ANDREA HILLS
Andreas Hills is a 400-home neighborhood in the southwest corner of Palm Springs. Whether you live in a cozy condo or a 5,000 square foot estate, chances are, one reason you'll choose this neighborhood is to be close to nature. Often referred to as the Bel Air of Palm Springs, Andreas Hills is adjacent to the Indian Canyons. Homes in the area enjoy incredible panoramic mountain views and rugged canyons. And, because the area is elevated above the valley floor, homes command views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
ARABY COMMONS
Araby Commons is perfectly situated. The 568 households are tucked so close to Southridge Mountain (also known as "Bob Hope's Hill") that you'll be treated to a kaleidoscopic of colors at sunset reflecting off its rocks. Within the borders are four classic examples of midcentury modern condominium developments (Imperial Park South, Coco Cabana, Sandcliff, and Marbella), in addition to the clean lines and bold colors of the more-recently completed Luminaire complex. Detached homes in Araby Commons range in style from Western to Spanish to contemporary.
ARABY COVE
Araby Cove is a hillside harbor snuggled into the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument that forms its eastern and southern borders. It’s further encircled by a nature preserve and the Palm Canyon Wash that seasonally carries runoff from its sheltering slopes. Araby Cove is truly a jewel of Palm Springs: secluded, quiet, and out of the fray – perfectly suited to those seeking a retreat and certainly in keeping with the natural beauty of the surroundings.
BARISTO
Nestled in the southern half of Section 14 tribal land, Baristo is a major portion of the reservation of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Baristo is the gateway to Downtown Palm Springs and home to more than 1,100 residents who take advantage of the electric mix of condominiums, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment and shopping venues. Just minutes from Palm Springs International Airport, all of Downtown, numerous hiking and biking trails, public library, a senior center, and more. With vacant land still abundant, the Baristo neighborhood promises to remain one of the most sought-after sites in town for development.
CANYON CORRIDOR
Wind-shielding mountains on three sides, beautiful views free of overhead wires, iconic midcentury condominiums, and barely two miles from downtown but comfortably outside its fray: Today’s Canyon Corridor neighborhood is the perfect location for a short visit, a seasonal stay, or a full-time home. Canyon Corridor became a prime location for architecturally significant midcentury condominium complexes including Palmer and Krisel’s Canyon View Estates, James Schuler Associates’ Villa Roma, Donald Wexler’s Twin Springs, and many others. There are about 2,200 households in Canyon Corridor, making it one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods and also its most populous.
CANYON PALMS
Canyon Palms, established in November 2019 as the 48th organized neighborhood of Palm Springs.
DEEPWELL ESTATES
The Deepwell Estates neighborhood is regarded for its concentration of midcentury homes. They have several exemplary residences from architects Donald Wexler, Howard Lapham, Hal Levitt, E. Stewart Williams, Hugh Kaptur, William Krisel, Stan Sackley, Herbert Burns, and others. Deepwell is within easy reach of supermarkets, restaurants, a post office, athletic fields, the public library, a senior center, and shopping plazas. Notable residents are actors William Holden, Tippi Hedren, Eva Gabor, Loretta Young and Elizabeth Taylor. Deepwell Estates lives the expression, Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!
DEMUTH PARK
For the residents of 800 homes, life is good in Demuth Park. The neighborhood overlooks the picturesque grounds of the city’s largest greenspace, the 60-acre recreation area. The Park sports two tennis courts and eight well-used pickleball courts. It has baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and full-court basketball. There are rolling hills of open green space with walking and bike baths. The architecture is diverse. Ranch homes from the 1940s predate the classic midcentury styles. Later attracted modernist architects including Jack Meiselman. Today, remodeled homes and new construction lend visual texture to Demuth Park and speak to its enduring appeal.
DESERT HIGHLAND GATEWAY ESTATES
Desert Highland Gateway Estates is Palm Springs’ gem of the north. It’s a neighborhood of nearly 500 affordable homes and residents who have known each other all their lives. Desert Highland Park is Desert Highland Gateway Estates 18-acre retreat. It has a children’s playground, a baseball field, basketball courts, a picnic area, electric vehicle charging stations, and an outdoor stage. The park hosts community events, fundraisers, and youth education activities addressing black history. The neighborhood is also home to Desert Hinge – a sculpture n the city’s public art collection – by La Vern Carroll. The former host of the PBS television series The Metal Guy. History. Community. Pride. Family. Art. Desert Highland Gateway Estates truly is Palm Springs’ northern gem.
