Downtown Bakersfield, CA

My evaluation for Dwtn is smaller than Google Maps and other measures. I include only the areas btwn F St to the west, the river to the east, and Truxtun Ave and 24th st to the south and north, respectively. Blocks outside of this more constrained area lacked a cohesive Dwtn fabric in my estimation. 18th, 19th, Chester Ave contained the best urban form and best vibrancy Downtown. These are in the heart of Dwtn. Edge arterials such as F St, Truxtun, and the wide one way 23rd and 24th pairs are rather auto centric in character and move large amounts of traffic. As a way of trying to drum up interest in Downtown the City has created a couple of subdistricts that are somewhat based on reality. The Arts District contains Dwtn’s concentrations of theaters and cultural amenities and is roughly bordered by 21st Street, Chester Avenue, 17th Street, and G Street. Civic Center is the center of government for both the City of Bakersfield and the County of Kern. Mill Creek is along the eastern edge of Dwtn and is centered around attractive green space lining Mill Creek, the famous Mexicali restaurant, and a handful of new mixed-use apartment buildings. Downtown has decent vibrancy, cultural amenities, and historic stock mostly concentrated in its core with rather autocentric and dead spaces on the edges of Dwtn. Dwtn also excels with quality local shopping and boutique options, decent streetscaping, and some regional amenities. Downtown Bakersfield simply needs more residents and mixed-use development. Other important areas of improvement include more parks, better cultural and regional amenities, larger college presence, and slower more pedestrian friendly streets.

Click here to view my Downtown Bakersfield Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

* Solid bike network throughout most of the Bakersfield City limits, even out to more suburban areas. A dockless bike program also exists serving mostly just the dwtn area.
* Strong street grid that is easy to navigate but roads are overbuilt and wide.
* Some nice pockets of historic architecture, which generally correspond with better urban streets.
* Generally a pretty safe Dwtn. Pretty low homeless for a CA downtown.
* Dwtn streetscaping is pretty decent, esp. the core of Dwtn.
* Bakersfield’s regional amenities include a decent sized convention center and arena, a dwtn post office & library, some museums, plenty of bars & restaurants, a couple live music venues, a couple local theaters, the gorgeous Fox Theater (now a local cinema).
* Some retail amenities including plenty of boutiques, clothing stores, gift shops, and antiques/furniture stores. Also several banks, a toy store, a couple book stores, a couple gyms & dessert stores, several churches and a major hospital is nearby.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

* Pretty low population density for a dwtn.
* Not much income diversity of the population living Dwtn, but plenty of people of means who work and visit Dwtn.
* Some kid friendly activities Dwtn (Arena complex, Natural Historic Museum but really not a whole lot.
* Well rated Dwtn public elementary school but schools surrounding Dwtn are poorly rated.
* Not a ton of for sale options Dwtn but what does exist is pretty affordable. 1-beds & 2-beds sell for around 200K, and 3 & 4 beds sell btwn 200K-300K.
* Rentals are also limited but a bit more plentiful. 1 beds lease in the 1Ks, 2-beds lease btwn 1.5K-2K. Larger rentals are largely absent.
* Decent # of nice mid-century buildings but also plenty of unattractive modern building without great urban form.
* Very autocentric and unattractive urban form along the edges of Dwtn.
* Tree canopy is pretty thin larger the result of the climate.
* Park space is limited to Mill creek park on the eastern edge of Dwtn and a couple unimpressive plazas.
* Central Park is the only plaza space with some semblance of a Civic Heart of Dwtn with some events.
* Other than a couple md-sized bldgs. not much of a skyline.
* Sidewalks are consistent but ADA curb cuts are spotty.
* Kern College Community Center is Dwtn but not much else.
* Missing several key amenities including hotels, court houses stadiums, art galleries, and major theaters.
* # of jobs Dwtn is pretty low. Likely btwn 5K-10K

Riviera-Weschester- Bakersfield’s best Urban District

Riviera-Westchester has been Bakersfield’s premiere urban district since the 1920s. The southern 2/3s of the neighborhood were developed before WWII and the 1/3 north of 24th Street was developed in the 40s-60s. The district has held its value ever since and commands the highest prices for Bakersfield neighborhood with decent urbanity.

The district has more typical suburban amenities with low density, good tree canopy, lots of well maintained single family homes, a couple of good schools, great parks, and low crime. It also hosts some decent mixed-use blocks on 19th Street on the edge of Dwtn and while F street is a pretty auto centric commercial district it still has some good urban stretches.

