This weekend, May 20-21, marks the staging of the 12th annual Orange Blossom Festival in downtown Riverside. Although the festival has acquired a few bumps and bruises recently, it remains one of the largest and most successful yearly community festivals within Inland Southern California, typically drawing crowds in excess of 250,000. The OBF began in…
For the past 2 years, motorists passing through downtown Riverside have had to fight more than just the regular traffic — they’ve also had to deal with a massive freeway project as well. But as work progresses on the $317 million construction project, which includes rebuilding the infamous 60/91/215 interchange in downtown Riverside, no doubt…
As mentioned in a recent post, a report released earlier this month by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. indicated Inland Southern California (Riv-SB-Ont) will continue to lead the state in population, housing and employment growth. It also reports the region’s personal income and taxable sales continue to climb as well. Likewise, a similar…
A handful of plans currently in the works will reshape downtown Riverside and, for the first time in a long time, include serious mixed-use development with an emphasis toward residential uses. The projects, which include a mix of condos, townhomes, lofts, commercial, and arts uses are expected to begin taking shape throughout 2006. Each will…
It’s that time of year again when downtown Riverside’s historic Mission Inn is aglow with millions of holiday lights and hundreds of animated figures. Each year, the crowds get a little bit bigger and the lights a little bit brighter as visitors stroll the downtown pedestrian mall, the tiny shops and boutiques, and streets surrounding…
A few weeks back, two articles in the local newspaper caught our eye, if only because they were a few days apart and both were about emerging trends within Inland Southern California’s housing market. And yet, they could not have been more diametrically opposed. The first article shows the emerging trend — even here, in…
This weekend, Riverside — and Inland Southern California in general — celebrates its heralded citrus heritage with the annual “Orange Blossom Festival.” You can thank Eliza Tibbets for the 11th Orange Blossom Festival that will transform 30 square blocks of downtown Riverside this weekend into a happenin’ place. Organizers expect more than 200,000 visitors. Riverside Press-Enterprise –…
An apparent settlement between Caltrans and a major contractor has put workers back on site at the $318 million reconstruction of the 60/91/215 freeway interchange in downtown Riverside. The project is designed to reduce traffic at the intersection of highways 60 and 91 and Interstate 215. The job includes two new freeway-to-freeway connectors, upgraded bridges…
After years of waiting for reconstruction of the 60/91/215 freeway interchange in downtown Riverside — AKA “Malfunction Junction” — drivers will have to wait even longer as a recent contract dispute between Caltrans and the primary contractor (Washington-Obayashi) has halted work on the $318 million project. After a year of commitment, the contractor on the…
The old debate — new vs. old, dynamic vs. stagnant, growth vs. preservation, etc., etc. Such is always a tricky and dicey situation for any town or city. And, of course, everything is indeed subjective and relative. In other words, what exactly makes a structure “old,” “historic,” and/or “culturally significant”? In Riverside’s case, the city…
