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From a hot, dry expanse of cattle ranches and wheat farms to the irrigated epicenter of the post-World War II housing boom, the trajectory of Van Nuys in the 20th century was one of real estate development at breakneck speed.
Circumstances and geography conspired to put Van Nuys at the social and political heart of the Valley.
The postwar boom made it a thriving middle-class area with plenty of high-wage manufacturing jobs, and some of the Camaros that came off the local GM plant's assembly line rolled right out onto Van Nuys Boulevard as the broad thoroughfare became the center of L.A.'s car culture.
The lovely art deco-moderne City Hall and surrounding complex provided access to city services without requiring a trip downtown, creating an independent sense of self for the neighborhood and the Valley that would eventually lead to an attempt to secede from the city in 2002.
That manufacturing base took a hit in the 1990s and early 2000s. The GM plant, and numerous others, closed. The neighborhood struggled economically.
But now, with improved transit access and its proximity to the 405 Freeway and the Westside, Van Nuys is becoming an appealing destination for home buyers looking for affordable homes.
Housing developers are also coming back to Van Nuys. Small-lot subdivisions are sprouting up along Sherman Way and other area streets.
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Neighborhood highlights
Commuting convenience: Van...