A groundbreaking ceremony took place Tuesday for Riverside’s Northside Agricultural Innovation Center, which aims to show how sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural technologies can boost crop yields amid climate change while preparing the next generation of farmers.
The NAIC will be the first facility of its kind in the nation to feature solar-powered greenhouses and solar panels over farm fields that will use the sun’s energy to provide electricity to the center and return up to 1 megawatt of renewable energy to the grid each year, according to a city statement. The solar greenhouses are projected to produce three times the yield of a typical farm and consume 80% less water.
“This transformative, sustainable and innovative project will bring lasting benefits to Riverside’s Northside neighborhood,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “It also will help us as a city, a region, a state and a nation be more resilient in growing food in an environment that is getting warmer and drier — and to do it all with less water while creating renewable energy. We were on the cutting edge of ag 125 years ago when we exported the Washington navel orange using new refrigeration techniques. We continue to lead in the agri-tech space.”
Lock Dawson noted that the U.S. Agriculture and Energy departments have recognized the NAIC as one of the top five ag projects in the nation to help future proof farming. The center will facilitate training for at least 135 people and assist six to 10 new farmers and ag tech startups annually, launching 25 companies during the next decade.
Planned features for the NAIC’s 8-acre site include safe routes for walking and biking, improved access to open spaces, a tree nursery, a community garden, a farmers’ market and a carbon-sequestering orchard. The center will provide resources for sustainable living, local economic growth and workforce development as well as hands-on training for residents, including education programs for young people.
“With more than $10 million in local, state, and private funding, the project will establish a state-of-the-art facility for sustainable agriculture training,” according to a city statement. “It will offer educational opportunities for everyone from K-PhD students to the general public in the Northside.”
City Councilman Philip Falcone represents the Northside area.
“The center adds another game-changing new development to enhance our Northside community — the city’s oldest neighborhood,” Falcone said in a statement. “In Riverside we care deeply about where we have been and where we are going. The NAIC is transforming a once-thriving farm into an innovative agricultural space of the 21st century that will lead the way in generating renewable energy, being prudent with our natural resources and leading the U.S. in sustainable agricultural innovation.”
The NAIC’s solar greenhouses will total 50,000 square feet, along with 14,000 square feet of solar panels over open farm fields and a 14,000-square-foot solar pole barn, a structure with a roof and no walls for gatherings and events, according to the city. Plans also include a 30-plot community garden, 1.8 acre for agriculture fields, a walking trail and 450 new trees.
“This project is not just about transforming a piece of land; it’s about meaningful jobs and our economy,” City Manager Mike Futrell said in a statement. “It’s about transitioning from agriculture to climate smart ag and it’s about preparing for our future. This center will be more than just a place to learn; it will be a place where ideas are born, where businesses are launched, and where we can see the future of farming unfold before our very eyes.”
An expected completion date for the NAIC project was not immediately available, but according to the city’s website the anticipated launch of on-site programs is sometime in the third quarter of this year.
South Palm Canyon Bridge replacement
Construction on the South Palm Canyon Bridge was set to begin Monday, Palm Springs officials said last week.
The project replaces a 1930s bridge with an updated 98-foot design that features wider sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes and public art installations within a concrete center median, according to a city statement.
Long-term lane closures will be in effect during construction work, with one lane open in each direction unless otherwise announced.
Construction work on the bridge is in two phases. First the western lanes will be demolished and rebuilt, with traffic temporarily shifted to the eastern side, then vice versa.
The bridge’s estimated completion is late 2026, officials said.
Residents can sign up for text or email notifications on the project’s progress, and additional information is online at SouthPalmCanyonBridge.com.
