Three Possibilities In Store For Desert Fashion Plaza

The Palm Springs City Council voted 5-0 Thursday night to approve three staff recommendations regarding alternatives to renovating Desert Fashion Plaza.

The council approved an agreement with Integra Realty Resources, in an amount not to exceed $45,000, for the completion of an appraisal to acquire Desert Fashion Plaza and/or Town & Country Center.

The council also authorized staff to initiate a request for qualifications for potential developers of Desert Fashion Plaza, prepare an agency redevelopment alternative and invite Wessman Co., which owns the property, to respond to the request for qualifications.

The final recommendation is to develop potential alternatives for financing and redevelopment agency or city participation in any approved project or the acquisition of Desert Fashion Plaza.

“When these steps are completed by the end of December, the redevelopment agency will have a more complete understanding of the potential redevelopment alternatives and the costs associated with each alternative,” said Amy Blaisdell, Palm Springs’ communications director.

The project is considered central to revitalizing downtown Palm Springs.

The city began looking for alternatives when the city and Wessman failed to sign a development and owner participation agreement by a June 30 deadline.