SperlingFile on Riverside, CA
by theriversidehomesource.com, SperlingExpert
Generally speaking, Riverside California has a lot of history behind it. I would say that the anchor of the city is the Mission Inn. This is a sprawling complex, with dozens of architectural styles including classic Mission, Japanese, morrocan, gothic and neo classical.
The downtwon area is surrounded by classic vintage homes in the Victorian and Crafstman style. As with any city though, east of the 91 freeway there are some neighborhoods that have a bad reputation. However, just past those blocks are some wonderful apartments and condos located just next to the university of Riverside.
There are farther flung elements that are still part of the city, as it sprawls over a vast region. This is actually a great benefit because you can find affordable housing in a wide variety of neighborhoods.
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theriversidehomesource.com
Riverside, CA
| About this SperlingExpert
theriversidehomesource.com Currently lives in Riverside, CA
I have been living in downtown Riverside for the past 3 years. I love this part of town, with the classic buildings, architecture and continual community events like the farmers market, art walk and car shows. |
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People
There is a lot of diversity in the people living in Riverside, but my experience in downtown Riverside has been extremely positive. There are dozens of community events, like the Riverside Show n' Go, car show, or the weekly farmers market. This city is definately a hodgepodge of people, but all of them have an identity with the city, which makes us more of a community that most socal locations.
Economy
Riverside doesn't have a terrific problem with unemployment, or homelessness on the whole. There are new business developments where employment is available, as well as a strong industrial center on the south west part of town. Downtown Riverside is home to dozens of sole proprietor restaurants and businesses, and the city is very freindly to these small business owners.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in riverside is easily half the cost of orange county or Los Angeles. There are dozens of locations to have a night out, like Lake Alice, Worthingtons, Mission Tobacco Lounge, The presidential lounge at the mission inn. Food and drink is less expensive than Los Angeles and Orange county.
Housing
You can find apartments, studios and lofts easily between $700-$1000, as well as a good range of home values on condos and single family homes. The size of the city offers you a variety of types of homes, from vintage to new development homes.
Health
The Kaiser hospital in riverside has a good reputation and the community hospital in Downtown is actually quality care. There are a lot of small offices and practitioners available in the area as well.
Crime
Riverside's reputation has been improving over the years, and our police has really made a strong effort to keep our neighborhoods safe. Living in downtown Riverside, just 3 blocks from the police station may have jaded my experience, but I haven't had any negative experiences in the city.
Climate
Riverside is typical Southern California. However, it is warmer than Orange county, because it doesn't benefit from the ocean breezes as much. It's not as warm as the more inland valleys, but I won't lie and say it doesn't get hot in the summer.
Education
There is much support in the community for going to RCC, Riverside Community College, which has an award winning arts department and is a very respected college. The UCR campus and faculty are second to none in our region.
Transportation
The 91, 215 and 60 are all undergoing huge improvements. They spent the past 3 years redeveloping the interchange here, and it has opened up traffic greatly. The 91 west into Orange county is a hard commute though, and it's very slow coming back, but they are expanding the freeways everywhere possible and it honestly is getting better every year.
Recreation
If you are into hiking, then Mt. Rubideaux offers a great chance to get out and stretch your legs. You should also take the time to visit the UCR botanical gardens! They are fantastic, with hundreds of varieties of plants to see. They are a great spot for picnics.
Society
Local government is very well organized, and there is a strong identity among the citizens which makes for a lot of Unity. Riverside came in number 16 of top green communities in California, mostly from it's 0 emission trolley system.
Arts & Culture
Riverside downtown has several major galleries. Form "Division 9" to the Riverside Arts building and several independent galleries. Riverside has a good pulse in it's art community. The first thursday every month is "Art Walk" where all the galleries open their doors and host the public in a mass event that showcases local artistry. You should also visit the Riverside Photography museum for "A" class photos.
Pictures
Photos Courtesy of http://www.theriversidehomesource.com
