City officials preview plans for Indio Marketplace and new apartments

A new look is planned for what used to be called the Indio Fashion Mall along Highway 111 at Monroe Street.

The effort includes exterior and interior upgrades and a new name, "Indio Marketplace".

It's a welcome development for Team Sports owner Tom Huna, who has rented space at the mall for six years.

"With a food court obviously that creates a little bit of foot traffic which is nice," said Huna.

Saying he's seen improvement plans for the mall come and go, Huna says this time he is cautiously optimistic that building owner Los Angeles-based Haggen Company will be able to make the plans a reality.

Indio city officials updated News Channel 3 on the project after the city council and the planning commission got their first look at the renderings last week.

Kevin Snyder is the Director of Community Development.

"It's a really great opportunity to see an area that has struggled economically to get a really strong shot in the arm," said Snyder.

Snyder said most of the work on the marketplace project will begin in January, with completion of the project expected in mid 2022.

The styling is mid-century modern and the plan includes a food hall and a "kid's play" area.

"Indio is unique in that it does have sort of this traditional downtown space and so we want to be able to give people what they're asking for right now," said Brooke Beare, the city's Director of Communications and Marketing.

In addition to upgrades at the mall, plans include 250 new apartments going up just south of the mall with another developer handling that part of the project.

At the same time, the city just launched a year-and-a-half long planning effort for future development plans along Highway 111 between Jefferson Street and Indio Boulevard.

Inviting community input, the goal is to create a "sustainable" vision for future development along the busy roadway, including 500 new residential units.

News Channel 3 reached out to Haagen Company for comment on the Indio Marketplace project.

A spokesperson was not available.