Riverside Roundup – 09/13/2008

Neighborhood community center opens

2008
Orange Terrace Community Center

Riverside unveiled the latest project from the city’s “Riverside Renaissance” initiative as the Orange Terrace Community Center opened to the public early Saturday.
Located on the grounds of the Orange Terrace Community Park, the $11 million facility includes a gymnasium, banquet hall and multipurpose room. Also included — and scheduled to open October 25th — is the city’s seventh branch library.
The 28,000 sq. ft. center is the latest improvement to the park located in the city’s fast-growing Orangecrest neighborhood in southeastern Riverside. Recent additions include additional ballfields, basketball courts and children’s playground equipment.
Read more on the opening of the community center from The Press-Enterprise here.
60/91/215 project completion delayed

Dec. 2007
60/91/215 interchange

Caltrans recently announced another delay in finishing the $381 million rebuilding of the 60/91/215 interchange in downtown Riverside and nearly 8 miles of Interstate 215 from downtown eastward to Moreno Valley.
The project, which used a new method of “design sequencing,” was originally expected to be completed in January 2007 at a cost of $317 million. When finished later this Fall, the project will be nearly 2 years past due and at least $63 million over budget.
The good news is that 20 years after the first serious plans for rebuilding the interchange began, motorists will finally be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief once work is finished. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take nearly as long on the region’s next major transportation project — whatever that might turn out to be.
A recent article in The Press-Enterprise provides more details on the delay.
Preserving Riverside’s mid-century modern architecture

2004
Downtown Fire Station No. 1

For those who may have missed it, check out our friend Tanya Sorrell of ModernRiverside.com, who recently talked to The Press-Enterprise regarding the need to preserve portions of Riverside’s mid-century modern architecture — before it’s too late.
In particular, Tanya is focusing initial efforts on protecting the downtown fire station located at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Lime Street. The building is an excellent example of mid-century, “form follows function” design, where the outward shape of the building is determined by its interior functions.
Overall, we’re glad to see someone, not only taking the time and effort to bring attention to this truly under-appreciated architectural style, but working to preserve it as well. No doubt, architecture is a highly subjective area. Moreover, it’s much more difficult to appreciate current and/or more-recent styles. But, as we’ve said before (here and here), some of Riverside’s most striking mid-century architecture — facing similar circumstances as the once-despised, but now cherished Victorian movement — may very well vanish before people realize its significance.
Be sure to check out The Press-Enterprise article as well as Tanya’s blog entry addressing the downtown fire station.