El Pollo Taco Peruvian Cuisine at Chestnut and University won third place in the Small Business Curb Appeal category of the 2025 Beautification Awards. (Courtesy Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful)
Nominations are now open for the 40th Annual Beautification Awards, presented by Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful (KRCB). The awards honor businesses and properties that maintain and enhance the city's appearance.
Property owners and community members can submit nominations through 5 p.m. Nov. 14. Winners will be announced at the Mayor's State of the City Address at the Convention Center on Jan. 28, 2026.
The program recognizes excellence across six categories:
Small Business Curb Appeal
Property Maintenance
Exterior Remodel/Reconstruction
New Construction
Sustainable Design & Innovation
Historic and Cultural Preservation.
Construction must be completed by Nov. 7 to qualify for the New Construction category.
Judges evaluate properties based on overall cleanliness, landscaping and curb appeal, architectural design, exterior improvements and maintenance of utility and trash enclosures.
Stephanie Bell, executive director of Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful, points to El Pollo Taco Peruvian Cuisine as an example of beautification's community impact. The 2025 third-place winner at Chestnut and University elevated its entire shopping center through maintained landscaping and welcoming outdoor spaces, drawing more visitors and supporting neighboring businesses, Bell said.
Other past recipients included educational institutions like Hillcrest High School and Arlington High School, senior housing complexes and the Acheson & Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary, a 1950s landmark with its distinctive Good Shepherd entrance.
Bell encourages residents to nominate properties "that not only enhance Riverside's beauty and character, but also demonstrate genuine pride in their work and care for the community they serve."
To nominate a property, residents should visit krcb.com and provide the business name, address and a description of why the property deserves recognition. Supporting photographs can be included.
