Southwest Bakersfield
| Southwest Bakersfield | |
|---|---|
| Region in Bakersfield | |
  Southwest Bakersfield | |
| Coordinates: 35°19′5″N 119°5′31″W / 35.31806°N 119.09194°WCoordinates: 35°19′5″N 119°5′31″W / 35.31806°N 119.09194°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | County of Kern |
| City | City of Bakersfield |
| Neighborhoods and Subdistricts |
List
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| Area | |
| • Total | 20.26 sq mi (52.5 km2) |
| Includes area scheduled for future development. | |
| ZIP Code | 93309, 93313 |
| Area Code | 661 |
Southwest Bakersfield (commonly referred to simply as The Southwest) is the southwest region of Bakersfield, California. It is roughly bounded by the Kern River to the north and Oak St/Wible Rd. to the east. The other boundaries are the city limits themselves.
The Southwest contains major residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, as well as parks, shopping districts, and even a university.
Most of the land that makes up the region was originally owned by the land giant, Kern County Land Company. That company later became Tenneco West, and is currently known as Castle and Cooke. Growth started in the early 1950s, but accelerated by the 1960s. Most of the growth in Bakersfield, between 1960s and 1980s occurred in the southwest.[1] In recent years, development in other regions has slowed the growth in the southwest.
Neighborhoods and Districts
Like other regions in Bakersfield, most districts and neighborhoods boundaries in the Southwest vary depending on who a person talks to. Below are some of the more commonly used neighborhood names.
Financial District
Centered around the intersection and California Ave. and Mohawk St. is Bakersfield's Financial District. It is the location for many of the regional offices and corporate headquarters for companies that have assets in the county, and surrounding region. These include Wells Fargo bank, Bank of the West, and Berry Petroleum. It is also home to Stockdale Towers, the tallest building in the city.[2] Chevron, Occidental Petroleum, as well as other companies were also located there, but have since moved to larger buildings farther to the southwest.
The Financial District is located on the actively producing Fruitvale Oil Field. Oil well pumping units are scattered throughout the district, mainly in the parking lots. The units are fenced and landscaped. Some of the tanks for storing the pumped oil are located just east of the intersection of Truxtun Ave. and Mohawk St.
Seven Oaks
Seven Oaks is a mixture of residential and commercial space. It is roughly bordered to the north by Stockdale Hwy and to the east by Gosford Rd. The other boundaries are the city limits. Some of the housing communities in this area are Seven Oaks, Haggin Oaks, Southern Oaks, The Oaks, Campus Park, Laurelglen, Silver Creek, Stone Creek, and Grand Island. Like Stockdale, it also contains a private country club (named the Seven Oaks Country Club). It also contains The Marketplace, a major retail center.[3] California State University, Bakersfield is also located in Seven Oaks.
A major commercial and retail sector is River Walk. Located along Stockdale Hwy, between the Kern River and Old River Rd, it is a mixture of commercial and retail shopping. The centerpiece to the development is The Park at River Walk, which contains two artificial lakes and a meandering stream. It is also home to the Bright House Amphitheater.[4]
There is also a mini corporate center on Old River Rd, between the Kern River, and Ming Ave, although some of the buildings are also located on adjacent streets. Many companies in Bakersfield that need large office space are located there. Because land there is inexpensive, buildings profiles tend to be short and wide, rather than highrise.
Stockdale
Stockdale is a mostly residential neighborhood. Starting north and traveling clockwise, it is bounded by the Kern River, California Ave/New Stine Rd, Ming Ave, and Gosford Rd. The historic Stockdale Country Club, which was founded in 1925, is located there.[5] Named neighborhoods include: Amberton, Westwood, Stockdale Estates, Old Stockdale (which some realtors have renamed "Olde Stockdale"), Los Portales, Quailwood, and Park Stockdale.
Major shopping centers include Stockdale Village and Stockdale Fashion Plaza, both centered around the intersection of California Ave/New Stine Rd. and Stockdale Hwy.
See also
References
- ↑ Maynard, John. Bakersfield, A Centennial Portrait. Cherbo Publishing Group. Encino, California, 1997. ISBN 1-882933-19-2. Pages 86-89.
- ↑ Cox, John. Kern's Tallest Building Gives Glimpse of Commercial Real Estate Market. The Bakersfield Californian. June 20, 2009. Accessed: 05-11-2010.
- ↑ Home Page. The Marketplace. Accessed: 05-11-2010.
- ↑ The Park at River Walk. City of Bakersfield Recreation & Parks. Accessed: 05-11-2010.
- ↑ History. Stockdale Country Club. Accessed: 05-11-2010.
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