Fire department plans open house as downtown parking concerns surface over Station 1 expansion

As concerns mount about the project’s potential impact on nearby parking the Palm Springs Fire Department has scheduled a community open house for later this month to discuss plans to modernize the aging downtown Fire Station 1.

The department will host the event from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, at the station, located at 277 North Indian Canyon Drive. Fire Chief Paul Alvarado and department personnel plan to offer guided tours of the historic 1955 facility, designed by renowned architects Albert Frey and Robson C. Chambers, and share information about plans for a new facility on adjacent parcels that will expand crew quarters and apparatus bays.

The announcement comes after multiple residents and business owners used last week’s City Council meeting to voice strong opposition to any plan that would eliminate an existing downtown parking lot to accommodate the expansion. Speakers warned that removing the lot could harm nearby businesses, reduce foot traffic and make the area less accessible, particularly for visitors and older residents who may struggle with long walks.

John Park, who owns multiple buildings and businesses in the 200 block of North Palm Canyon Drive that rely on the parking lot, told councilmembers the lot serves as a vital shared resource for downtown.

“To deplete a large amount of these spaces would, without a doubt, cause a severe impact to the foot traffic for all of the businesses in our area,” Park said.

Several speakers suggested alternatives they said could allow the fire station project to move forward without sacrificing parking spaces.

Ideas ranged from building upward rather than outward to purchasing nearby property or incorporating replacement parking into the project design. Some pointed to adjacent vacant parcels as potential options that would avoid eliminating the existing lot.

The downtown facility is among three aging fire stations the city is working to modernize. Fire Station 1 no longer meets current operational needs, according to information previously presented to the council.

The proposed expansion would preserve the historic building while constructing new facilities to accommodate modern equipment and increased staffing needs driven by higher call volume and continued downtown development.

City officials said additional outreach and opportunities for public input are planned as the design process continues and before any final decisions are reached.

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