Plans approved to restore historic landscape at Palm Springs City Hall

The Palm Springs City Council on Thursday gave approval to explore restoration of the historic landscape at City Hall, designed by renowned mid-century landscape architect Garrett Eckbo. The restoration aims to conserve water, showcase desert-appropriate plants, and serve as an educational tool for residents.

The plan, detailed in a staff report that includes an extensive study of the history of the landscaping by Steven Keylon, would replace over 55,000 square feet of water-thirsty turf with drought-tolerant landscaping reminiscent of the original 1957 design.

Ken Lyon, principal planner with the city’s planning department, explained that the original landscape featured mostly desert-appropriate plants, and “These areas were all replaced with heavily irrigated turf, which we have today.”

The project could save an estimated two million gallons of water annually, according to city staff. However, the financial savings would be modest, around $10,000 per year at current water rates.

Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein expressed support for the full project, emphasizing its educational potential.

“I would love to see this as a real place for individual homeowners to go and look,” Bernstein said. “It could also be an educational thing for students to learn about sustainability and desert landscape.”

The restoration would be divided into six phases, with a total estimated cost of just over $1 million. That figure includes allowances for desert-scape in the north courtyard and replacement plants in existing drought-tolerant areas.

Planning Director Chris Hadwin noted that while doing the project in phases is possible, there would likely be cost savings in completing it as one project.

The council discussed potential funding sources, including grants and partnerships with the Desert Water Agency (DWA). LP McCloy, director of the city’s sustainability office, suggested that emphasizing the demonstration aspects of the project could strengthen grant applications.

“We’re always stronger when we go in for grants as a team,” McCloy said.

The project would also address safety concerns by upgrading parking lot lighting, though these costs were not included in the current estimate.

Like many, including some longtime residents, Councilmember Lisa Middleton expressed surprise at learning about the original desert landscape.

“I’m joining an awful lot of people who had absolutely no idea that desertscape was the original landscape that we had,” Middleton said.

The council showed interest in incorporating educational elements into the restored landscape, such as plant identification and information about water-efficient gardening techniques.

Bernstein suggested the restored landscape could become a draw for cultural tourism, particularly during Modernism Week.

“This could be great for our cultural tourism that we do with Modernism Week, where we have this historic building and this historic landscape that we could actually tie in with having tours,” he said.

The council unanimously approved a motion to move forward with the full project, directing staff to return with more information on educational uses for demonstration gardens and research into potential grants for preservation and sustainability.

Lyon noted that city staff had already been in contact with Modernism Week organizers, who expressed enthusiasm for incorporating the restored City Hall landscape into their events.

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