Major changes planned for Palm Desert mall site. See latest proposal
In November 2023, a Los Angeles company purchased Palm Desert’s declining mall with the goal of transforming it into what it called a vibrant, mixed-use destination. Now, nearly three years later, the company has started to publicly sketch out a proposal for what that redevelopment could look like, along with a timeline for bringing it to fruition. It includes homes, shops, restaurants and new commercial buildings along parts of the site now covered with parking lots. A Powerpoint presentation published online ahead of a planned presentation to the Palm Desert City Council on Thursday, Nov. 12, details what the mall’s owner, Pacific Retail Capital Partners , describes as a still-evolving plan for a mix of new housing, “neighborhood retail” offerings and a public plaza at the site. The plan also calls for maintaining much of the existing enclosed mall, which covers about 34 acres. The presentation also unveils what would be the new name for the property: “The Village at Palm Desert.” A memo from the city's director of economic development, Martin Alvarez, says the presentation gives the council an early look at a specific plan that will be formally submitted to the city council for consideration next spring. A