DESERT PARK ESTATES
Desert Park Estates is a mixed architectural residential neighborhood of midcentury modern, Spanish Revival, Mediterranean, contemporary, and ranch styles in North Palm Springs. The neighborhood comprises more than 400 home. With names like Farrell, Bellamy, and Powell, several of the street names commemorate the connection to a golden age of Hollywood. Also commemorating that connection is the resort at which Marilyn Monroe once stole away with John F. Kennedy through a secluded entrance. A little more visible is the tribute to Desert Park Estates founding architect. The neighborhood’s northernmost street bears the name of Noel Clarke’s wife, Joyce. Certified by the city in 2007, the Desert Park Estates Neighborhood Organization is committed to maintaining and improving their quality of life. They proudly installed their first blade signs in 2013 and have hosted Modernism week tours of some of their 29 Kaptur-designed homes.
EL MIRADOR
El Mirador is a quiet central Palm Springs neighborhood with 162 eclectic mix of midcentury modern, ranch, Spanish revival and other styles of homes. The neighborhood is highly desirable for its central location within downtown Palm Springs, the design district and its restaurants and shopping, as well as Ruth Hardy Park. Notable residents include author Truman Capote, televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, “Papa” John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas, and musician and bandleader Lawrence Welk.
EL RANCHO VISTA ESTATES
To enter El Rancho Vista Estates is to open a time capsule. Nearly all the homes have been meticulously maintained or faithfully restored, conveying the sense of architectural cohesion originally built into El Rancho Vista 60 years ago. With their low density and only a single through street branching into eight cul-de-sacs, El Rancho Vista maintains its intimacy. Friends and neighbors are in constant contact as they tend to their yards, walk their dogs, or play bocce ball in adjacent Gateway Park. El Rancho Vista was featured on a 2010 home tour honoring Donald Wexler offered by the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation. And every year since 2012, the neighborhood hosts Modernism Week home tours for visitors from around the world. The proceeds from these tours support the neighborhood’s beautification and maintenance programs and also fund charitable donations to local nonprofit causes.
ESCENA
With its distinctive style, casual elegance, and natural beauty, Escena has quickly become a residential and recreational showcase for Palm Springs. Embracing the city’s iconic Modernist and historic Spanish-influenced architectural heritage, Escena is a 450-acre resort-like community with spectacular views, expansive open space, and acclaimed dining. The 400 residences make up one of the few single-family gated developments in the city and surrounded by the public 18-hold Escena Golf Course, which was beautifully designed by Jack Nicklaus. Escena’s small cul-de-sacs and individual enclaves impart a welcome sense of neighborhood. Still not a build-out, Escena continues to attract award-winning construction companies thanks to the location’s increasingly desirable Palm Springs address. Three Escena builders – Alta Verde Homes, Toll Brothers, and Beazer Homes – are winners of state, regional, and national awards. Escena is where distinctive style, casual elegance, and natural beauty achieve new heights in Palm Springs.
FOUR SEASONS
Less than 20 years ago, the northeast corner of Palm Springs was an open desert. But a visionary developer, this quiet location offered expansive views and proximity to hiking trails – the perfect site for a new community. Today, Four Seasons Palm Springs is a gated active-retirement development with outstanding amenities, a vibrant lifestyle, and a coveted Palm Springs address. Four Seasons attracts retirees preferring large-resort features in a smaller, more intimate neighborhood convenient to outside activity. The 476 Mediterranean-style homes are within five miles of Downtown’s services, retail, dining, and entertaining. Four Seasons was named among the “100 Best Master-Planned Communities in the U.S.” by Where to Retire magazine.
GATEWAY
Gateway is adjacent to Palm Springs International Airport. For those whose journey takes the form of travel, Gateway’s tranquil, tree-lined streets are the first they’ll see on arrival. For residents departing Palm Springs, the airport means their neighborhood is gateway to the world. The neighborhood is home to St. Theresa Catholic Church and adjacent to the municipal gateway: City Hall and other civic resources. Among the Hollywood notables who have journeyed here and made Gateway their home are entertainer Bob Hope and actor Harry Guardino of Murder She Wrote.
