Feb. 29 Daily Briefing: Extension on major downtown project moves forward, journalists honored, and more

Happy Thursday! If you’re doing a double-take at the date, you’re not going crazy; it’s February 29 — Leap Day! Riverside County reminded residents that it’s offering up its services on this special day to any couples planning a courthouse wedding. We have to wonder why a couple would want to get married on this day. Is it because it’s an easy date to remember? You only have to buy an anniversary present once every four years? Whatever the reason, congrats to any and all happy couples getting hitched at the courthouse today!

🎶 Setting the mood: “Tightrope” by Janelle Monáe (feat. Big Boi)

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LEADING OFF

Commission approves extension for condo project amidst legal troubles

The Palm Springs Planning Commission on Wednesday gave its approval for a six-year extension to begin construction of a mixed-use residential project in the heart of downtown Palm Springs.

Driving the news: Pending final approval by the Palm Springs City Council, the development agreement extends the project’s current entitlements and approvals, which the developer said have cost about $2 million, through July 31, 2030.

Key details: The project involves a mixed-use six-story development with 45 residential condominium units and retail space at the northeast corner of Belardo Road and Museum Way. 

• Currently, the lot is vacant and home to several cement blocks that artists can paint. In 2015, the site had been planned for a Virgin Hotel. 

Why it matters: The project has been in limbo for years because the developer, Grit Development, has been ensnared in a legal dispute with the State Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). After parts of the downtown redevelopment project were completed, a claim was filed with the DIR that said the projects were subject to prevailing wage laws. 

• The developer argues, and city staff agrees, that six years is a fair extension, considering the possibility of multiple appeals or settlement negotiations.

Looking back: Grit Development, responsible for much of the new downtown, was formerly led by John Wessman, and is now run by Michael Braun. Wessman is charged in an alleged public corruption scheme along with former mayor Steve Pougnet. 

• Prosecutors alleged that Pougnet pocketed $375,000 between 2012 and 2014 to vote favorably on certain development projects, including the redevelopment of Downtown Palm Springs that included the Virgin Hotel.

What they’re saying: Some commissioners were wary Wednesday evening about approving the extension. But in the end, all voted to approve it. 

• Vice Chair Lauri Aylaian summed up many of their worries, saying, “Palm Springs has been saddled for the last decade with stalled projects. They are eyesores. They are embarrassments, and we have them sprinkled throughout our commercial district.”
  
  
• Aylaian said she was in favor of the extension because it makes it more likely that the project will be finished without a bankruptcy or change of ownership, which would only cause more delays.

Up next: The Palm Springs City Council will vote on the final approval of the extension, though a date has not yet been announced.

BRIEFLY

🗳️ City Council to consider several Measure J projects during tonight’s meeting

The Palm Springs City Council will meet in closed and regular sessions today. According to the agenda, councilmembers will consider approving Measure J funds for a street paving project, renovation of the Palm Springs Public Library, and funding for projects at Palm Springs International Airport.

• Returning to the agenda this month is the issue of the proposed drive-thru-only Starbucks to be located on the southeast corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Racquet Club Road. In December, the Council voted to delay making a decision on the project. 
  
  
• Details: The regular meeting is open to the public in Council Chambers at City Hall. You can submit comments via an online public comment form, in person, or by calling the city clerk’s office at 760-323-8204 at any time prior to the end of the public comment period. View the meeting live on YouTube or Spectrum channel 17.

🏥 One of two kitchens closed at Desert Regional Medical Center due to pests

Desert Regional Medical Center temporarily closed one of its kitchens due to pests, with meals now being served from a second kitchen. Hospital officials, announcing the closure on Tuesday, stated they are working to resolve the situation swiftly and meet all patients’ dietary needs.

• The hospital assured that additional resources had been mobilized for a comprehensive assessment and necessary remediation efforts are in progress. They extended an apology for the inconvenience and are in communication with relevant agencies, aiming for a resolution within the next couple of days.
  
  
• In context: The kitchen closure comes amid the ongoing lease negotiations between Desert Healthcare District and Tenet Healthcare over the future of the hospital.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Bringing Nature Home Lecture
3 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
Explore ways to bring nature home by making your garden a haven for wildlife (including lizards!), attract pollinators, increase diversity, conserve water, and build climate resilience. 

An Evening With PSIPC & Friends
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
An Evening With Palm Springs International Piano Competition (PSIPC) & Friends will showcase a diverse program of popular classical favorites, as well as the brilliant compositions of the group’s President, Joe Giarrusso. ($100)

Block Party: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum
Celebrate the culture and music that originated and has been shaped by Black America for decades. Attendees will also be able to participate in interactive activities, such as graffiti art, hip-hop dancing, and more.

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs
The weekly street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. The Palm Springs Art Museum also has free admission tonight starting at 5 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE

• 26th Annual Hike 4 Hope at the Art Smith Trailhead on March 3.
  
  
• Movies in the Park: “The Goonies” at the Downtown Park on March 5.
  
  
• Rock the Park: AbbaFab-a Tribute to Abba at the Downtown Park on March 6.
  
  
• 2024 Palm Spring Philharmonic Series at the McCallum Theatre on March 6.
  
  
• Palm Springs Art Festival at Frances Stevens Park on March 9.

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AND FINALLY …

The Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation honored longtime local journalists and up-and-comers during its inaugural Coachella Valley Media Awards Hall of Fame event on Wednesday.

Driving the news: The nonprofit, founded to foster healthy local journalism in the Coachella Valley, honored the inductees in front of an audience of about 200 at Thunderbird Country Club. 

The inductees: Bruce Fessier, former Desert Sun entertainment columnist and occasional Palm Springs Post contributor, was inducted along with Karen Devine, longtime anchor at KESQ, and Frank Jones and his late father, Milton, owners and publishers of Palm Springs Life.

Zoom in: The CVJF also gave out several awards, including the Rising Star award to Desert Sun photojournalist Andy Abeyta and the Journalist of the Year award to Rich Tarpening, assignment manager at KESQ.

• Rounding out the event was a spirited conversation between Emmy-award-winning journalist Hank Plante and retired Washington Post editor Marty Baron. The two discussed the future of journalism and Baron’s book, “Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and The Washington Post.” 

But wait: Congrats go out to our own Kendall Balchan, who was runner-up for the Rising Star Award, and The Desert Sun’s Chris Damien, runner-up for the Journalist of the Year Award. 🙌