What's to like about Oxnard? (Thousand Oaks, Santa Clara: apartments, condos, crime rates)

[the city]

I used to live in Oxnard when it had high crime rates, an old mall, and had 50,000 less population.

Has it gotten nicer? How? Are their places to hike? What has made it nicer? Are their good jobs there?

Thanks

[Charles]

Some parts of Oxnard are gritty and some parts aren't.
Fantastic weather. You don't need air conditioning and you almost don't need heat.
For a while there were lots of jobs at Point Mugu and Port Hueneme, not sure how it is there now but I haven't heard or read a lot of good things there lately.
Ventura County gov't center in Ventura also anchors a lot of jobs.
There's a big Proctor and Gamble Factory there and I think two huge hospitals.
Lots of that farmland (second most fertile in the world with 40 feet of topsoil) has been paved over for business parks.
I drove down the 101 the past few weeks and there is a lot of new development in the old Wagon Wheel area at Saviers/Oxnard Blvd/1 and 101.

You have the Santa Monica Mountains 30 minutes away and you can easily hike to Sandstone Peak, the highest point of 3111 feet.
Highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains - YouTube

I'd rather live in Oxnard than just about any place in the US that isn't in California.

Oxnard's biggest turn off is lousy school performance:

http://schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/...71191%2C11%2C1

My favorite restaurants are Sal's Mexican Inn and Supertaco

Super Taco - Oxnard, CA

Sal's Mexican Inn - CLOSED - Oxnard, CA

[LadyKLO]

Originally Posted by the city

I used to live in Oxnard when it had high crime rates, an old mall, and had 50,000 less population.

Has it gotten nicer? How? Are their places to hike? What has made it nicer? Are their good jobs there?

Thanks

What years did you live here? I've been here almost 11 years and I've seen tremendous growth in this area. The old mall...I don't think I know what that is...are you refering to Centerpoint Mall or the "mall" that used to be where the Esplanade area is??

I know some people hike in the Santa Clara riverbed from what I understand. Nicer...I wouldn't know since I don't know what it was like when you lived here. There are some jobs here. A lot of people still work for the military bases (Port Hueneme and Point Mugu). You remember this area is agricultural so there are the farms out here i.e. Driscoll's and a few others. Regarding good jobs....just depends on the companies..Haas Automation is here and I understand another manufacturing company opened here this year.

[the city]

Originally Posted by LadyKLO

What years did you live here? I've been here almost 11 years and I've seen tremendous growth in this area. The old mall...I don't think I know what that is...are you refering to Centerpoint Mall or the "mall" that used to be where the Esplanade area is??

I know some people hike in the Santa Clara riverbed from what I understand. Nicer...I wouldn't know since I don't know what it was like when you lived here. There are some jobs here. A lot of people still work for the military bases (Port Hueneme and Point Mugu). You remember this area is agricultural so there are the farms out here i.e. Driscoll's and a few others. Regarding good jobs....just depends on the companies..Haas Automation is here and I understand another manufacturing company opened here this year.

I am refering to the old Esplanade Mall.

[user_id]

What's to like about Oxnard? Not too much..... There is the beach, the weather is good....and....?

[DaniellaG]

I don't know much about Oxnard but when I drove past I noticed a Whole Foods opening and a large Target. There was also some either new apartments or condos? It seemed like they are trying to add more of a new feel to the area?
I also have heard Oxnard varies a lot.
What type of job are you looking for?

[LadyKLO]

Originally Posted by DaniellaG

I don't know much about Oxnard but when I drove past I noticed a Whole Foods opening and a large Target. There was also some either new apartments or condos? It seemed like they are trying to add more of a new feel to the area?
I also have heard Oxnard varies a lot.
What type of job are you looking for?

You are right...Oxnard varies a lot depending on where you are of course. Hopefully that Whole Foods will open sometime next year...it was supposed to originally open in 2008....that area is called Riverpark which has apartments, condos and single family houses over there.

I really can't speak for the job market here since I really don't know what's out there these days.

[Cabguy]

Originally Posted by user_id

What's to like about Oxnard? Not too much..... There is the beach, the weather is good....and....?

they have lots of restaurants,beaches,parks,good shopping mountains and lakes nearby and great weather

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

What is good about Oxnard?