GENE AUTRY
Gene Autry is a neighborhood that would do its namesake proud. Gene Autry is a well-maintained 100 percent residential are in northeast Palm Springs. Close to the Whitewater Wash, popular for its walking trail and expansive views of the mountains and open desert. The neighborhood is distinguished by the presence of more than 100 homes designed by Hugh Kaptur, one of Palm Springs’ most important midcentury architects who’s responsible for hundreds of houses, apartments, civic centers, office buildings, and hotels throughout Coachella Valley. His work includes residences for Steve McQueen and William Holden, as well as Palm Springs Fire Stations 3 and 4. So the Gene Autry neighborhood is justifiably proud of the company kept within Kaptur’s portfolio.
HISTORIC TENNIS CLUB
The Historic Tennis Club, known worldwide, is the beating heart of Downtown Palm Springs. With eleven structures registered as historic, past and present intersect on every corner. The neighborhood is named for “The Tennis Club Resort” – the celebrated inn, restaurant, and tennis complex founded in 1937 that brough world-class tennis to the desert. Marilyn Monroe was often sighted lounging at what was once thought to be the world’s most photographed swimming pool. Built in 1925, the O’Donnell House guards the neighborhood from atop a hillside promontory. The beautifully restored residence is a national Class 1 Historic Site. Beyond this historic home, nearly two dozen boutique inns are the core of the Historic Tennis Club’s identity. Most date from the 1920s through the 1950s and are destinations on the annual “Christmas Holiday Walk of the Inns.”
INDIAN CANYONS
When first conceived, the Indian Canyons neighborhood was the city’s southernmost enclave and was considered distant from town. But its design and location were brilliant. It was immediately embraced for its thoughtful planning and tranquil beauty and is now integral to Palm Springs’ tapestry. Originally developed in the 1960s, Indian Canyons primarily comprises midcentury modern custom homes designed by Dan Palmer, William Krisel, Stan Sackley, and other noted architects. The first residences were situated around a golf course, now the Indian Canyons Golf Resort. It was the only 18-hole course in the city when William Bell designed it in 1961. Animators of the Walt Disney studio designed its centerpiece fountain. This original north course has since been joined by a second 18-hold south course. The secluded location and exquisite mountain views beyond rolling fairways were celebrity magnets. Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Sinatra’s Rat Pack, Milton Berle, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford all chipped and pitched on its greens.
LAWRENCE CROSSLEY
The Lawrence Crossley neighborhood is an enclave of just 68 residences. Attractive contemporary homes from the early 2000s can now be found beside original midcentury residences. A successful businessman and community leader, Lawrence Crossley laid much of the foundation for Palm Springs as we know it today. Residents of Lawrence Crossley neighborhood enjoy one of the most expansive and unobstructed mountain views in the city.
LITTLE BEVERLY HILLS
Originally christened Ramon Rise Estates in 1956, the nickname Little Beverly Hills came later, no doubt inspired by four principal streets – Roxbury Drive, Canon Drive, Beverly Drive, and Bedford Drive – all sharing their names with counterparts 100 miles west in Beverly Hills. The neighborhood was created when developer George Goldberg formed Ramon Rise Enterprises and partnered with fellow developer Jack Meiselman to establish a 106-parcel residential tract. The homes they built became known simply as “Meiselmans.” Goldberg sold several lots to the Alexander Construction Company who retained Palmer & Krisel as their architects and built 63 homes between 1957 and 1958. Those became known as “Krisels”.
LITTLE TUSCANY
Little Tuscany is a neighborhood in North-West Palm Springs, located between Chino Canyon and Old Las Palmas. The earliest home built in that neighborhood dates from 1937. There are many architectural gems in Little Tuscany, including from famous architects such as William F Cody, Walter S White, E. Stewart Williams, to name a few. Unlike most Palm Springs neighborhoods with views of the nearby mountains, Little Tuscany is tucked into the hillside and offers spectacular elevated vistas across the valley floor.
LOS COMPADRES
The Los Compadres neighborhood features beautiful, sweeping views of the San Jacinto mountains. In the 1960s Alexander homes were built in Los Compadres, joined by Spanish-style residences int eh 1970s and ‘80s, providing even more texture to the neighborhood. Los Compadres benefits from its colorful past. Their yards are generously sized. Dog-walkers and their canine companions enjoy broad streets and plentiful sidewalks. Powerlines were buried in the 1960s, restoring prized mountain views by day. Limited street lighting preserves the starry night skies.
