Riverside/Avondale is a Jacksonville neighborhood filled with history and charm. New condominium and townhome projects are taking shape along the St. Johns River, while enthusiasts and renovators are carefully restoring some of the region’s most beautiful old homes.
Residents also enjoy the new Riverside Market Square retail center which allows many the ability to walk to a new Publix Supermarket as well as numerous restaurants and shops. With the designation of the Riverside/Avondale area as a historic Jacksonville district it launched a new golden age of revitalization for prospective and current residents. The Riverside/Avondale area first developed at the turn of the century, when captains of industry began building signature showplaces along the St. Johns. Although currently there’s no land available for significant single-family home development, there are a handful of boutique multifamily projects either recently completed or under way.
The Riverside/Avondale area is about 3 miles from Downtown Jacksonville. The Riverside area offers residents a Jacksonville neighborhood that is “one of a kind”, remarkable for its variety and quality of architecture, including examples of Colonial Revival, Georgian, Shingle Style, Queen Anne, Bungalow and Tudor homes. Riverside Avenue, located on the banks of the St. Johns River is especially notable for its elegant mansions. The further you travel away from Riverside Avenue, the more modest the homes become.
The Avondale area is characterized by gently curving roadways and pocket parks. The neighborhood is one of the most picturesque in Jacksonville and boasts the highest concentration of high-quality historic homes in the city.
Riverside/Avondale is known for its many eclectic and exotic small shops and quaint restaurants. The nearby Five Points retail district is one of the most eclectic in the Southeast, comprised of funky boutiques, and ultra-hip nightspots. Other neighborhood retail areas include St. Johns Avenue in Avondale, the intersection of Park and King streets in Riverside and the intersection of Edgewood Avenue and Post Street in Murray Hill. Riverside/Avondale is also home to several public parks and St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
Riverside/Avondale benefits from a strong civic improvement organization (Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc.) that works to insure that the neighborhood's unique qualities are protected. The group sponsors various events throughout the year, including a popular tour of homes and an arts festival. It is also the home to the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens located on Riverside drive. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Jacksonville is known for its collections of significant European and American paintings, along with its three acres of formal gardens surrounding the Museum. The historic Riverside/Avondale area is a neighborhood that serves as Jacksonville's answer to San Francisco's Haight-Asbury.
