Lease deal with Barnes & Noble falls short in efforts to revive historic Town & Country Center

The owner of one of the city’s most architecturally important mid-century buildings, sandwiched between the main streets of Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon drives, had an agreement in terms with a major tenant that would have helped kick off its revival, but said Thursday that the tenant ultimately decided not to proceed.

The Town & Country Center, which has hosted a variety of retail outlets and eateries in its almost 80 years, has seen its central two-story building vacant for years. Michael Braun, president of Grit Development, said that the latest possible tenant — Barnes & Noble — chose not to proceed following three site visits during the past year.

“We did not have a disagreement on terms; rather, they chose not to move forward with negotiating the lease,” Braun told The Post. “After multiple visits and a thorough market analysis, they ultimately decided not to proceed to the next stage, which would have involved negotiating a letter of intent outlining key deal points such as rent, build-out costs, and (tenant improvement) allowances.”

Braun said issues with the building space such as those expressed by Barnes & Noble have proven difficult to overcome for many businesses interested in entering into a lease.

“We are certainly disappointed after investing significant time and resources to make this deal happen,” Braun said. “However, we remain committed to actively marketing the space to interested parties. The primary challenge continues to be the building’s orientation toward Indian Canyon rather than Palm Canyon.”

Rumors of the Barnes & Noble project have been swirling in the community for weeks, giving hope to those who want to bring the historic building back to life. The fact that Braun and his company are actively trying to secure a tenant, as they have for parts of the larger property that front Palm Canyon Drive, has come as good news, even for possible competitors in the book business.

“As a downtown business owner, I’m thrilled at anything that increases the vibrancy and traffic downtown,” said Paul Bradley Carr, co-owner of The Best Bookstore In Palm Springs, an independent shop that opened in late 2022.

“We would be delighted to have a real-life version of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ play out in Palm Springs,” Carr joked, referring to the 1998 movie about the owner of a small bookstore unknowingly in an online romance with a man overseeing the launch of a nearby major chain bookstore.

“I’m confident we’d win,” Carr concluded. “We can match their prices, but they’d never match our vibe.”

Designed in 1948 by architects Paul R. Williams and A. Quincy Jones, the Town & Country Center has been at the heart of a decades-long preservation battle. Once a prime example of mid-century modern architecture, the complex faced years of neglect and deterioration. At one point, a partial demolition was planned, stirring debate over its future.

The company that was to become Grit acquired the property for $2.8 million, aiming to transform it. In 2009, the Palm Springs City Council determined that the two-story portion of the property that contained a Zelda’s Nightclub could be demolished once the west side of downtown was developed by Grit. That move would have allowed for a new street connection to Indian Canyon.

However, in 2016, a new-look City Council reclassified the Town & Country Center as a Class 1 Historic Site, effectively reversing the previous decision and preventing the new street connection.

Since then, Grit has been trying to to attract new tenants to the property, including the national retailer Faherty. Excluding the two-story building that formerly housed the nightclub, the Town & Country Center is now essentially 100% leased.

Gradual improvements, including updates to buildings facing Palm Canyon Drive, have been made. However, the portion facing Indian Canyon Drive remains in disrepair.

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