Richmond, California

From Free net encyclopedia

Richmond is a city located in Contra Costa County, California, USA. It is north of El Cerrito and Albany in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. It almost surrounds San Pablo. Bay Area Rapid Transit and Amtrak share a station there, which serves as a regional transit interchange. In 2005 Richmond surpassed Compton as the (statistically) most dangerous city in the state. The mayor is Irma A. Anderson, a Democrat. She is notably the first African-American woman mayor of the city. As of a July 1, 2002 Census estimate, the city has a population of 102,553 and 103,818 according to the World Gazetteer's 2006 calculation.

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Geography

Image:CAMap-doton-Richmond.pngRichmond is located at 37°56'13" North, 122°20'31" West (37.936874, -122.342057)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 136.2 km² (52.6 mi²). 77.6 km² (30.0 mi²) of it is land and 58.5 km² (22.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 42.98% water.

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Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 99,216 people, 34,625 households, and 23,025 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,277.8/km² (3,309.5/mi²). There were 36,044 housing units at an average density of 464.2/km² (1,202.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 31.36% White, 36.06% Black or African American, 0.64% Native American, 12.29% Asian, 0.50% Pacific Islander, 13.86% from other races, and 5.27% from two or more races. 26.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,625 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,210, and the median income for a family was $46,659. Males had a median income of $37,389 versus $34,204 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,788. 16.2% of the population and 13.4% of families were below the poverty line. 23.1% of those under the age of 18 and 11.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

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Population

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Economy

Many industries have been pursued in Richmond. It had a dynamite and gunpowder works (closed in 1960), the last active whaling station in the US (closed in 1971), and one of the world's largest wineries (closed by Prohibition in 1919).

During World War II Richmond was developed rapidly as a heavy industrial town, chiefly devoted to shipbuilding. Its major activity now is as a seaport, and 26 million tons of goods were shipped through Port Richmond in 1993, mostly oil and petroleum products. Chevron USA has a major oil refinery in the city, with a storage capacity of 15 million barrels (2,400 m³). The Social Security Administration employs over 1,000 at its regional office and program service center in downtown Richmond. Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in the Downtown is one of the largest employers.

The loss of its heavy industry has left Richmond as an area of relatively high unemployment (8%), low wages, and low property values; many people employed in low wage jobs elsewhere in the Bay Area live in Richmond.

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Casinos

Two casinos have been proposed for Richmond. Two more have been proposed in the area; one in the adjacent city of San Pablo, the other in unincorporated North Richmond (see Richmond, California Casino Proposals). The projects have been the subject of much civic debate - on the one hand, the cash-strapped government would get a major new source of revenue, but there is concern over possible impacts on crime rates, property values, neighborhood quality of life and other issues.

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Shopping

  • Richmond Shopping Center in Downtown Richmond with a Foods co as the anchor.
  • Pacific East Mall on Pierce St has many Asian stores, including 99 Ranch Supermarket, many asian restaurants, and a Chinese bookstore.

Other big-box stores include a Home Depot in the El Cerrito del Norte Area and Smart & Final in the San Pablo area. There is also a Costco on Point Isabel near the border with Albany.

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Leisure and culture

Several regional parks administered by the East Bay Regional Park District lie within the city limits, including the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline and the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline. They are linked by the San Francisco Bay Trail. Part of the former shipyard is now a Marina.

Richmond is home to primarily African American and Latino residents. Many of the African Americans arrived in Richmond during World War II to work at the shipyards and factories in Richmond. Richmond has formerly been home to black culture and activist movements, most notably the Black Panther Party. While the African American population is not currently growing, Richmond has seen increased Latino immigration as many Latinos replace African Americans in Richmond.

The Richmond Art Center [1], founded by Hazel Salmi in 1936, is one of the oldest continually operating non-profit art centers on the entire West Coast of the United States. Its programming includes exhibitions, adult and youth education, and community initiatives. The Center currently (as of 2005) provides some of the only arts education programming in the Richmond City School District, relying primarily on public donations and private grants as its means of support.

Richmond is the "twin town" of Shimada, Japan.

The Richmond Progressive Alliance and Green Party are active political parties in Richmond. The House Rabbit Society has its national headquarters in Richmond.

Los Centzontles is an important Mexican and Latino Arts and Dance center in the city.

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Transportation

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Roads

Freeways, highways, parkways, interstates, expressways

Major througoughfares, boulevards, avenues, main streets

  • Marina Bay Parkway
  • Marina Way
  • Harbour Way
  • MacDonald Avenue
  • Cutting Boulevard
  • Rheem Avenue
  • 23rd Street
  • San Pablo Dam Road
  • Rumrill Avenue
  • Barrett Avenue
  • Atlas Road
  • Giant Highway
  • Hilltop Drive
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Public transportation

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Intercity Rail

Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service from Richmond Station, which it shares with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. Train routes serving Richmond are:

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Heavy Rail/Rapid Transit

BART has one station in the city of Richmond, mentioned above, which serves as the northern terminus of the Richmond - Daly City and Richmond - Fremont Lines. Two other stations are located within walking distance of Richmond, El Cerrito del Norte and El Cerrito Plaza, both in El Cerrito.

