The citizens of the historic Steel Development homes are shining examples of how commitment and passion can pay off in preservation efforts. The Historic Class 1 Steel Development Homes, designed by prominent local architect Donald Wexler, were threatened by the prospect of an affordable housing project plan to be built right next to these historically and architecturally important homes. Preservationists and home owners were worried about privacy, the beautiful mountain view, the density (housing units per acre) of the project, light and noise pollution, and negative effects on the area's tourism.
The residents worked hard in the renovation of these homes at a time when the area was considered a "marginally livable" part of the city. Their efforts have yielded the turnaround of the city and these houses have become cultural tourist attractions. They fear the project could hurt Palm Springs' midcentury modern tourism in which these homes are an integral part of.
Compromises and negotiations went around the table and were ultimately ignored by the developer as preservationists and the home owners raised their objections and tried to give solutions on how the project could not compromise these historic homes.
As of May 19 2020, the owners have been given a reprieve as The Housing Committee provided recommendations to improve the project to be discussed by the council at a future date. The hope is that a compromise proposal could be fleshed out that will address the concerns of all parties involved.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment