HomeMy WebLinkAboutCivic Academy - ED Presentation Autumn 2025Economic Development Department
City of Palm Desert
Martin Alvarez
Director of Economic Development
The Department
•Multifaceted and Multidisciplined
•Economic Development
•Community Relations
•Events and Sponsorships
•Public Art
•Solid Waste and Recycling Programs
•Economic Development Staff
•Martin Alvarez, Director of Economic Development
•Amy Lawrence, Deputy Director of Economic Development
•Ryland Penta, Community Relations Supervisor
•Mariela Salazar, Economic Development Management Analyst
•Vanessa Mager, Economic Development Coordinator
•Shelby Goodwin, Special Events Coordinator
•Erica Powell, Public Art Management Analyst
•Luiz Moctezuma, Management Analyst
•Debbie Thompson, Administrative Assistant
•Stephanie Lopez, Administrative Assistant
What We Do
Sell/Acquire Land
Incentive Investment via Invest Palm Desert
Business Outreach & Business Attraction
PD Entrepreneurial Resource Center
(Business Development)
Future Rail Station
Mall Redevelopment
DSRT Surf
Cal State Palm Desert
DSRT Surf
Agreement approved in 2019:
Build approx. 5.5-acre Surf Lagoon, 6,200 sq. ft. Surf
Center (Food and Beverage)
•On-site parking, 57 residential lots and all necessary utilities.
•Obligated to develop “Lot E” in accordance with City standards
(in process)
•Obligated to identify 70-parking spaces to replace existing temp.
parking at their site ofr Desert Willow (developer paid $500k to for
Lot A improvements)
•Obligated to pay 12.1% of traffic signal cost for Cook/Marketplace
(in-process)
DSRT Surf
Water Use
•“Turf for Surf” removed over 1M sq. ft. of turf
at Desert Willow
•Offsets Water Use - 106 Acre Feet Per Year
•27-acres removed on both Firecliff and
Mountain View golf courses
Mall Redevelopment – Council Goal
•Ensuring continued and expanded sales tax base
•Ensuring a community asset
•Removing blight
•Pro-active in soliciting a development partner
•Pacific Retail purchased asset in Nov. 2023
•Master Plan
-Reimagining the 80-acre site
-Designed for flexibility
-Integrate new uses (housing, hospitality, and
entertainment)
CSUSB – Palm Desert – Council Goal
•P1CV
•Secured $79M new Student Services Building (40k sq.ft.)
•Library
•Campus Store
•Campus Safety
•Health and Counseling
•Community Center
•Academic Support
•Career Center
•Multipurpose rooms
•Under Construction – Complete 2027
•Future Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP)
•Parks
•Housing
•Drainage
THANK YOU!