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Local Bus Service

AC Transit provides a diverse service throughout the West Contra Costa south of Pinole.

'Local Service' Standard bus service that connects neighborhood and business and transit hubs and employment centers and schools as a feeder service with stops on every 1 to 2 blocks.

  • 70-Appian (Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Richmond BART/Amtrak station)
  • 71-Rumrill (El Cerrito del Norte BART station to Richmond Parkway Transit Center)
  • 72-San Pablo (Hilltop Mall to Oakland Amtrak station)
  • 72M-MacDonald (Point Richmond to Oakland Amtrak station)
  • 74-23rd Street (Marina Bay to Orinda BART station)
  • 76-Cutting (El Cerrito del Norte BART to Contra Costa College)

'Rapid Service' An express service emulating Light Rail with stops spaced about every 6 regular stops or quarter mile.

  • 72R-San Pablo Rapid (Contra Costa College to 2nd & Clay Streets)

'All-Nighter' (aka Owl) Bus service designed to run alond the most popular portions of daytime local lines but at the wee hours of the night to provide service to those without cars or other transit options late at night.

  • 376-North Richmond Night and owl service that connects most of Richmond from 10pm to appoximatly 2am in a 2 way figure 8 loop. (From Richmond BART/Amtrak to Hilltop Mall and El Cerrito del Norte BART to Richmond Parkway Transit Center)
  • 800-Richmond BART All-Nighter, a service which runs from approximatly 12 Midnight til 5 AM the next day. Its purpose is to emulate the BART line during the early morning when the trains no longer run. It is partb of the regional all-nighter network funded by the 1$ toll increase added by ballot initiative on the 7 state owned bridges in the Bay Area in 2004 for transit improvements.

'Transbay Service' Express service from the East Bay to the San Francisco Transbay Terminal (SFTT).

  • H-Arlington (Barrett Avenue & San Pablo Avenue to SFTT)
  • L-Pierce (Princeton Plaza Shopping Center to SFTT)
  • LA-Hilltop (Hilltop Park and Ride lot to SFTT)

Golden Gate Transit provides connecting service to San Rafael Transit Center and Marin County across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge with the Richmond BART/Amtrak stations and the El Cerrito del Norte BART station. With lines 40 and 42

Vallejo Transit provides Express serive to Solano County and the Cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Cordelia, Suisun City, and Vacaville to the El Cerrito del Norte BART station with lines 85, 90, and 92.

WestCAT provides service to the El Cerrito del Norte BART station to the Richmond Parkway Transit Center, Hilltop Area, Pinole, Hercules, Rodeo, and Martinez to the El Cerrito del Norte BART station with lines J, JX (with JL and JR variations) and 30Z/JPX.

Taxis serves all major shopping centers and stations.

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Intercity Bus Service

Greyhound runs service from the Richmond Parkway Transit Center.

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Ferry Service (discontinued)

The Red and White Fleet ran a ferry service from the Marina Bay neighborhood from the Old Kaiser Shipyards to San Francisco's Ferry Building and to pier 29 1/2 and to the San Francisco Giants baseball games at then PacBell Park (now SBC Park) in Mission Bay this service was discontinued not due to unpopularity but due to unprofitability.

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Railroads

The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has a mainline passing through Richmond. This line was formerly operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP).

The BNSF Railway (BNSF) has a yard and that serves as the Northern California terminus of their line that goes through the San Joaquin Valley to their main classification yard at Barstow, CA. At Barstow the BNSF has an east-west mainline that runs between Los Angeles - Chicago. The track was formerly operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). Many years ago the ATSF offered rail car ferry service from Point Richmond to San Francisco and the abandoned ferry pier remains at the abandoned location.

The Richmond Pacific Railroad (RPRC) is a class III shortline railroad operating on 2.5 miles of track, providing switching services at Richmond's wharves. This RPRC is owned by Levin-Richmond Terminal Corporation and was formerly known as the Parr Terminal Railroad (PRT).

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Famous citizens

  • Divine Brown, famous sex worker turned actress and "D-list" celebrity, caught in the act with actor English actor, Hugh Grant by police in LA. Caused an international controversy, and ruined Grant's relationship with actress/model Elizabeth Hurley, also from England. They were both charged with Lewd Conduct in a public place and Indecent exposure, for they were caught in the act of oral copulation. After her legitimate work as an actress dried up, she moved on to porn.
  • Master P, rapper and founder/owner of the P. Miller brand of clothing. Founded three music stores in Richmond before hitting it big. He is the father of rapper "Lil' Romeo."
  • The Frontline's Left and Locksmith, rappers whose 2004 debut album "Who R You?/Now U Know" helped put the Bay Area back on the map in terms of hip hop.
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See also

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External links

Template:Cities of Contra Costa County, Californiabg:Ричмънд (Калифорния) de:Richmond (Kalifornien)

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