Downtown Palm Springs development project on schedule

If you drive down Highway 111 regularly in Downtown Palm Springs you’ll see construction is still going strong for the new plaza by the art museum. Developers say they are right on track, but that could change.

“It always helps to come out to the parcel when you are looking at new designs because it gives us a sense of how things will really feel,” says J.R. Roberts, a member of the Palm Springs Planning Commission.

When complete eight buildings will be raised on the site. It will have hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, and parking.

Members of the Palm Springs Planning Commission and members of Wessman Development, the company in charge of the construction, met on sight to get an update on the progress.

“Plans will tell you something paper will tell you something but being on the ground shows you something,” says Roberts.

According to developers the only thing that could slow the opening of the new plaza is legal action being taken by the community group Advocates for Better Community Development.

“We do have a lawsuit that is on block be I told the people that block B has been approved but it’s in limbo right now so I do believe that the lawsuit is going to be won by the city,” says John Wessman, owner of Wessman Development. “So it might be 4 or 5 or 6 months in delay, but well see,” says Wessman.

The project is being paid for by Measure J, the one percent boost in local sales tax.
The Palm Springs City Council is meeting tonight to discuss adding $2.1 million to the project for upgrades for the parking structure. That money would also be coming from Measure J.

The project is expected to be complete by spring of 2016.