Feb. 28 Daily Briefing: Barnes & Noble balks, traffic plan, ‘Marilyn’ finally moves, and more

TGIF, everyone, where we’ve got some very good news for drivers. You can read our story here, or just know that last night, the city and Caltrans sent word that thanks to you all speaking up about the SR 111 Roadway Project work that has been causing traffic nightmares on Gene Autry Trail and elsewhere, it will be switched to nights — Monday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., with no construction planned for Friday, Saturday or Sunday — starting Monday, March 3. Tap the screen here for a virtual high-five! 🖐️

🎶 Setting the mood: “DARE” by Gorillaz (A virtual band created by Damon Albarn of the British band Blur!)

LEADING OFF

Town & Country Center misses out on huge new retailer

A potential deal with Barnes & Noble to occupy a deteriorating two-story building in Town & Country Center in Downtown Palm Springs has failed to materialize. The historic mid-century property, vacant for years, continues to face challenges in its revitalization efforts.

Driving the news: 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. But the major chain ultimately decided against the location.

Behind the scenes: Grit Development President Michael Braun said his company had terms of a lease agreed to, but ultimately the bookseller didn’t think the property was right for their business model.

• “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.”

Context: The Town & Country Center is one of the city’s most architecturally important mid-century buildings, designed in 1948 by architects Paul R. Williams and A. Quincy Jones. It was at the heart of a decades-long preservation battle that ultimately saw it declared a Class 1 Historic Property.

• That classification prevented Grit’s plans to create a street connection between Indian and Palm Canyon drives, which would have seen the building’s demolition.

What they’re saying: Paul Bradley Carr, co-owner of The Best Bookstore In Palm Springs, an independent shop nearly adjacent to Town & Country Center, said he would have welcomed the challenge of competing with a big box store. 

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

Dive deeper with our complete story

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BRIEFLY

💰 City faces $6.8M deficit; cost-cutting measures to be revisited

The Palm Springs City Council heard Thursday evening at its regular meeting that a $6.8 million deficit for the current fiscal year’s budget is expected, driven by rising expenses, stable tax revenue, and several large capital projects. 

• Transient occupancy tax — revenue collected from hotels, motels, and vacation rentals — is down 6% year-to-date, while property tax is up 5%. The city’s total general fund balance for FY25 is projected to be $141 million.
  
• The good news is that December 2024 sales and use tax revenue exceeded expectations, surpassing city projections and increasing by 13% from the previous year. “So if those trends continue, we’re hoping we can see those results as we go forward,” said Kristopher Mooney, the city’s finance director and treasurer.
  
• Bottom line: Mooney said his department is looking ahead to the upcoming two-year budget cycle and considering possible cost reductions and the impact of tariffs on the budget.

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YOUR WEEKEND

MULTIPLE DAYS

• “My Fair Lady” at the Palm Canyon Theatre. ($17-$38)
  
• “Grand Concourse” at Dezart Performs. ($53)
  
• Friends of the Palm Springs Library Book/Bag Sale today and Saturday and the JC Frey Building at the Palm Springs Library.

TODAY

• Foodie Fridays at the Cultural Center from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
  
• TGIF Trivia at Play Lounge & Cafe at 6:30 p.m.
  
• Comedy Night at Hotel Zoso at 8 p.m. ($15)

SATURDAY

• Black Women Hike at the Araby Trailhead at 8 a.m.
  
• Certified Farmers’ Market at the Cultural Center from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
  
• Country Club Estates multi-family yard sale at the corner of La Verne Way and South Camino Real from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
  
• Palm Springs Genealogical Society speaker presents “Immigration: Ports of Entry” at the Palm Springs Library at 10 a.m.
  
• Spring Basketry Workshop at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum at 10 a.m. ($250)
  
• Bingo with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at one eleven bar at 6 p.m.
  
• Country Western Dancing at at 933 Crossley Road at 7 p.m. ($5)
  
• Okaidja Afroso’s Jaku Mumor: Ancestral Spirit at the Cultural Center at 7 p.m. ($17-$49)

SUNDAY

• Palm Springs Vintage Market at the Parking lot north of Agua Caliente Casino from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. ($5 regular admission; $10 early admission at 7 a.m.)
  
• Mah Jong Meetup at Play Lounge & Cafe at 1 p.m.
  
• “Hollywood’s Biggest Night” fundraiser for AAP – Food Samaritans at Trio at 3:30 p.m. ($150-$250)
  
• Dusty Strings Collective performance and open mic at the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m. ($22)

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AND FINALLY …

We close out this week the same way started it in this space on Monday — with a picture of the “Forever Marilyn” statue.

Yes, but: If you notice that she’s not in her familiar spot, you’re right. PS Resorts has completed moving the artwork off Museum Way and into Downtown Park, helping end a dispute over her location and provide a scenic backdrop that features our city’s iconic palm trees and rocky hills.

Zoom in: Crews spent the week unbolting the statue from a pedestal on Museum Way — where tens of thousands of people have taken a selfie with it the past three years — and gently lifting it intact to a new pedestal in the park.

• It’s there that the statue should remain, where millions might eventually snap a shot in the coming decades.

But wait: While it’s true the legal wrangling over the statue’s placement on Museum Way cost taxpayers $500,000 in legal fees, reports that the city footed the bill for the move a few feet north are not true. A city spokesperson said this week that PS Resorts paid for the move.

• The commission that makes recommendations on how to spend those funds did not move the request forward.
  
• The organization hasn’t released the final bill for the move, but it did apply for $600,000 in Measure J funds, which it said was needed for the project.