Palm Springs offers to buy land originally planned for COD West Valley Campus as long as project is finished on new property
The City of Palm Springs has sent a proposal to the College of the Desert offering to buy the land originally planned to become the West Valley Campus, so long as the college completes the project in its new property.
"The residents of the Western Coachella Valley are frustrated. They want to see a campus on our side of town that will provide the opportunities that the students in this area deserve and need," Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton told News Channel 3's Marian Bouchot.
City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger revealed in a letter to COD that the city has proposed buying the 119.4 acres at the northwest corner of Tramview Road and Indian Canyon Drive for $5.7 million. The area was originally intended to be the home of the college's West Valley Campus. The city gifted the land to the college in 2010.
There have been numerous delays since funding was first approved by voters in 2004. The college later abandoned the original location and purchased property on Tahquitz Canyon Way, the location of the former Palm Springs Mall, for $22 million.
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As part of the proposal, Ballinger writes that the $5.7 million dollar purchase price would be used by COD as another safeguard to ensure the West Valley campus is completed. The proposal is contingent upon the college committing to the full project scale and scope previously agreed upon, including having the campus open for students on or about December 2025.
Last week, COD's board revealed that that Phase 1 of the West End Campus wouldn't be completed until 2027 or 2028, later than the original estimates released earlier this year.
The City’s proposal stipulates the following:
- The City of Palm Springs will purchase the North End property at current contract price, ensuring that COD receives the full potential monetary benefit from the property transferred to COD by the City. The price COD has been offered is contingent on the City removing the deed of restriction.
- COD would agree to develop the proposed West Valley Campus site at Tahquitz Canyon to the scale and scope previously committed to.
- COD must continue its agreement to include a culinary and hospitality program, and a scope that is approximately $345,000,000.
- COD must commit to have the West Valley Campus completed and open for students on or about December 2025, consistent with current COD timelines.
- The City of Palm Springs agrees to support COD by applying the proceeds of the City’s purchase of the North End Site toward the cost of the West Valley Campus within the current proposed total budget of $345,000,000.
Statement from COD on Palm Springs Proposal:
“College of the Desert received the offer letter to purchase the Tramview property location on July 27, 2022. The next opportunity for the Board of Trustees to review this offer would be at the Board Meeting on Friday, August 19. College of the Desert maintains its commitment to building the Palm Springs Development Project."
The Tramview Road and Indian Canyon property was originally purchased by Palm Springs from the Department of the Interior for $2.1 million. It was then generously transferred to COD in July 2010, with the specific intention that it be used for the location of the West End campus.
Ballinger revealed in his letter that COD recently intended to sell the property on Tramview Road and Indian Canyon to a residential developer. He said this was being done without consultation or an agreement with the City. Ignoring the legal requirement that COD agreed to as recorded in the deed restriction to only utilize the property for the West Valley Campus.
In April, COD Board Chair Ruben Perez told city officials that the college needs the proceeds from the sale of the property to support the development of the campus at the former Palm Springs mall, Ballinger said.
Ballinger added that the purpose of Perez's presentation was to address growing community concerns that COD was no longer committed to the full scope and scale, and may in fact, redirect substantial funds promised to other endeavors.
The city is now offering to buy the land in the North Part of the city to help fund the Tahquitz project, so long as it is indeed completed.
Ballinger said if the North property were returned to the City, it could then invest in affordable housing, commercial developments like a grocery store, community facilities that provide job training, childcare and a host of other programs that would directly benefit residents.
He also notes that COD is well aware that the property cannot be presently developed for market-rate residential housing, due to the deed restriction COD signed and recorded.
The northern end of the City is home to many lower-income residents who have asked City leaders for enhanced educational and job opportunities.
This area is part of Palm Springs District 1, which is majority non-white with numerous disadvantaged residents. The area has also long been considered a critical component in broader efforts to invest in social equity.
“In the interest of fairness to residents living in the northern part of the city who were promised a new college campus, it is important that the North End property be returned to the City of Palm Springs and be used for their benefit,” said Mayor Lisa Middleton.“In addition, the City of Palm Springs requests that COD honor their promise to our voters and students and again commit to the full scope and scale of the proposed campus on Tahquitz Canyon, which is critical to the City’s economic future and development,” said Middleton.“These two voter-approved bond measures total nearly a billion dollars -- and 17 years later we still don’t have a completed campus. This is a strong proposal to change that -- and we look forward to working with the college moving forward,” she added.
College of the Desert's West Valley campus project was to be paid for by the 2004 voter-approved $346.5 million bond Measure B, as well as the 2016 voter-approved $577 million bond Measure CC.
“The City Council understands that, after more than 17 years with very little progress, costs for the West Valley Campus may well have escalated. But area residents point out that it appears inconsistent, if not disingenuous, to suggest that the proceeds from the sale of the North End site, estimated at under $6 million, are essential to build a $345 million West Valley Campus that COD may downsize to a fraction of what bond payers will be required to pay for the Campus,” Ballinger states in the letter.
We've reached to COD officials for comment on the city's proposal but have not heard back.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
