Moving dirt at m sole’
Grading began this past week on the first phase of the mixed-use m sole’ project in downtown Riverside. When completed, m sole’ will include up to 154 residential units and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor retail stretching along the west side of Market Street between Third and First streets.
Phase one consists of 10 live/work units slated for the northwest corner of Third and Market streets — near the convention center and across from the relatively new CVS and Starbucks. The units range in size from 1600 to 1850 sq. ft. (with work spaces of 200 to 600 sq. ft.) and are priced at $645,000 ($495,000 for the living space and $150,000 for the work space).
Later phases of the project will include a 24-hour concierge desk, pool, clubhouse, fitness center as well as a wine cellar. Developer Alan Mruvka has opened an information studio located inside the historic Sante Fe depot located at the corner of Mission Inn and Sante Fe avenues.
Mruvka, who founded the E! Entertainment television network in 1987, has restored the Ironworks and Santa Fe Depot buildings in the Riverside Marketplace and converted the former movie theater there into the new home of Maric College, a vocational school.
His Villaggio project, envisioned high-end condominiums atop stores and restaurants across from the Fox Theater, fell through in September 2004.
Riverside Press-Enterprise – February 8, 2007
The $50 million m sole’ development marks the beginning of what city planners envision as the transformation of six blocks of Market Street between Mission Inn Avenue and First Street.
Two other mixed-use developments along this same stretch of Market include Fox Plaza, which is scheduled to break ground shortly, and one planned by Los Angeles-based developer Mark Rubin.
Already in the works is the $30 million renovation of the historic Fox Theater, which the city hopes to have completed by late 2008. The 1929 theater, situated a block west of the historic Mission Inn, will be transformed into a 1,600 seat performing arts center.
Related
- m sole’
- Riverside Press-Enterprise – Riverside condo plan sparks high hopes (February 8, 2007) | Council awards Fox Theater contract (December 20, 2006) | Eminent-domain action goes to City Council (September 16, 2006)
Previous
- RaincrossSquare.com – Out & About – 01/21/2007 | Reshaping downtown Riverside (Dec. 2005)
Sources: City of Riverside, Riverside Press-Enterprise (PE-20060916, PE-20061220, PE-20070208)
2025 PAGE UPDATE: Added newspaper citation/insert; removed outdated links to newspaper article and third-party websites; removed link to photo gallery.
Regarding site at Market and 3rd in Riverside, CA:
I, and others, have noticed that “phase one” – during which no activity has occurred, and pedestrians have been denied sidewalk access – has lasted for over a month (so far).
Unnecessarily, sidewalk access on a busy street has been denied to pedestrians – including children.
Normally, it is only necessary to close a side walk for one or two days to put in place a new sidewalk. That’s standard procedure.
Unnecessarily, the public has been placed at risk.
Yes, the same thought crossed our minds as indeed phase one does appear to be moving a bit slow. We agree the closed sidewalk along the half-block stretch is unfortunate, though not completely unexpected given the ground-breaking nature of the project for downtown Riverside.
This first phase consists of 10 work/live units of which we understand 7 are accounted for. Thus, we’re not entirely certain what’s causing the month-plus delay following grading (there are a number of speculative possibilities).
However, if the sidewalk remains fully closed another 1-2 months, the city would do well to urge the developer to complete this aspect of the project if only for safety reasons.
Thanks for posting.