'Critical Mass Development' Promised For Downtown Indio

INDIO, CA — The city of Indio's efforts to bring “critical mass development” into its historic downtown took another step forward Wednesday.

During its regularly scheduled meeting, Indio City Council members approved an exclusive negotiation agreement with PSDG Indio, LLC that will explore potential development of a 6.34-acre city-owned property in the heart of downtown.

Desired land uses include retail, hospitality, restaurant, multi-family residential/mixed use and civic purposes, according to the city.

The property is generally bounded by Miles Avenue, Smurr Street, Bliss Avenue, and Oasis Street.

Under the agreement, PSDG is granted exclusive rights for up to one year — with possible extensions — to develop the property. The next steps in the process involve PSDG drafting a market feasibility study. Once that is completed, other developers of specific types of land uses, architectural and construction firms, financial investors, and key tenants will be brought on board, according to the city. The city will also be conducting a downtown parking study with stakeholders and local businesses.

The city has put significant effort into revitalizing its downtown. To date, it has strategically secured ownership of downtown properties totaling 26 acres. The city's in the final stages of adopting a Downtown Specific Plan that will help guide the area's future development, and in September it adopted a new General Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report.

“Indio is already the largest city in the Coachella Valley, and the fastest growing,” said Indio Mayor Glenn Miller. “Investment interest in Indio has been building, especially with the extensive College of the Desert expansion, Loma Linda’s beautiful Children’s Health Clinic, the California Desert Trial Academy College of Law, the popularity of the Desert Theatreworks community theater, the ever-improving Coachella Valley History Museum and now the expansion of the county’s Larson Justice Center. These investments are driving a new private sector focus on food, hospitality, retail, entertainment and downtown housing. And because the city has assembled the land and prepared planning and environmental documentation — the timing is right for downtown revitalization.”

PSDG Manager Peter Glatzer offered his vision for downtown. “We see an incredible opportunity to develop a dynamic mix of hotel, dining, retail, and arts and entertainment uses in the heart of the community with sustainability as one of our guiding principles," he said.

As part of the process, PSDG has partnered with Louisiana-based Provident Resources Group, which has experience developing large-scale projects across the United States.

Steve Hicks, founder, chairman and CEO of Provident Resources Group, said the time is right to move forward in Indio because the city has already obtained the properties, and adopted a new General Plan and Final EIR, and will soon have a new Downtown Specific Plan.

“The Indio City Council’s bold and forward-looking vision for its citizens, the community and the city’s business-friendly environment are what made Indio an ideal partner in this public-private partnership initiative,” Hicks said.