New developments aim to attract foot traffic in downtown Palm Springs

The city of Palm Spring’s downtown redevelopment project is making major headway with the opening of the Kimpton Rowan Hotel and the new Starbucks Reserve Friday.

Long lines await customers as they try to enter the Starbucks Reserve on it’s opening day in Palm Springs. The newly finished surroundings already attracting visitors and locals alike.

“The ambiance is wonderful,” Susie Doyle, a visitor from Tacoma, Washington, said. “It’s worth the experience. It’s a destination.”

“Well it’s much nicer,” Rick Nauman, of Palm Springs, said referring to the previous Starbucks store on Tahquitz Canyon and Palm Canyon. “Nice facility, lots of different offerings that they’re doing with the reserve so it’s cool.”

The Rowan Hotel next door is also welcoming visitors with it’s highly anticipated opening.

“I got to the hotel like 5-30 this morning and even at that hour people were at the doors looking to come in and check it out,” Abe Liao, General Manager of the Rowan Hotel, said.

Both the hotel and coffee shop are part of the city’s of Palm Springs downtown revitalization project, aimed at drawing people into the area to provide a boost in business. Locals say so far they like what they see.

“This is another addition to Palm Springs,” Ty Shareef, of Palm Springs, said. “Beautiful job done and it is nice buildings so hopefully there will be a lot of other people here too.”

“It’s on my list to check out the rooftop car at the new hotel to see how that is,” Nauman said. “The view’s got to be fabulous.”

Visitors from out of town have noticed all the new development as well.

“It feels like it’s growing very fast,” Doyle said. “Lots of building and it’s very interesting.”

It is growth that the hotel is making sure turns into a smooth debut with little distractions.

“We’re going to do what we can to try to limit it and making sure were taking care of everybody the right way,” Liao said. “But I think we’re going to be pretty busy in the onset.”