Plenty of new shopping. The old Carriage Square is just about complete with a brand new Lowe's, KFC, a new Auto Parts store, refurbished IHOP with a new exterior to match the other stores. Oh and it faces Oxnard Blvd now instead of Gonzales road. Over at Rose and Gonzales three corners of the intersection are homes to shopping space, including the newly remodeled WalMart at the Shopping at the Rose center. The remaining corner is the St Johns Hospital facility that moved to that location 20 years ago. They were also recently remodeled. The Esplenade was replaced and is booming now. They have a Home Depot and lots of other stores. Down town is booming now with the revitailized down town area. In the past very few would have ventured down there. that is not the case now. On the weekends there is a lot going on. They have a very nice multiplex and the area is doing fine. Over near the transportation center is Ruby's a very busy club that you can dance the night away. On Saturday they open 2 dance floors. The Beachport Center is growing. Yolandas moved to the center three years ago from their former Center Point location. At 5 points the entire area is new shopping. The old Flower shop and Lumber yard are gone and have made way to a new shopping area. Down around Channel Islands and Rose some new centers have been built. Over at the Airport their is a center that was built maybe 10 years ago near Ventura and 5th and down 5th near Victoria is another center. Across from the airport is a boys and girls club, large park, new grade school and closer to Victoria and 5th on the South side of 5th another shopping center.

Plenty of new housing. River park is an ongoing project that includes a new mall that is still in development. It does house the new Target. They have a couple schools out there and plenty of parks. We love the park with the large fountain. At night that thing is lighted and you can see it for miles. Along the area south of Gonzales road between Oxnard Blvd and Rose are lots of new developments, including single family homes, town homes, Patio Homes, apartment units, and condos. Near Gonzales road between Patterson and Victoria you have the gated Victoria Estates development that is near River Ridge. Many of the homes meander along the golf course area. These homes were selling for up to $1.2 million just a few years ago. On the South side I also noticed some newer housing tracks near the college area. The Sea Bridge area near Wooley and Victoria has also been a successfull development of homes, condos, and shops. Even the former St Johns Hospital has been rebuilt and is now a long term care facility. They gave the buildings there a face lift and it is a very beautifull building now.

Things to do. Since it is the holiday season you could visit the Historic District with the turn of the century homes many of which are decorated for the holidays. Homes on E, F, and G street are all aglow with Christmas decorations. In December the Oxnard Harbor will be having its Parade of Lights. I haven't seen when it will happen this year but it is always fun. Usually held on the second saturday in December the entire day is a lot of fun for the entire family. In the Summer their is usually bands playing at Heritage Square and they have had a wine and cheese tasting parties there as well. In May we have the Strawberry Festival that brings people from all over the state. The Summer I think is also the Salsa Festival in Plaza Park. You can take a whale watching excursion a couple times a year depending on if the whales are migrating south or north. I am sure that others could add to this.

Museums. Oxnard is home to the Gull wings Childrens Museum, Ventura County Maritime Museum, Carnegie Art Museum, Murphy Auto Museum, and the Mullin Automotive Museum
Currently the Murphy has an exibit featuring Woodys and Surfboards.

Industry. Besides the millitary presence that offers many jobs in the area, a lot of companies call the area home. HASS Automation the largest maker of CNC milling machines in the nation is in Oxnard. Besides HASS Oxnard is home to Semminis, Borla Performance, Vivitar, Drum Workshop, and Boss Audio. MillGro is also based in Oxnard. Chances are if you purchased a Poinsetta this season it will come from MillGro. Proctor & Gamble have a large presence here, Boskovich Farms grows and packages a lot of produce in Oxnard, Sysco is here, JNB Industries and others just to name a few. BMW has a processing center in Oxnard as well. Having the port here doesn't hurt.

Auto Mall. The auto mall has grown to include many quality cars. Mercedes, Smart, Audi, Lexus, Infinity, Caddilac, Lincoln, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Honda, can all be found at the Oxnard Auto Mall. A drive over the grade to Thousand Oaks will give you all that and more, still it is exciting to see Oxnard with the brands that it has. In the same area as the auto mall their is plenty of shopping, eateries, furniture stores and other shops begging for attention.

[user_id]

Lowes, KFC, IHOP, Target.....gee its hard to find those places in other cities...

Oxnard has air...perhaps we should mention that too?