A popular art exhibit causes problems for a local neighborhood
People living in a Palm Springs community claim a popular art exhibit is causing problems in their neighborhood.
The Desert X project, called “The Mirage House” was supposed to be taken down in August, but the artist and developer are hoping people will get to look for a few more months.
It’s attracted tens of thousands of people, but the Mirage House in Palm Springs may not be up for long.
“It’s in the wrong location and whether it’s opened or closed it causes negative impacts,” said Dennis Woods, the co-chair of the Little Tuscany neighborhood organization.
Woods and his neighbors are living along the only pathway to the Mirage House on Racquet Club Road. The house is part of the Desert X art exhibits which was introduced and open to the public last Spring, but months later the popular house is still standing.
“It was slated to be closed at the end of Desert X. It wasn’t. They extended it. It’s now being petitioned to stay longer,” Woods said.
The exhibit is closed right now, but tourists are still trying to check it out. The artist and developer have submitted a new land use permit in hopes the Mirage House will stay up and re-open through March.
At a planing commission meeting Wednesday, representatives with the city of Palm Springs said they would give the artist and developer two weeks to reach a compromise with the Little Tuscany board members before a second hearing.
“We’re actually in the process of reworking a plan that would further alleviate traffic on Racquet Club. We’ve worked pretty well, back and forth, when we get a complaint we’ve shifted and adjusted and tried to appease the neighbors as much as possible,” Tom Lynch, the Construction Manager for Desert Palisades, which is where the Mirage House sits.
The little Tuscany board members wrote a letter to the city listing the negative impacts the house poses.
“We really feel we have a legal footing by which the project should be denied. We hope the city understands that. We hope they city takes caution and we hope they protect neighbors,” Woods said.
“We’re going to develop a pretty solid plan that’s vetted all kinds of contingencies and issues that can come up, and that’s the best thing we can do at this point,” Lynch said.
The city will make a final decision on whether the house is coming down or not by Sept. 27.
