Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board’s Brad Dunning leads effort to designate 7 properties designed by Albert Frey. Of these, Tramway Gas Station becomes major preservation battle against Shadowrock developer’s plans to demolish the building

City Council designates Tramway Gas Station as Class One Historic Site then rescinds designation two weeks later

Palm Springs Preservation Foundation (PSPF) is founded by Dr. Carl Prout and Mousie Powell

Tramway Gas Station (Montana St. Martin Gallery) designated Class One Historic Site

Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) is founded by Peter Moruzzi to advocate for saving 1955 Albert Frey-designed Fire Station #1 from demolition for a parking garage. Victorious. City Council designates property as Class One Historic Site.

Group of Alexander Steel Houses declared Class One Historic Sites

"When Mod Went Mass: A Celebration of Alexander Homes", a weekend tour/celebration is produced by PSPF. Events in succeeding years focus on desert Polynesia, William F. Cody, Spanish Colonial Revival, E. Stewart Williams, Donald Wexler and others

Palm Springs Modern Tours, a local business, begun by architectural expert Robert Imber

Palm Springs Shopping Center (Alpha Beta/Ralphs) at Sunrise and Ramon demolished. Designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers, the building was razed following a difficult preservation battle. PS ModCom lacks funds to continue legal battle after City approves environmental impact report (EIR) allowing demolition

Maslon House in Rancho Mirage summarily demolished without city review setting off international outcry. Rancho Mirage subsequently commissions historic resources survey of city and establishes historic resources commission. Begins systematically designating historic properties throughout city

Tramway Gas Station (Montana St. Martin Gallery) purchased by City for use as Palm Springs Visitors Center.

Biltmore Hotel razed. Demolition by neglect

Exterior of former Robinson’s Department Store (The Alley) is more sensitively renovated following consultations with owners and City

Effort to save and adaptively reuse Town & Country Center begins

Palm Springs Desert Museum changes name to Palm Springs Art Museum. Establishes innovative Architecture and Design Council (ADC)

Friends of Town & Country Center established

Release of the first feature-length documentary film on postwar architecture in the desert, Desert Utopia: Mid-century Architecture in Palm Springs

Dwell magazine conference (“Dwell on Design”) on postwar architecture and design

Effort to save E. Stewart Williams’ Potter Clinic fails. Building demolished.

Albert Frey-designed Premiere Apartments (1958) destroyed by arson

Santa Fe Federal Savings by E. Stewart Williams is nominated for designation. City Council postpones decision until 2009

Palm Springs Modern Heritage Fund is founded as 501(c)(4) to raise funds in support of elected officials sympathetic to preservation of our historic modern heritage

City Council only designates portions of Oasis Commercial Building and not entire building

Former Santa Fe Federal Savings building threatened with inappropriate adjacent development. Three-year advocacy effort results in designation of entire property as Class One Historic Site by City Council and rejection of Baristo Lofts project

City Council approves Environmental Impact Report that includes demolition of Town & Country Center if developer John Wessman’s proposed project for Desert Fashion Plaza comes to fruition

Proposed replacement of historic landscaping and parking plan fronting Palm Springs City Hall defeated by strong advocacy effort

Battle to save the Town & Country Center (T&CC) results in ModCom’s aggressive actions to have it removed from the proposed Fashion Plaza project. ModCom fully utilizes its attorney in identifying illegal aspects of the City’s Development Agreement (DA), runs a 3/4 page ad congratulating Planning Commission for denying the DA, and sends out direct mail pieces requesting voters to contact the City with their views on the terrible terms of the DA. On June 17, the City/Wessman removed the T&CC from the current project.

North Shore Yacht Club (Albert Frey, 1959) reopens as community center following state-funded adaptive re-use project.

Ken Kellogg-designed Chart House Restaurant (1978) destroyed by arson. Attempt to have building rebuilt fails.

Palm Springs Airport ticketing area threatened by insensitive alterations that would have destroyed its open, breezy design. City Council rejects alterations.

Spa Hotel and Bathhouse demolished during discussions with tribe about integrating the structure into a new hotel

Preservation Effort For William F. Cody-Designed Tramway Shell Station (1964) Begins. Ultimately Restored By Owner And Designated Class One Historic Site.

The stunning 1956 Wexler & Harrison Ramon Drugs building was demolished by the Tribe despite entreaties by the preservation community.

JW Robinson’s Department Store by architects Pereira & Luckman (1958) is restored. PS ModCom was strong supporter of preservation and adaptive reuse.

PS ModCom’s attorney saves Tahquitz Plaza (Hugh Kaptur, 1973) from demolition at 11th hour. Property designated Class One Site by City Council. Developer changes heart and restores Tahquitz Plaza following preservation standards (completed 2017).

PS ModCom successfully lobbies for revisions to the City's Preservation Ordinance. In particular, an Integrity criterion was added, which will help prevent properties with inappropriate alterations from being designated as Class One Historic Sites.

ModCom was invited by the City to work with the Town & Country Center property owner in identifying serious maintenance issues requiring remediation and stabilization. We also collaborated on determining the original paint colors that will be applied to the buildings as part of the stabilization project.

Another in the never ending series of potential sale and renovation plans of the historic Racquet Club property

Discussion by the City of the rehabilitation and potential expansion of the William F. Cody-designed Palm Springs Library Center (1975) begins

Ceremony held for the newly installed permanent nighttime uplighting of the former Tramway Gas Station (PS Visitor Center) designed by Albert Frey in 1965

Following many years of effort by dedicated members of the preservation community, the Palm Springs Art Museum unveiled the beautifully restored Aluminaire House designed by Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher in 1931

The magnificent former City National Bank building (a Class One Historic Site) was restored to perfection by current owner Bank of America. Rudi Baumfeld of Victor Gruen Associates designed the sculptural masterpiece in 1959