3485 University Ave
Riverside, CA 92501

The subject property is a ± 52,000 SF, class B office building, situated on a 0.79 acre lot with an additional 0.43 acre parking lot located in the highly desirable downtown Riverside market. Designed by architect Arthur B. Benton, the three-level Italian Renaissance Palazzo-styled structure was originally built for the YMCA, which occupied the building until 1968. The semicircular brick patterns emphasize the building’s arched windows. A small central courtyard on the second level can be seen from the Lemon Street side. A formal stairway on University Avenue provides an elegant entrance. Elsewhere, richly-carved wooden eaves add contrast to the brick-and-clay tiled structure, which stands out among downtown’s Spanish and Mission styles. Currently known as the Life Arts Building, local artists began using the building in the mid-1980s; a use that continues to this day. Along with several artist studios and a fitness gym, the building is often used for photo shoots, banquets and wedding receptions.