News |
|
From the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation
Despite almost 1000 petition signatures, several alternate plans to demolition (including one that offered significant commercial development around the historic building) and a letter of support from the California Office of Historic Preservation, the Palm Springs City Council voted 5-0 against the Town & Country Center's Class 1 historic site designation. The lopsided result was in large part due to the owner/developer's threat to not proceed with the renovation of a dormant mall on the adjacent block unless historic designation of the T&CC was thwarted. Fortunately, history gives us hope: the city's iconic Tramway Gas Station was initially denied Class 1 historic designation mostly due to a developer's predictions of dire economic results. Eventually, the building was declared historic and now serves as the city's popular visitor's center. The T&CC preservation campaign required considerable work and the efforts of PSPF board members Patrick McGrew and Gary Johns were nothing short of herculean. Also PSPF volunteers Jim Harlan and Bob Yesselman, and PSModCom, the Paul R. Williams Project, the Orbit In and Modern Phoenix deserve special recognition for their labors and endorsements respectively.
100 S. Sunrise Way, Suite A#465, Palm Springs, CA 92262
www.pspreservationfoundation.org
