Riverside to renovate Cesar Chavez Community Center with $25 million state grant; council awards construction contract

The Riverside City Council voted to award a construction contract for the renovation of the Cesar Chavez Community Center at Bobby Bonds Park after staff reported the city had secured $25 million in state grant funding to modernize the historic facility.

Pamela Galera, the city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director, said the project will restore the building envelope (roofing, window replacement and façade refresh), upgrade building systems including HVAC and fire sprinklers, add an elevator to the basement to increase usable program space, and renovate the auditorium (expanded stage, new seating and updated lighting and acoustics) to create a community performance venue.

The center, which opened as a junior high and has served the Eastside for decades, will receive accessibility and energy‑efficiency upgrades and space for arts programming. The city reported an extensive community engagement process and said the renovation will support the Riverside Arts Academy and partnerships with local schools and arts organizations.

Procurement staff described a highly technical bid process and said only one responsive bidder met strict licensing and specification requirements. The council approved the contract award, authorized a 30% contingency, and gave the city manager authority to execute the construction agreement.

What happens next: With the grant extension secured, the project will advance to construction; staff and project managers will coordinate historic‑preservation oversight, construction administration and community updates during the work.