involved building straight, five-foot-high cement walls. This design was for human-powered boats, not deep boats.
The city estimated the project would cost about $15 to $18 million. Property owners would pay half through their property taxes over 10 years. The City of Los Angeles and the federal government would pay the other half.
New Ideas and Challenges
Even with a plan, there was still some opposition. Some people didn't want the sidewalks to be open to the public again, or they didn't want to pay the assessment. They also raised concerns about wildlife, like the California Least Tern, an endangered bird. However, most residents supported the city's plan.
In 1983, Ruth Galanter became the new City Councilwoman. She inherited the Vertical Wall plan. Galanter was concerned about the plan's environmental impact, cost, historical design, and safety. So, she stopped the city engineers from continuing with it. She asked a state agency, the Coastal Conservancy, to suggest other options.
The agency suggested using a material called Armorflex. This material was a web of open cement blocks that would allow plants to grow. It would be installed on a gentle slope, making it easier for birds and wildlife to enter and leave the canals.
Finding the Best Solution
Most neighbors who would have to pay for the new design did not like the Armorflex plan. Councilwoman Galanter told Mark Galanty, who led the VCA improvement project, that she would consider a better plan if the VCA could find one.
Mark put together a committee from the VCA to find a new material. Andy Shores, a committee member, suggested Loffelstein, also known as Loffel Block. This material allowed plants to grow inside it. It could also be placed on a slope, letting wildlife climb in and out. It was safe for children and cost less than Armorflex.
Mark hired an architect to create drawings of the Loffel Block plan. This plan included sloped banks, which were safer and better for wildlife. Mark presented the plan at a public meeting. Councilwoman Galanter agreed to consider this new design.
Testing and Final Decision
Ruth Galanter asked the city engineers to design a plan using the Loffel Block. They also kept working on the Armorflex design. Residents were surveyed, and 78% were against Armorflex, while 82% favored Loffel Block.
A test site was set up for Armorflex, and the VCA arranged for a Loffel Block test site across the canal. Both were planted with native plants. The Loffel Block performed better: ducks preferred it, more plants survived, and it remained stable. The Armorflex began to sag and shift.
After years of study, Mark Galanty wrote to Ruth Galanter. He praised her for finding a material that met her goals: it allowed plants to grow, was good for the environment, was safer for children, cost less than the original plan, and looked more like the original 1906 banks. The Loffel Block was the clear winner.
With the Loffel Block having majority support, Councilwoman Galanter dropped the Armorflex plan. Mark Galanty worked with residents to ensure everyone supported the Loffel Block plan. The VCA even set up a fund to help anyone who couldn't afford the assessment, but no one needed it. The restoration was planned in two phases to avoid disturbing wildlife like terns, coots, egrets, and ducks.
Councilwoman Galanter also made a deal with the Summa Corporation, which owned land under the Ballona Lagoon. This deal ensured that water would continue to flow freely into and out of the Venice Canals. The final approval came from the Coastal Commission, with no opposition to the project.
The estimated cost for the improvements was $12 million. Property owners paid about $6.9 million through an assessment district. The project involved cleaning out the canals, removing old sidewalks, and building new ones. The canals were made 5 feet deep in the center and 1.5 feet deep on the sides, with Loffel Blocks at a 55-degree angle. The footbridges over the canals were also rebuilt.
Work began in March 1992 and finished in 1993. Property owners paid around $6,600 to $7,800 over 10 years, or they could pay it all at once. To celebrate the completion, the VCA held a carnival in 1993. They even rented two gondolas from Naples, California, to give rides, just like in 1906. The canals celebrated their 10-year restoration anniversary with another party in 2003.
