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Steven Biller

Steven Biller, Editor-in-Chief

We took a leap of faith this month, revealing a hint of what so many desert residents have been waiting to see for more than a decade: a look at how downtown Palm Springs could look a few years from now. The east-west corridor from Palm Springs Art Museum to Palm Springs Convention Center will eventually include the new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and fresh places for us to meet, greet, shop, and eat. Add to the mix three hotels — Mondrian, Hard Rock, and a new Spa Resort Hotel — and downtown will once again become a bright destination. The vitality comes in the form of mixed-use developments, including Port Lawrence at Alejo Road, as well as the tentatively named Museum Market Plaza and Palm Grove retail centers. The momentum continues to the north and south and is drawing interest in Palm Springs that the city has missed for too long. We applaud the city, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and the private developers who will deliver the dream. Don’t miss our article, “The Downtown Turnaround.” This story and “The New Contemporary,” which showcases commercial architecture that takes cues from modernism and infuses eco-friendly design and amenities, reinforces the desert’s dynamic growth direction.