Communities
Riverside has 26 different neighborhoods, or defined planning areas. Many of the outlying neighborhoods, particularly those on the west side, were not within the original city limits but were annexed into the city later.
The La Sierra neighborhoods are those at the southwestern corner of the city, which were once part of a Mexican land grant called Rancho La Sierra de Sepulveda. Most of La Sierra Hills, La Sierra, La Sierra South and La Sierra Acres was annexed into Riverside in the 1960s. Later pieces were brought in in 1987. The oldest landmark structure in the La Sierra region is the Hole Mansion, built in the early 20th century. Today, the mansion houses a Roman Catholic Seminary.
La Sierra and La Sierra South are similar in character, both containing medium-density, single-family residential areas. These communities were developed between 1950 and 1980, with the majority of homes dating back to the 1970s. La Sierra Hills is just north of La Sierra and is differentiated by its more rugged terrain. Home development here is less dense relative to other Riverside neighborhoods, mainly because of the unevenness of the land. The natural slopes defined the pattern of housing development, giving the community a distinctive sense of character. La Sierra Acres is just east of La Sierra Hills. This community is the location of the Galleria at Tyler, an established shopping destination.
Moving east towards the city center, the communities adjacent to La Sierra are: Arlanza, Arlington, Arlington South and Arlington Heights. Arlanza features a mix of rural and urban areas and an equally inconsistent terrain. It was once the home of Camp Anza, a temporary military base used in World War II. When Arlanza became part of Riverside in 1961, the old military barracks were converted to residential housing. Since then, Arlanza has grown in population as additional single-family homes and multi-family complexes were developed.
Arlington was originally a commercial district consisting of a few small businesses, a park and a church. The area around Magnolia and Van Buren remains commercial, while other sections of this neighborhood are traditional residential subdivisions. Arlington is also characterized by civic pride and active neighborhood associations.
Arlington South encompasses an industrial area, citrus groves, Victorian and Craftsman homes and mid-20th century tract neighborhoods. The tract neighborhoods, like other parts of Riverside, were largely developed in the 1970s.
South and east of Arlington South is Arlington Heights, a region that remains primarily agricultural today. Orange groves, crop fields and farmhouses are reminiscent of the city’s past. Not surprisingly, Arlington South has the lowest residential density of any neighborhood in Riverside. This is also the location of the California Citrus State Historic Park.
Neighborhoods in the geographic center of the city include Ramona, Presidential Park, Casa Blanca, Magnolia Center and Victoria. Ramona was actually on the western edge of the original city layout. Annexations placed it in more of a central position, and the community eventually grew to become Riverside’s most populous neighborhood. Several landmarks are located in Ramona: Heritage House, Sherman Institute Protestant Chapel and California Baptist University.
Presidential Park is anchored by the Riverside Auto Mall located its center. Surrounding the auto mall are single-family homes, small apartment buildings and light commercial developments.
The Casa Blanca community has a strong Mexican-American heritage. Residents of Casa Blanca have a demonstrated history of community activism; locals are currently working with the city on a community-wide redevelopment plan. Casa Blanca features blocks of bungalow homes around large commercial areas.
The first large commercial center of the city was Riverside Plaza, located in Magnolia Center. For many years, the Plaza was the centerpiece of the Riverside economy. While it still provides for many employment opportunities, the establishment of shopping malls has somewhat overshadowed the Plaza’s economic contribution to the city. Residential neighborhoods are located on the blocks surrounding the Plaza.
Victoria is one of Riverside’s oldest neighborhoods. Characterized by low-density and medium-density housing, Victoria has a high rate of home ownership. The neighborhood’s varied home styles and elevations make it one of Riverside’s more desirable neighborhoods.
Hawarden Hills and Alessandro Heights, south of Victoria, are also popular with homeseekers. Both are entirely residential, with a high concentration of single-family homes and estate homes. Hawarden Hills is one of the few communities that has no parks or other public facilities. The natural landscape of Hawarden Hills and Alessandro Heights is characterized by rolling terrain and dramatic hillsides. These two neighborhoods have the highest property values and income levels relative to other Riverside communities.
The neighborhoods known as Wood Streets and Grand are located north of Magnolia Center and southwest of Downtown. Grand is bordered by Tequesquite Park and Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park. Wood Streets, adjacent to the Tequesquite Arroyo, is connected to Downtown via a man-made land bridge. Both neighborhoods are primarily medium- and low-density residential communities with many opportunities to explore the surrounding open spaces.
Downtown Riverside is located in the nook created by the intersection of State Routes 60 and 91. At the city’s inception, Downtown was the heart of commercial activity. The original layout was designed to be pedestrian friendly, with residential neighborhoods located adjacent to commercial areas. Growth and the arrival of the automobile required the city to modify this layout somewhat in later years. Downtown is the site of many of Riverside’s historical landmarks, including the Mission Inn.
The Northside neighborhood is separated from Downtown by the 60 freeway. Northside residents have been active politically for many years, founding the city’s first neighborhood association in 1912. This community is known for being home to a now-dry sulfur spring that once filled a pool and bathhouse used by the entertainment industry as a film site.
Eastside is one of the city’s largest residential neighborhoods. It has a long history of attracting African American and Mexican American families seeking opportunity. The descendents of these early pioneers still own many of the older homes in the neighborhood. Eastside is primarily residential, except for the Riverside Marketplace and a small commercial area on University Avenue.
The University neighborhood is located east of Eastside. Annexed to Riverside in several stages between 1956 and 1961, this neighborhood is anchored by the University of California, Riverside campus. High-density blocks provide housing for students and low-density housing provides hillside estates for established homeowners. Recent commercial development in the University neighborhood has added retail and entertainment venues.
Riverside’s southeastern corner consists of four neighborhoods surrounding Sycamore Canyon Park: Canyon Crest, Mission Grove, Orangecrest and Sycamore Canyon/Canyon Springs. All of these communities were annexed into the city in sections, between 1954 and 1995. They are predominantly residential neighborhoods consisting of modern subdivision developments.
Riverside’s municipal airport is located in the Airport neighborhood in the northern central part of the city. Surrounding the airport are residential housing developments with a traditional grid design.