Palm Springs sets its sights on 2026, with momentum — and limits

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*A convention center and fire station remodel, as well as transportation infrastructure, will be some of the items staff at City Hall will be focusing on in 2026.*

Palm Springs City Manager Scott Stiles is approaching 2026 with a familiar mix of ambition and caution: a long list of projects ready to advance, paired with the realities of cost, coordination and shifting public priorities.

In an interview this week, Stiles described the city’s approach to the coming year as “progress with a purpose,” a phrase he used repeatedly to underscore the need to sustain momentum without overextending staff or finances, adding, “We have to be purposeful about continuing all this work that we have,” he said.

Several long-planned projects are poised to move from concept to construction. After decades of discussion, a revamped Fire Station 1 could break ground in 2026, alongside other fire facility improvements and the purchase of four new fire apparatus vehicles.

Other civic amenities are set to show visible progress.

The city’s library renovation is expected to advance significantly, while new pickleball courts at Demuth Park could open by late 2026, potentially in time for the winter season. Two additional playgrounds will open at Desert Highland and Ruth Hardy parks, bringing the total number of renovated playgrounds to five within a few years. A new spray ground pad at Downtown Park should also soon open.

One of the most complex undertakings ahead is the convention center, a multi-phase project that Stiles described as among the city’s largest. The plan includes roughly $50 million in infrastructure upgrades to the existing facility, a shaded pedestrian connector linking conventioneers to downtown, and an expansion at the rear of the center. City staff met Tuesday morning to coordinate next steps.

Bond financing will be a central tool in 2026, with the city planning to issue bonds for the convention center expansion, the library renovation and fire equipment purchases. Palm Springs maintained its AA-plus bond rating in 2025, a distinction Stiles said will translate into millions of dollars in savings.

“Because our bond rating is strong, we get better rates,” he said.

Several recreational and airport-related projects are also scheduled for the year ahead. The city’s swim center will undergo significant renovations, including upgrades to locker rooms and other facilities. The adjacent pavilion will close for two to three months in the spring for a refresh.

At Palm Springs International Airport, the main escalator will be rebuilt during the slower summer travel season to minimize disruption. As modernization continues, the city is also exploring development opportunities on airport-owned land north of the terminal, where office, logistics or professional uses could take shape.

Affordable housing remains a parallel priority. A project along Gene Autry, and another planned off West San Rafael Drive, should break ground in 2026. In the Desert Highlands Gateway Estates neighborhood, the city is also pursuing small-scale homeownership opportunities on vacant lots.

“If people can live here and work here affordably,” Stiles said, “that helps our economy too.”

“We’re going to have to have serious conversations” with the state and county. “If everybody says it’s solely the city’s problem forever, that’s going to be quite a strain on us.”
— City Manager Scott Stiles, regarding ongoing funding of the navigation center

Transportation and mobility, meanwhile, have risen sharply on residents’ list of concerns. As Stiles began as city manager, issues like homelessness, housing affordability and short-term vacation rentals dominated public feedback to The Post, with transportation far behind. In the last year or so, that feedback has shifted, with transportation and sustainability now among top issues for readers.

In response, the city plans pedestrian safety enhancements, targeted bike lane improvements, better wayfinding and traffic management downtown. Stiles said discussions are underway to more closely align mobility efforts with the city’s sustainability commission, signaling a more integrated approach in the year ahead.

Connectivity between the convention center and downtown is also part of that conversation. Work continued in 2025 along Highway 111, but a road-diet proposal along Racquet Club Road has raised concerns from the city’s fire chief about maintaining adequate clearance for emergency vehicles.

Stiles suggested the growing focus on transportation reflects, in part, progress on homelessness, as residents shift attention to other issues they feel need work. Still, homelessness remains a top priority.

The city’s Navigation Center will continue operating at its current 123-bed capacity in 2026, but expanding the facility presents financial challenges. Operating costs total about $4.5 million annually, and grant funding is expected to expire within a year.

*Construction activity is seen at the new Palm Springs College of the Desert campus earlier this year. (File photo)*

“We’re going to have to have serious conversations” with the state and county, Stiles said. “If everybody says it’s solely the city’s problem forever, that’s going to be quite a strain on us.”

Financial planning will remain a moving target. The city plans to conduct a revenue forecast in late winter and make budget adjustments in July. Quarterly financial reports introduced in 2025 showed transient occupancy tax revenues holding steady, but Stiles said external factors — tariffs, interest rates and broader economic conditions—could force midyear recalibration.

“You always have to make adjustments,” he said, noting that some projects could be delayed or, conversely, new initiatives could move forward depending on revenue performance.

While many major projects will extend beyond a single calendar year, Stiles said 2026 will be marked by meaningful starts. “There’ll be some really important groundbreakings,” he said, “that represent real progress.”

Development outside City Hall continues as well, including ongoing work at a new College of the Desert campus expected to partially open in 2027.

Stiles said he remains optimistic about the city’s direction, even as Palm Springs prepares for City Council elections in November 2026, and new state districts will take effect.

“We’re going to have new elected representatives,” he said. “But I’m really optimistic. I just see a lot of really good things happening.”