Riverdale

When one thinks of the Riverside neighborhood in Austin, one characteristic comes to mind: students. This neighborhood is a huge haven for the undergraduate population of Austin, housing students from the University of Texas, St. Edwards University and Austin Community College.

Bordered by Lady Bird Lake to the north, E. Oltorf to the south, Interstate 35 to the west and Pleasant Valley Road to the east, this is one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city. The area is dominated by apartment complexes, and it seems new ones are being built all the time. Envisioned as an off-campus area for students by the University of Texas back in the 1970s, two shuttle bus lines continue to make this area popular with students looking for housing less expensive than found nearer to campus. In the mid-1990s the area became popular with recent immigrants from Mexico and Latin America and Asian countries, giving the area an international vibe.

But all this concentrated living, coupled with years of neglect, have given this neighborhood a shady reputation. Crime tends to be higher here, and there are areas that feel unsafe. However, Riverside also contains some older, more charming areas within its borders. The larger of the single-family homes run in the mid-$300s, and of course there are many townhouses and condominiums available here. Area schools include Sanchez Elementary, Martin Middle School and Austin High School.

The best that the Riverside neighborhood has to offer is convenient access to downtown and the University of Texas. It also sits just south of Lady Bird Lake with its many hike and bike trails. Roy G. Guerrero Park is nearby, which is currently underutilized but could become another source of Austin pride in the future.

A good friend of mine who was in my grad program at UT lived here, and though it’s thought to be one of the lower-income, higher-crime areas, she had absolutely no problem here. Sure, it was loud, but she also lived in an apartment complex close to I35 that was populated with rowdy UT undergrads. I lived nearby in Pleasant Valley, and we had about the same experience. There may be some weird homeless guys sleeping on a park bench next to the bus stop, but that’s all I really saw. She had a balcony, too, and her apartment was clean, so that paired with relatively cheap rent made her happy. Her complex also offered her free internet. The complexes have big parking lots that are off the main streets, so there wasn’t any trouble with vandalism that I knew of, either. There’s an HEB and a general commercial area nearby, and plenty of busses to get you to class or work or to brighter areas of the city. This may not be the best place for families, or professionals looking to experience the full benefits of Austin, but it’s a good starter area for students and others who are just moving to the area.