downtown riverside

Update: Regency Tower – May 2009

May 2009Awaiting a lift Fifteen months after beginning construction, Regency Tower in downtown Riverside is poised to receive its crown. Sitting alongside the under-construction office building is a 45-foot high, 80,000-pound steel and aluminum dome. In about a week, the dome will be perched atop the southwest corner of the 10-story building. Developer Moshe Silagi…

AVP Crocs Tour ‘Riverside Open’

On the heels of last weekend’s Downtown Street Jam, the AVP / Crocs Tour “Riverside Open” rolled into town Thursday for a four-day, professional beach volleyball tournament. AVP Photo Gallery: Saturday, April 18 Photo Gallery: Sunday, April 19 The event, which is being staged at a temporary “sandbox” and grandstand located at Market and Third…

Downtown Street Jam!

Riverside Downtown Partnership For those who missed it, Saturday April 11th was the kick-off event for the new “Downtown Street Jam” in Riverside, a free concert series sponsored by the city and local downtown establishments, including Lake Alice Trading Co. and Mission Tobacco Lounge. Yesterday’s event drew several hundred fans to a temporary stage located…

Riverside Roundup – 03/20/2009

Familiar name eyeing Gottschalks 2009Riverside Plaza In January, Fresno-based Gottschalks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, raising questions on what might come of the chain’s 58 department stores spread over six states. Seven of those stores are located at malls within Inland Southern California, including Riverside Plaza. Less than two weeks before a March 30…

Second phase of pedestrian mall makeover begins

Work began recently on the final phase of the Main Street Pedestrian Mall renovation in downtown Riverside, continuing the first complete refurbishment of the outdoor mall since its 1966* opening. 2009Phase twoUniversity block 2009Phase twoMission Inn block The first phase, which wrapped up in the fall, revamped the two blocks (one | two) located between…

County looking to acquire downtown buildings

As part of its plans for acquiring necessary land for future buildings, Riverside County is negotiating to purchase two buildings in downtown Riverside. The purchases of the buildings, which opened months apart in 1961, would consolidate county ownership of the block bounded by Main, Orange, Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. 2009OverviewMS Virtual Earth 2009First American Title…

Historic designation given to Central Fire Station

Last month, California’s State Historical Resources Commission added Riverside’s downtown Central Fire Station to the state’s Register of Historic Resources. Currently entering its sixth decade of operation, the building has come under threat recently as the city prepares to build a new fire station on the block directly behind the current location. And though the…

2008 ‘Festival of Lights’

2008Festival of Lights 2008Mission Inn In case you missed it, the 16th annual Festival of Lights began this past weekend in downtown Riverside. With 3.5 million lights and hundreds of animated figures, the crown jewel of the nightly festival is the historic Mission Inn hotel. As usual, Friday night’s “lighting ceremony” incorporated extra festivities, including…

County agrees to purchase new office building

After weeks of speculation, Riverside County agreed late last month to purchase the 10-story Regency Tower currently under construction in downtown Riverside. The $126.5 million purchase will consolidate the offices for the District Attorney, which are currently scattered in at least 10 buildings around downtown. Oct. 2008Regency Tower Oct. 2008View from Lemon Street Nov. 2008The…