College of the Desert Board adopts motion to combine plans for new Palm Springs campus
College of the Desert Board of Trustees approved a motion today to combine aspects of two separate schematic designs for the proposed Palm Springs Campus Development Project.
The motion was written and proposed by current Trustee and former COD Superintendent/President Dr. Joel Kinnamon, and reads as follows:
Motion that the Palm Springs schematic design dated March 23, 2021 excluding the Learning Hotel but incorporating the program recommendations targets outlined on page 9 of the Case Study Assessment of Culinary and Hospitality Review dated September 2, 2022 by the Conventions Sports Leisure and incorporate the Architectural Aspects from the Schematic Design dated January 26, 2022 be officially approved.
That all funding designated by Measure B ($40 million dollars), Measure CC ($346 million dollars) and approximately $5.7 million dollars for the property given by the City of Palm Springs be committed to the project with an augmentation of $14 million dollars from Redevelopment Agency Funds to offset for two years of delays resulting in higher costs.
And further that all project management team meetings will meet monthly and adhere to the Brown Act by holding public meetings and those teams will include members from MAAS and any industry expert consultants identified solely at their discretion. The original college team members that are still employed by the college and previously worked on the March 23, 2021 schematic design and One member will be identified by each of the following cities, Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs. The schematic design adjustments will fall within the jurisdiction of the project management team and forwarded by MAAS to the Department of State Architect for approval.
Trustee for Area 2 Bea Gonzalez, Trustee for Area 1 Rubén Pérez, and Student Trustee Allen Pahl all voted against the motion.
Once the new schematic design is completed, which can take up to 3-4 months, the Board of Trustees will then review the updated plans and decide how to move forward.
