Vernon/Central Recognized Community Organization

About our association

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The Historic Central Avenue Corridor is undergoing a facelift thanks to the efforts of concerned residents, businesses and community organizations. In 1997, twenty-seven members of the Vernon Central community came together to form a Recognized Community Organization, or RCO, to designate the Central Avenue corridor as part of a city-wide improvement program called Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI). Their goal was and is to enact street improvements along Central Avenue between Jefferson and 47th Street and to increase the economic power of Central Avenue by bringing in more viable businesses. The overall goal is to rebuild Central Avenue similiar to what has been done in many other cities around the United States and directly similiar to what has been done with Old Pasadena, in the city of Pasadena, California.

Central Avenue in the 1920' thru early 1960's was a busy Strip, that hosted 6 Theaters, many Clubs, and the Dunbar Hotel, which housed most of the famous African American talents,in sport,music,and the arts. This area thrived economically because of segregation.

The Central Avenue strip is foundly called the "Avenue" and at any given time you could see a young Sammy Davis Jr., performing on the corner or Duke Ellington and even Heavy weight Champion Joe Louise.

Today, Central Avenue is host of the "Central Avenue Jazz Festival" held annually in late July or early August.

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