Isn't the Town & Country Center just the run-down Zeldaz?
Actually, the Center is comprised of three buildings - not just Zeldaz - which together are eligible for Class One Historic Site designation according to the Historic Site Preservation Board and City staff. Buildings in much worse condition have been restored and brought back to life and so can the Center.
What's so great about the Center?
The Center was designed by renowned Los Angeles architects A. Quincy Jones and Paul R. Williams in 1948. Jones was a master architect who designed Sunnylands and, along with Williams, rehabbed Palm Springs' Tennis Club in 1950. Paul R. Williams was the most acclaimed African American architect to practice in the 20th century. In addition, the Center’s buildings represent the best example of Late Moderne style architecture in the Coachella Valley.
That was 50 years ago. What about today?
We believe that rehabilitating the Town & Country Center will benefit the city's architectural tourism industry and provide needed retail tax dollars with new shops once it's restored.
Hasn’t the Center always been a failure?
To the contrary. For many decades the Center was filled with tenants, including the offices of the Desert Sun and Palm Springs Villager magazine, KDES radio broadcasting, the architectural offices of Wexler and Harrison, Palm Springs Drug Co., Kelly’s Furnishings, Village Flower shop, a beauty salon, a jewelry store, restaurants of various sorts, and numerous other shops. It’s only since the Center’s been allowed to deteriorate under Wessman’s ownership (and its Palm Canyon entrance walkway blocked by outdoor seating) that the Center’s courtyard has been empty and decaying.
But what about the proposed new east-west road?
Mr. Wessman insists that a new road must be plowed through the Town & Country Center to provide direct access to his project from Indian. But Andreas Road already connects Palm Canyon to Indian. Let's make it a two-way street again.
We need a direct connection to the Spa Hotel.
Be careful what you wish for. A new road directly linking Palm Canyon Dr. to the Spa Hotel/Casino will divert customers away from Palm Canyon's shopping district and lead them directly to the Spa's new retail shops.
How can the Center be made viable again?
Our approach to reintegrating the Center into downtown involves removing the property's south building to allow its large interior plaza to embrace Palm Canyon Drive. The popular Grill-a-Burger restaurant would be relocated to The Center's plaza area in a small building with outdoor seating. As a result, the Town & Country Center would be much more visible and its wide plaza would directly face a proposed open area leading to the Art Museum, further enhancing the pedestrian friendly focus of Palm Canyon Drive.
But Mr. Wessman says that the retention of the Town & Country Center will block future redevelopment of the Desert Fashion Plaza.
This is simply not true. The EIR and City Council discussions show that the Fashion Plaza property can be successfully redeveloped without touching the east side of Palm Canyon Drive.
Aren't the Center's retail ceiling heights too low?
Take a look at the ceiling heights of the highly successful Corridor property containing Koffi, Café Chocolat, a bookstore, and many others. Those are the types of businesses that a rehabbed Center would attract.
Mr. Wessman says he will not invest any money into the Town & Country Center.
Okay, but how is that any different from the lack of investment Mr. Wessman has made in maintaining the property for the last 10 years? Perhaps one day a new owner will bring the Town & County Center back to life, but in the meantime, let's focus on replacing the Desert Fashion Plaza as our top priority!
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