Palm Springs landmark designation preserves Albert Frey-designed church turned theater

The Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday designated the former First Church of Christ Scientist at 605 South Riverside Drive as a Class 1 landmark — the city’s highest level of historic recognition — cementing protections for a mid-century building now being transformed into a performance venue by theater company Dezart Performs.

The building was designed in 1956 by the architectural firm Clark, Frey & Chambers, with city documents identifying the structure as a collaborative effort between Albert Frey and Robson Chambers. Frey, who trained under modernist master Le Corbusier and practiced architecture in the Coachella Valley for 60 years, is considered one of the principal figures in the development of Desert Modernism, the regional architectural style that helped define Palm Springs’ postwar identity.

The designation elevates the property from its previous Class 3 status on the city’s historic inventory. The Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board voted 4-0 in March to recommend the Class 1 designation to the council, finding that the building meets two of the city’s eligibility criteria: that it reflects a particular period of local history, and that it presents the work of a master architect whose individual work influenced his era.

City staff described the building as a rare example of a religious property designed by Frey that fully embodies Desert Modernism ideals, featuring sandblasted terra-cotta-colored concrete blocks arranged in a stack bond pattern, deep roof overhangs supported by slender steel posts, floor-to-ceiling aluminum-framed windows, and clerestory windows that bring natural light into the main auditorium.

The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 under the multiple property documentation form titled “The Architecture of Albert Frey.”

Dezart Performs purchased the building in December 2024 and applied for the Class 1 designation as an initial step in its plans for the site’s adaptive reuse. Eric Chiel, secretary of the board of Dezart Performs, told the council the company had already completed Phase 1 of that process and opened the building for its first production before the designation was formally approved.

“We feel so privileged to be in that position,” Chiel said, noting that the church’s former long-time caretaker visited the building just before Dezart Performs opened its first production there.

Councilmembers praised the organization’s work during the meeting, noting the theater’s importance as a year-round venue located outside the downtown core and calling the project a strong example of adaptive reuse.

“Palm Springs is better because of what you’ve done with this building,” said Councilmember David Ready.

The Class 1 designation requires that any future modifications to the building be evaluated under the city’s historic preservation ordinance. The designation does not prevent alterations but subjects them to review under the standards outlined in Section 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code.

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