New condos and shops are planned near downtown Palm Springs. Here's how they'll look
One of the last undeveloped lots near downtown Palm Springs likely won’t stay that way for much longer.
On Thursday, the city council OK’d a rezoning of a property along North Palm Canyon Drive that will allow a planned development containing both retail and condos to be built there. Here is a look at what can be expected from the project.
Where is it?
The development will be built on a 2.4-acre site at the intersection of North Palm Canyon Drive and West Chino Drive. That's just south of the restaurant Copley’s and across Palm Canyon Drive from the Desert Art Center.
What is it?
Plans submitted to the city call for two-story buildings holding 24 condos, along with about 5,500 square feet of retail space that will front Palm Canyon Drive. The condos, which will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, will be arranged around what the plans describe as “a lush desert courtyard” that will include a pool spa and other amenities. There will be 42 garages for resident parking, along with 16 surface parking spaces for use by guests and retail customers.
The plans state that the commercial retail spaces will have large glass storefronts and be designed with flexibility in mind to accommodate varied tenants. The developers wrote they are targeting “boutique retailers” that will fit into the existing retail mix on Palm Canyon Drive. One of the property owners, Peter Mahler, said the plan is to seek out local businesses to fill the retail spaces as they did with the El Paseo building in Palm Springs, which they also own.
The project includes a gated entry for resident vehicles on the west side off Belardo Road. The developers said the gate is necessary to prevent those visiting the retail businesses, including delivery vehicles, from driving through the residential portion of the site.
When will it be built?
The rezoning that was approved Thursday is one in a number of permitting steps that must be completed before the project can begin construction.
Brian Adamson, a partner on the project, said he was hopeful all permits and approvals could be secured by the end of the year, allowing work to begin. He said construction would then take 18 to 24 months, and when pressed by Councilmember Lisa Middleton said 24 months is probably more realistic.
That timeline would see the project opening in late 2025 or in 2026.
Will it include affordable housing?
No. The development will consist of “market rate” housing, Planning Director Chris Hadwin said. He said the site is not one that had ever been identified in the city’s housing element to be for low or moderate income housing and the city does not currently have rules to require that a certain portion of such projects include affordable housing units.During the meeting, Mayor Grace Garner asked if the council could impose such a requirement as a condition of the rezoning. City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger said relatively new state laws about when housing projects can be denied would not allow that.
Several council members asked for city staff to bring forward an ordinance that would allow it to require that new developments include affordable housing in the future.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers breaking news and the City of Palm Springs. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and via email at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New condos and shops planned near downtown Palm Springs
