Palm Springs City Council to Vote on $4 Million Land Deal for New Fire Station, But a Nonprofit Is Already Paying the Price

Palm Springs City Council is set to meet Wednesday night to vote on spending $4 million on land for a new downtown fire station, a deal that is already pushing out a local nonprofit that feeds hundreds of families each week.

The proposed site sits at the southwest corner of Andreas Road and North Indian Canyon Drive, a roughly one-acre parcel owned by Grit Development, a Palm Springs real estate company. City leaders say the current Fire Station No. 1 is badly outdated. A 2025 fire services study found the station is too small to fit a ladder truck needed for taller buildings, does not meet seismic or ADA requirements, and lacks a fire sprinkler system. Tonight’s staff report on the topic says seven potential sites were reviewed before the city landed on this one.

According to the sales agreement listed on tonight's agenda, Grit Development is selling the land under threat of eminent domain. The city sent a formal letter to the company warning that it was prepared to move toward eminent domain, the legal process that would allow the government to force the purchase of private property. The agreement states directly that the seller "was unwilling to sell" and that city staff "was prepared to initiate the process that could have led to a resolution of necessity, the last step prior to the initiation of a formal condemnation action." Faced with that threat, Grit Development agreed to negotiate.

The city's own appraisal valued the property at around $3.15 million, though the agreed purchase price is $4 million. City documents say the higher price accounts for additional land included in the deal, demolition costs Grit Development agreed to cover, and the value of avoiding a lengthy and costly legal fight over eminent domain. As part of the agreement, the seller will tear down two buildings on the property before handing it over, though three others on the site are designated historic resources, meaning any demolition there would require separate approval from the city's Historic Site Preservation Board.

What the agreement also makes clear is that the city knew a local nonprofit would be caught in the middle. Well in the Desert, a Palm Springs organization that has operated at 181 N. Indian Canyon Drive for 16 years, received a 30-day notice to vacate from Grit Development in late April. That deadline was extended slightly and now stands at Monday, June 15. The sales agreement itself acknowledges the city was aware the eviction might not go smoothly, noting that Well in the Desert could refuse to leave, which could require formal eviction proceedings taking up to 90 days or more.

The organization serves roughly 250 families every week and provides nearly 98,000 meals to people in need last year. The facility is central to its food storage and meal operations, and finding a replacement on short notice has proven difficult. Matt Naylor, president of Well in the Desert, said when the notice first arrived that moving was never the issue. "There's no problem in moving," Naylor said to NBC Palm Springs back in April. "It's the fact that we got a 30-day notice and where are we to go. We have refrigerators and freezers, and we've got pallets full of food that we serve the homeless community." Naylor added he was deeply disappointed that after 16 years, no one from the property ownership picked up the phone. As of this week, the organization says it is still actively looking for a new space and is not giving up.

Wednesday's city council meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way.