A tree-lined parkway in the middle of the street runs through this stretch of Riverside from Monroe to Cedar, then up Cedar for one block to First Ave.[3] Initially known as the Civic Center due to its concentration of monumental buildings and public spaces, designed and built as part of the City Beautiful movement.

Over the years, the district has seen a handful of more modern intrusions within its bounds, but generally retains its historic character.

This ridge trends slightly to the south as it moves downstream (east to west), making land on the north side of Riverside in the western portion of the historic district unsuitable for development.

To the west, the large Browne's Addition does not directly border the Riverside Avenue Historic District, but the two come within half-a-block of each other.

[6] The East Downtown Historic District's western edge is at Post Street, two blocks southeast of the intersection of Riverside and Monroe.

[2] The three basement levels are made possible by the cliff between Riverside and Main that was cut by the adjacent Spokane River.

Located at 1108 W. Riverside, the Masonic Temple is a monumental structure built in Neo-Classical Revival and to conform to the City Beautiful movement.

[2] The curve of Riverside gives the building a trapezoidal shape, which has resulted in the interior walls meeting at noticeably few right angles.

[4] The interior of the building matches the grandeur of the Riverside façade, and maintains the theme of ancient Egyptian style motifs.

[2] President Teddy Roosevelt, a Mason himself, was present at the groundbreaking and performed the ceremonial shoveling of the first dirt.

[12] Located at 1116 W Riverside, the Elks Temple is a Renaissance Revival building completed in 1921 at a cost of $200,000 ($3.42 million in 2023 dollars).

The ground level features a recessed central entryway surrounded on each side by four bays with arched windows extending approximately 110 feet along Riverside.

Among Elks clubs of the time, Spokane's had the second-highest membership rate behind only the chapter in Los Angeles.

The renovation work earned the Award of Outstanding Merit from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

[13] Located at 1124 W. Riverside, the former Smith Funeral Home is a Baroque Revival structure built in 1921 at a cost of $130,000 ($2.22 million in 2023 dollars).

The façade along Riverside stretches for approximately 50 feet and is covered with cream colored terra cotta, while the side walls are pressed red brick that has been painted over.

A mansard roof of stamped copper sits atop the façade, above a bracketed cornice and balustrade.

The fourth floor was to contain laundry and work rooms, with apartments on the second and third stories and the funeral home on the ground level and in the basement.

[14] Located at 1023 W. Riverside, the Chancery Building was constructed in 1925 for the Western Union Life Insurance Company at a cost of $260,000 ($4.52 million in 2023 dollars).

[2] The Chancery Building was used as office space for life insurance companies until 1966 when it was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane.

[15] The sale of the building was part of a claims settlement to pay victims of child sexual abuse by priests and clergy.

[17] In January 2022, the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission voted unanimously to require additional design review of the proposal, putting the plan on hold.

[2] Stained glass windows telling the story of Judeo-Christian history are considered by the Cathedral to be one of its crown jewels, as they were crafted in and imported from Bavaria.

[19] The church underwent an interior remodel in 1971,[20] and in 2021 there was a rehabilitation project focusing on the exterior and bell towers, which caused the closure of the intersection of Riverside and Madison for two weeks.

[22] Located at 1229 W. Riverside, the San Marco is a historic Renaissance Revival apartment building designed by Albert Held and built in 1904.

As Riverside curves southward along the bluff cut by the Spokane river and away from its east–west position in the street grid, it eventually intersects with Sprague Avenue.

[4] The parkway that runs along Riverside through the historic district is continued for one block along Cedar from Riverside/Sprague on the north to First Avenue on the south.

At 5 S. Cedar, across the street from the Carnegie Library, is the former Sunshine and Herbert Apartments, now known as the Buena Vista, built in 1905.

It is distinct compared to the rest of the district for its sleek, glass and steel exterior that curves around all four sides of the building.

While more recently constructed than even the Riverfalls Tower across the street, these condominiums blend into the historic character and nature of the district.