$152,307Average Value$86Average Price per Sq Ft4Homes For Sale
An active neighborhood beside Ball State University
Bordering Ball State University (BSU) to the east and to the south, the community of Riverside-Normal City is a primarily tenant-occupied neighborhood home to many university students and staff. People move here because it’s a 15-to-20-minute walk from two major area employers: BSU, East Central Indiana’s top employer, and IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. The White River also borders the neighborhood to the south and east, providing residents with direct access to its trails; and downtown Muncie is also only a 10-minute walk away. Riverside-Normal City has an active neighborhood association committed to fostering community and finding ways to improve their neighborhood. “Our staff goes door to door leaving little bags to welcome people to the neighborhood and to let them know about our events,” says Dr. Jennifer Erickson, a BSU professor and secretary of the Riverside-Normal City Neighborhood Association. “We want to call attention to our efforts, whether it’s collecting trash or planting trees. We try to welcome new and returning students from Ball State. We have a lot of meetings to get people’s opinions and to come up with the best solutions" for a way forward.
Walkability, bike lanes and the MITS bus
“You can get around pretty well by foot or by bike, but you need some sort of transportation—car or bus—to get to a grocery store,” Erickson says. Most residents can walk to BSU’s campus in 15 to 20 minutes and to downtown Muncie in 10. The neighborhood also has a MITS bus stop at University and Reserve that connects locals to destinations throughout the city. Right now, the neighborhood does not have bike lanes, but the city plans to add them, and the neighborhood association has actively gathered community feedback. “They wanted to put bike lanes on one of the main thoroughfares, but we didn’t feel comfortable putting our kids on that busy road,” she says. “Now, they plan to put them on Riverside, which is a much better choice.” IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is a mile-and-a-half or a 5-minute drive away; and when traveling out of town, residents fly out of the Fort Wayne International Airport, 67 miles away, or the Indianapolis International Airport, 75 miles away.
Getting around Riverside-Normal City is a breeze on the MITS bus system.
Riverside-Normal City is easy to get around and is popular with bikers.
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Late 19th and early 20th century homes
Riverside-Normal City has an architecturally rich array of homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Styles include Tudors, Craftsman homes, farmhouses, American Foursquares, Cape Cods and bungalows. Most of these homes remain as detached single-family designs, while others have been converted into multiunit properties to better accommodate the neighborhood’s increased population of renters. “We’re about 80% renters and 20% homeowners,” Erickson says. Homes here have small front and back yards and an average square footage of 1,600 square feet, slightly larger than in other parts of central Muncie. “I was a downtown dweller of many years,” says resident Cheryl Crowder. “I needed a yard to garden, and that is the only reason I moved out of downtown.” The neighborhood association maintains the area’s greenery, planting new trees yearly. “We receive grants to buy bigger trees,” Erickson says. “Adding more trees benefits everyone–it increases property values and is good for the environment and aesthetics.” Home values here are just above the average for the Muncie metro area, and sales prices range from $65,000 to $250,000, mainly concentrating between $100,000 and $200,000.
Large screened in porches are popular for home shoppers in Riverside-Normal City.
Bungalows are a popular option for home buyers in Riverside-Normal City.
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The Village Revitalization Plan
Riverside-Normal City is less than a mile’s walk from The Village, a commercial district just south of the university. Some of the most popular spots along this strip include the Midwestern chain Brothers Bar and Grill; the Muncie-born burger spot Roots; and Greek’s Pizzeria, a cozy local restaurant known for its breadsticks. Despite housing a few beloved local restaurants, The Village isn't quite what it used to be. “During the industrial heyday of the ‘50s and ‘60s, it was a thriving commercial district with a little mall that rivaled downtown,” Erickson says. “As industrialism began to decline, BSU became the bigger employer as opposed to the factories, and in the ‘70s and ‘80s, The Village started to decline.” To bring more business back into this district, BSU President Geoffrey S. Mearns is currently spearheading the Village Revitalization Plan, which will be anchored by a new theater for the university’s Theatre and Dance program and a Hilton hotel with a rooftop bar. Residents, however, want to ensure that the revitalization plan includes businesses that would best serve the community’s needs. “We don't want just commercial development but also community development,” Erickson says. “One of the things we’re pushing for is to get a grocery store. Students right now have to get on a bus to go to Walmart if they want access to a grocery store. We want a community co-op grocery store where people can go get a sandwich, buy groceries or just hang out.” She explains that all of Muncie’s supermarkets are on the city's outskirts, making buying groceries challenging for students and residents alike. “We need to put people over profit,” she says.
Swing by Greek's Pizza in Riverside-Normal City after class for some dinner.
Roots Burger Bar is a popular location for lunch in Riverside-Normal City.
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Emerson Dog Park, Tuhey Park and the White River Greenway
The neighborhood association hosts its annual ice cream social at the Emerson Dog Park, the site of a former elementary school. The neighborhood is also home to Tuhey Park, a large city space that is also home to Muncie’s biggest public pool. From here, residents can access the White River, which borders the neighborhood to the south and east and is lined by the White River Greenway, a nearly 6-mile multiuse trail. “I use that trail every day to bike or walk my dog,” Erickson says. The greenway also connects to the Minnetrista Museum & Gardens to the east, an expansive museum campus whose bike- and dog-friendly grounds are free for the public to enjoy.
Tuhey Park is a sprawling space with lots of paths throughout.
There are plenty of spots along the White River Greenway to go fishing in Riverside-Normal City.
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Muncie Community Schools
Riverside-Normal City borders Ball State University, so many who live here attend classes at or work for the university. Children here attend West View Elementary School, Northside Middle School and Muncie Central High School. West View Elementary and Northside Middle School have C-plus grades on Niche, and Muncie Central High School has a B-minus. West View Elementary is home to a Spanish dual language immersion program, so students spend as much as 80% of their school day being instructed in Spanish.
Crime
Riverside-Normal City has a CAP Index crime score of 4 out of 10, on par with the national average.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Riverside-Normal City Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Riverside-Normal City, Muncie sell after 31 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Riverside-Normal City, Muncie over the last 12 months is $146,250, up 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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