FRESNO, Calif. \u2013 Mithradad Behbehani says his city is always changing.<\/p>\n
Public spaces are evolving. The skyline is shifting. New buildings are coming together piece by piece. In Fresno, he says, the beauty is often in the details.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have tons of memories watching the Hotel Fresno become a place where people live now,\u201d said Behbehani, who grew up in the city. \u201cWhen I graduated high school, we would just drive around. I lived down there, we\u2019d look at the construction, and then we\u2019d come back and say, \u2018Oh, it\u2019s more complete now.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Downtown Fresno was always familiar to him because his family owned a business nearby. Eating, walking around and sightseeing all became daily rituals.<\/p>\n
And, he says, looking back, a common thread connecting all of that made the daily routines meaningful.<\/p>\n
\u201cFresno has some of the warmest and kindest people in the entire state of California,\u201d he told KVPR in a survey.<\/a><\/p>\n Behbehani was one of a few dozen people who responded to a recent KVPR survey that asked: What\u2019s good about your city \u2013 and what\u2019s bad about it?<\/p>\n Our findings showed current and former residents have varied views about their city, but all seem to \u2013 or at least try to \u2013 find the good in it.<\/p>\n The bad? High costs of living, like rent and utility payments, and wages that cannot keep up.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s plenty to like about Fresno, too.<\/p>\n \u201cThe wonderful autumn and spring weather and the friendly people,\u201d one person said.<\/p>\n Other responses included that people in \u201cCentral California can visit other cities and parks and not drive far,\u201d and \u201clocal produce and proximity.\u201d<\/p>\n Ronald J. Martin, 77, agrees proximity is a key strength of living in Fresno.<\/p>\n “It’s nice to be close to the national parks and go there once in a while,” Martin said.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s true: Yosemite National Park \u2013 one of the country\u2019s most visited parks \u2013 is just an hour and a half from downtown Fresno.<\/p>\n And downtown Fresno, Martin, adds, \u201cis a beautiful place. It’s well taken care of.\u201d<\/p>\n That may be the case these days. But downtown Fresno has had its share of rough years. The city has continually worked to revitalize the district \u2013 which has struggled to generate activity since northward sprawl began.<\/p>\n