July 10 Daily Briefing: Power issues update, COD campus progress, latest on Serena Park, and more

Welcome to Thursday, where we have good news about the situation at Sunrise Park. The city’s got power back to all the main public buildings and facilities there after a weekend outage caused by a failed main control unit impacted the Pavilion, library, pool, and baseball stadium. Everything’s now running on temporary generators while crews wait for the permanent fix. While city leaders said Wednesday evening that the pool should be operational, we suggest giving staff there a quick call at 760-323-8278 if you’re thinking about doing some laps, just to make sure the water’s ready to go. Also note that in the future there might be some brief power hiccups when they swap out the new equipment.

🎶 Setting the mood: “And She Was” by Talking Heads

LEADING OFF

COD’s $405M Palm Springs campus nears milestone

College of the Desert’s massive Palm Springs campus project will soon shift from underground work to visible construction. The $405 million development will see its first buildings go vertical after infrastructure work wraps up by mid-September.

Driving the news: College officials reported to the Palm Springs City Council Wednesday that building foundations are underway across the campus, with the campus support building scheduled to rise first.

• The project represents the largest investment in higher education infrastructure in the West Valley and will serve more than 3,000 students, faculty and staff when fully operational in 2027.

The big picture: The campus will offer programs in hospitality and tourism, digital media, film and technology including an AI hub, culinary arts, allied health and architecture and sustainable design.

• Officials are exploring launching the nation’s first casino management degree at a community college level.

What’s changing: The city approved special early morning work hours to help construction crews avoid extreme summer heat, allowing work from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the hottest months.

• “This is some pain for the residents, but hopefully this near-term pain will be a long-term gain for everybody,” said Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein.

What’s next: A “going vertical” ceremony is planned for later this year to mark the transition from foundation work to above-ground construction, with the campus targeting a 2027 opening.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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BRIEFLY

🏗️ Long-stalled housing project gets approval for crucial next step

The City Council on Wednesday approved subdividing property at the former Palm Springs Country Club into seven parcels, clearing a major hurdle for a 386-unit residential development that has been stalled for years. Master developer Sun Cal can now move ahead with the Serena Park project on the 156-acre site, with grading activity expected to begin in late August.

• The approval of Tract Map 39025 allows SunCal to sell the seven parcels to individual builders who will handle vertical construction. Street improvement, sewer and storm drain plans are roughly 80% complete.
  
• SunCal took possession of the property in August 2024 and has made progress on development agreement requirements with the city. The company has also handled maintenance obligations including graffiti cleanup and security measures.
  
• Next steps: The first construction phase will focus on building a “spine road” through the project area, with fire hydrants required to be active before any vertical construction begins. The project has been in various stages of planning for more than two decades.

Read our complete story

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Today’s featured events

Better Brain And Balance
9 a.m. | Mizell Center
A workshop  for those noticing balance challenges or memory issues($48)

Game Night
4 p.m. | Starbase 505
Join the team at Starbase 505 for fun and friendly board games. Wheter its a quick party game or deep strategy, the team will make you feel right at home.

Art Museum Free Admission

5 p.m. | Palm Springs Art Museum 

From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collection at your own pace. 

VillageFest
7 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
The street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food.

View all events here

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AND FINALLY …

With the Palm Springs Public Library slated to begin construction on the $40 million renovation, staff needed to find new locations for the books and services it provides.

Looking back: Last month, we told you the library will be relocating to the vacant retail space near the Vons in Rimrock. Now we know where the Friends of the Palm Springs Library will be for the duration of the estimated 18-month construction.

What we know: The volunteer organization will set up shop at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church on Ramon Road.

Until then: The Friends are wrapping up their current operations at the library with a final price reduction: all books are now four for $1 until the library closes.

• The group will stop accepting book donations at the library on Monday, July 14, and resume accepting donations at the church location on July 21, but only by appointment by calling 760-668-8838. 

What to expect: The Friends will also have a regular book sale area at the temporary home of the library at Rimrock Plaza and are planning monthly book sales later this year at the church. Stay tuned for info on book sales.

Mark your calendar: The library plans to conclude its summer reading program on July 18 and hold a grand party to mark the library’s temporary closure on July 19. 

• The library hopes to move to its temporary location and reopen by Aug. 1.