Abandoned Housing Project In Palm Springs Gets New Start

Project Manager Lance Robutz can’t wait to get back to work on an abandoned housing development at the corner of San Lorenzo and Random Roads.

Construction stopped in November, 2008.

“That’s something you never want to do,” he said. “As everyone saw in the [housing] market, lenders started going belly up.”

For nearly three years, the property remained untouched and unfinished. It quickly became an eyesore on the block.

Neighboring businesses include four boutique hotels.

“It’s hard when we have new guests who have never been here before,” said Michael Green, of Triangle Inn. “They pull up, and you know they’re kind of looking like, ‘What kind of neighborhood have I come to?'”

An Ohio hotel development company recently bought the property, and construction is expected to resume by the end of this month.

It will be transformed into a condominium-hotel called the “Random Haus.”

As with any abandoned project, vandals hit the place. They cut electrical wires and stole copper plumbing. Robutz said the vandals stole at least $100,000 worth of supplies.

The project will create at least 20 construction jobs. When Random Haus opens, it will employ at least a dozen staff members.

The next-door hotel owners are pleased with the news, although they now may have to deal with construction noise.

“We’re happy to put up with just about anything…as long as it gets fixed,” Green said.