University

This is a multicultural neighborhood with many apartments and single-family ranch-type houses inhabited by full-time residents and some that are rented out for student housing. Recent Riverside ordinance limits rental houses to two unrelated tenants (without special permit) to prevent owners from subdividing living rooms and dining rooms into additional bedrooms. Permanent resident neighbors are friendly while most students usually have separate lives and keep to themselves.

There are many residential streets with very little traffic while a few major routes (e.g. Blaine Street) that have substantially more traffic. Almost all residential streets in this neighborhood have sidewalks and the major streets include bike lanes. City buses are available though California bus service is not at all like east coast metropolitan service. Campus buses also provide students transportation to and from campus apartments. A car is an asset for students who live in single-family dwellings.

There is also a single set of railroad tracks that parallel Watkins Drive with short freight trains occasionally using the spur. In addition, there is a proposed commuter service which will use these tracks four or six times per day beginning in a couple years. If a person hates to hear the occasional train whistle, it would be important to avoid being close to this part of the neighborhood. Personally, I like it.

Overall, the neighborhood is a pleasant place to live except for the single-family home residents who live next to the occasional party house.

Seeing as this part of Riverside is basically aimed around the University, it is not really a typical college town but it is not a bad place to live either. In terms of things to do, the vast majority of options revolve around the UV or University Village. For me, the movies theaters are a great option because all students recieve tickets at any time for a discount price of $6.00. There is also some food options in the UV, particularly in fast food. The only sit down resteraunts nearby are Denny's and IHOP. Many students go to Moreno Valley when they want to go out for a special occasion type meal. The only disadvantage about University Village is that at times there are many homeless people and they get rowdy at times but there is usually always at least one cop car close by.

In terms of housing there are many apartments althought the rent is often considered high because it is mainly meant to function as student housing for the most part. Surprisingly traffic is not that bad even with the University. Although if there is an event going on University Ave. can become very packed.

Overall, this is not a bad neighborhood to live in. I would probably not reccomend it for families simply because there are many young people that live in this area althought during sumer everything is more quiet.