Riviera/Westchester has great access to Dwtn and residents on its eastern edge can walk to Dwtn and enjoy the many cultural and retail amenities it holds. For the neighborhood to be a great urban district it needs much more housing and density, which will help spur more walkability and amenities. Riviera/Westchester also needs more consistent sidewalks and ADA curbs and mixed-use infill along 19th St and F Avenue.

Click here to view my Riviera-Westcheser album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

* Decent public transit access and very convenient access to Dwtn across all modes of transit.
*Solid racial diversity and pretty good income diversity. Good generational diversity.
* Very safe district and limited blight.
* Good amount of rentals and moderately priced. 1-beds lease between 1K and the high 1Ks, some 2 & 3 beds that are lease in the 1Ks.
* Pretty good for sale range with the exception of much condo product. 2-beds range anywhere btwn 175K-450. 2 & 4 beds btwn 250K-750K. Some 5 beds sell for around 1M.
* High quality park amenities with 3 lovely parks, the Bakersfield racket club, a recreational trail along the river and a couple small parks. Along the massive Bakersfield ballpark complex is nearby.
* Solid Tree canopy.
* Decent cultural amenities including several restaurants & bars, a couple cafes. But mostly great access to all the cultural amenities Dwtn.
* Ok neighborhood amenities including a, a couple drug stores, tons of salons, a couple boutiques, a couple dessert spots & gyms, and the dwtn post office and a major hospital are nearby. But lots of retail amenities nearby in Dwtn.
* Lots of attractive historic homes esp. south of 24th St.
* Well regarded neighborhood in Bakersfield.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

* Very poor density, similar and sometimes even worse than a suburb.
* ADA curb cuts are pretty spotty and concentrated in the more commercial areas.
* About 60% of the district has consistant sidewalks. The SW section is largely missing them and the north 1/3 of the district.
* A very good public elementary school and below average high school are located in the district. Also a good elementary school nearby in Dwtn.
* Modern infill is generally auto centric junk but some good stuff.
* Not great pedestrian traffic.

Oleander-Sunset- an urban district just south of Downtown Bakersfield

Oleander-Sunset is one of Bakersfield’s most urban, diverse, and eclectic neighborhoods. Homes began to fill in during the late 19th century especially east of A Street. Oleander Avenue contains some of Bakersfield nicest historic mansions and was once the City’s most coveted address. The Eastern half of the district has a higher poverty rates but better urbanity (more dense, access to some walkable commercial, and consistent sidewalks).

Oleander/Sunset has good bones and great access to Downtown Bakersfield with pretty good public transit and bike infrastructure. There is the potential for it to be a quality urban neighborhood but several improvements are needed (i.e. better urban form along Chester & Union, improved sidewalks, quality schools, more walkable amenities, and improved safety outcomes).

Click here to view my Oleander-Sunset Album on Flickr

URBAN STRENGTHS:

* Excellent access to Dwtn being on the southern edge of the central district.
* Great connectivity thanks to the districts highly gridded street network.
* Several dedicated bike lanes in Oleander.
* Solid income diversity and lots of family households here.
* Sale prices are very reasonable esp. for California. 1-beds sell anywhere btwn 100K-300K. 2-beds btwn 150K-300K and 3 & 4 beds btwn 200K-500K. Some 5-beds sell for more.
* Good # of rentals and pretty affordable. 1-beds lease for around 1K and 2-beds 1K to high 1Ks. Plenty of 3 beds that lease btwn the mid 1Ks-2K.
* Decent parks including a pair a attractive mid-sized parks (i.e. Beale & Lowell Park) and lots of ball fields by the high school.
* Decent amenities include lots of small grocerias, a couple drug stores, several boutiques, a bookstore, several dessert joints, plenty of salons & barber shops, several florists, lots of churches, and a couple doctor’s offices.

URBAN WEAKNESSES:

* Sidewalks and ADA curbs are spotty in places
* Okay density.
* Ok transit.
* Residential streets are way to wide.
* Not great diversity as 70% of the neighborhood is Hispanic.
* Several public schools in the neighborhood but poorly rated.
* Moderate level of crime and certainly some blight.
* Tree canopy is spitting and generally better in the western half of the district.
* Some cultural activities including plenty of restaurants, a couple night clubs, and good access to Dwtn amenities.
* Lots of autocentric and uninspiring modern commercial along the main commercial districts (Chester & Union Ave).