The New City of Menifee's Future (Riverside, Moreno Valley: crime, home builders, safe area)

[antredd]

I have lived in Menifee for 6 years, and I am very happy that my wife and I decided to move here. If you are a resident of Menifee, where do you see Menifee heading or where do you see its future going? With this terrible economy, I see our nice city staying stagnant with little or no more growth until the economy rebounds and hopefully crime will stay low as well. But, your positive or negative replies will be appreciated.

[bigolwoody]

Ive been here for 1 year and just bought a home in Murrieta.Don`t care for the school situation and lack of parks for kids.I won`t look back afetr the move.

[bouncethelight]

Menifee is unusual in that there is no downtown. It didn't start as a little historic town that grew up slowly over time - instead it started in the 1960's with the development of Sun City, a retirement community, and then in the 1980's and 1990's with housing developments that were built in an area of Riverside County that was just outside of Sun City, and then more recently with development of some commercial sites along the freeway. Then in 2008 the area officially became a city, Menifee, and swallowed up Sun City. The signs on the freeway used to read Sun City - now they read Menifee.

But there is no downtown core - unless you count Sun City - and most people think of Sun City as a little add-on area to Menifee. Most Menifee residents would be insulted if you suggested that the city block that makes up Sun City's downtown area was actually the downtown for Menifee! They would probably prefer to think of the area near the freeway, near the big box stores and the fast food places as the city core.

So where is Menifee heading? That's really hard to say. It's a good place to live - and all the basic services are covered - but it's not really a real city yet. That will take time - even if the economy was great, it would take time. But, it will happen, because the city is located in a great area. It's super close to Temecula and Murrieta, and if you take the back roads, it's also close to Lake Elsinore, and the Ortega Highway, that can take you into San Juan Capistrano and Orange County. And it's close enough to Riverside to commute daily. Being so close to the freeway is a good thing!

It will just take time for the city to grow up - eventually there will be jobs other than retail, and more commercial areas, and more services - it just takes time and Menifee is still relatively young!

[psr13]

Where is it heading? I'm not sure. It shouldn't grow too much until the economy gets much better. However, it really needs to improve the schools. I graduated from Paloma, and my niece is in elementary school in the city now. The schools definitely are not a plus in my opinion.

[orangeapple]

I agree it will say stagnant for a bit more due to the economy.

That huge shopping center off Newport was supposed to be TWICE its size, with another section across the way where its currently a field. I suppose that would have created something of a "downtown", but it has too much of a shoebox mall feel for that, & the traffic flow design is awful. It would have been nice if they had made it more walkable and had less chain stores (but I suppose they paid for its construction). A few cafes, boutiques & night life venues, and then it might feel downtownish. I know, I know - I ask too much of the suburbs.

So in terms of people & shopping, it is already like a little Murrieta or Temecula - a very white cookie cutter suburb.

And while I agree it would benefit from some kind of downtown, but to suggest Temecula or Murrieta have much of one is a laugh.

Temecula's oldtown is one street with a few wine bars & cafes & uninteresting "antique" tourist trap shops. It would be awesome if it continued to grow into something with nightlife and interesting boutiques, but we'll see. I have a fondness for it as I lived there, but the economy is making it stagnate a bit also (it was starting to grow a lot a few years ago).

Murrieta has always struck me as very fragmented in its layout. It has an east/west divide with shopping centers scattered about. The oldtown is more boring than Temecula's....far from being any city cultural/shopping hub.

[Ponypenny]

I don't see it improving anytime soon. It is too remote and not enough jobs or business opportunities. I should of never have become a city as its tax base is mediocre at best.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by bigolwoody

Ive been here for 1 year and just bought a home in Murrieta.Don`t care for the school situation and lack of parks for kids.I won`t look back afetr the move.

Are you talking about Menifee or Murrieta? Murrieta has a lot of parks and good schools.

[antredd]

Originally Posted by bouncethelight

Menifee is unusual in that there is no downtown. It didn't start as a little historic town that grew up slowly over time - instead it started in the 1960's with the development of Sun City, a retirement community, and then in the 1980's and 1990's with housing developments that were built in an area of Riverside County that was just outside of Sun City, and then more recently with development of some commercial sites along the freeway. Then in 2008 the area officially became a city, Menifee, and swallowed up Sun City. The signs on the freeway used to read Sun City - now they read Menifee.

But there is no downtown core - unless you count Sun City - and most people think of Sun City as a little add-on area to Menifee. Most Menifee residents would be insulted if you suggested that the city block that makes up Sun City's downtown area was actually the downtown for Menifee! They would probably prefer to think of the area near the freeway, near the big box stores and the fast food places as the city core.

So where is Menifee heading? That's really hard to say. It's a good place to live - and all the basic services are covered - but it's not really a real city yet. That will take time - even if the economy was great, it would take time. But, it will happen, because the city is located in a great area. It's super close to Temecula and Murrieta, and if you take the back roads, it's also close to Lake Elsinore, and the Ortega Highway, that can take you into San Juan Capistrano and Orange County. And it's close enough to Riverside to commute daily. Being so close to the freeway is a good thing!

It will just take time for the city to grow up - eventually there will be jobs other than retail, and more commercial areas, and more services - it just takes time and Menifee is still relatively young!

I don't know how I missed your post. But I totally agree with you. It's now 8 years after I started this post, and Menifee is still growing. Menifee Town Center will be built soon, and were are getting finally the long awaited entertainment facilities that will keep money local.

I am happy to see all of the new home builders in Menifee pushing on to sell new homes to potential families looking for a safe area to live.

[antredd]

Originally Posted by Ponypenny

I don't see it improving anytime soon. It is too remote and not enough jobs or business opportunities. I should of never have become a city as its tax base is mediocre at best.

With the new homes being built at a rapid pace, I don't see the tax base being an issue. I think the demand for restaurants, entertainment, and better retail establishment is what all of us residents of Menifee are expecting and looking for. I hate having to drive to Temecula, Murrieta, Riverside, or Moreno Valley to shop at a big discount store like Sam's Club/Costco when Menifee could have one of those stores as well.

[TinaTwo]

Originally Posted by antredd

With the new homes being built at a rapid pace, I don't see the tax base being an issue. I think the demand for restaurants, entertainment, and better retail establishment is what all of us residents of Menifee are expecting and looking for. I hate having to drive to Temecula, Murrieta, Riverside, or Moreno Valley to shop at a big discount store like Sam's Club/Costco when Menifee could have one of those stores as well.

Can’t wait for the new movie theater entertainment center. Lots of good things still coming this way.