MELODY RANCH
KATE CASTLE, FOUNDER & ORGANIZER OF MELODY RANCH
Before there was a neighborhood, there was a hotel… “Melody Ranch” was the name given by singing cowboy Gene Autry to the hotel he purchased in 1961 to house his baseball team during spring training. When Autry sold the hotel in 1994, it name changed, and “Melody Ranch” was almost lost to history. Fast forward to 2015. Residents newly formed neighborhood organization discovered and revived the historic name, applied it to a larger area, and paid tribute to Mr. Autry on their neighborhood blade street sign. Today, the Melody Ranch Neighborhood Organization consists of that original hotel (now Parker Palm Springs), the Seven Lakes Country Club, the Oasis Resort, and the Canyon Sands community.
MIDTOWN
The city’s most metropolitan neighborhood, Midtown Palm Springs, comprises 960 residences on land set aside in 1877 by order of President Ulysses S. Grant as the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. The heard of Agua Caliente culture has always been its mineral hot springs, and its from these pools that the tribe and the City of Palm Springs take their names. With this in mind, the Agua Caliente Tribal Chairman described the location as “the place where it all began.” Midtown is the home to the Renaissance Hotel, the Hilton, and several other major lodging chains. The city’s Convention Center is located there, as is the Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
MOUNTAIN GATE
Mountain Gate is the first residential development you reach as you enter Palm Springs’ Uptown District from the north. First the freeway recedes in the distance. Then the magnificent Chino George and rugged mountain-scape to the west tell you you’re approaching someplace special. Finally, the Mountain Gate entrance to the east says you’ve arrived. The foundation for this neighborhood was laid in the fall of 2003 when plans were finalized for more than 470 sophisticated, contemporary residences inspired by imposing views of the boulder-strewn Chino Cone escarpment just beyond.
MOVIE COLONY EAST
“If these walls could talk, what tales they’d tell!” And if walls could talk, few could tell tales more captivating than those of Movie Colony East. Within in this neighborhood nearly 700 homes have resided some of Hollywood’s most colorful and storied personalities such as Judy Garland, Dorothy Lamour, Bob Hope, Howard Hughes, Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra. Who created Movie Colony East watchful walls? E. Stewart Williams, Donald Wexler, Albert Frey, and others – some of the most recognizable and respected architects of the midcentury period. More than 60 years later, their work still stand as cultural landmarks that speak to the seminal days of Desert Modernism and tell tales of a new aesthetic, than just emerging.
OASIS DEL SOL
Oasis del Sol takes its name quite seriously. Having received formal certification from ONE-PS in 2016, the neighborhood sought a name that would convey the serenity and an inviting atmosphere. The clear choice for the residents of 490 homes was the name “Oasis del Sol” because the area truly fits the dictionary definition of oasis: a fertile refuge providing sustenance in the desert. Midcentury developers were well aware of the restorative potential of this low-stress neighborhood. The streets has several examples of modernist residences built by The Alexander Construction Company and Jack Meiselman.
OLD LAS PALMAS
Old Las Palmas is vintage Palm Springs in so many ways. Formerly a citrus grove, Old Las Palmas traces its roots to the native Cahuilla Indians who first took shelter beneath its rocky cliffs among the bighorn sheep. The area was developed as a neighborhood in the mid-1920s by New York builder and Palm Springs City founder Alvah Hicks – the man who brought low-cost water to Palm Springs and served on its first City Council. Along with his son, Hicks carved generous lots from his tract and built exquisite estate-sized homes on speculation, launching our neighborhood and establishing it as a sought-after address. Today, Old Las Palmas has approximately 290 detached homes, three apartment buildings, 22 commercial properties, a church, and a Jewish center. The stylish residences reflect virtually every period of Palm Springs development: Old Spanish, Western, midcentury, contemporary, and postmodern construction. Many of the older properties have been updated and enhanced, while others have been painstakingly maintained to preserve their original charm. But it’s their smart design, exemplary character, and diligent upkeep that come together to create an eclectic mix of distinctive properties.
PALM SPRINGS VILLAS II
Cozy, one-bedroom/one-bath private condominiums. Enjoy the greenbelts and city lights and beautiful mountain views from the pools. The Casino, Downtown Palm Springs, and the Tram are just minutes away.
PARKVIEW MOBILE ESTATES
Be prepared to challenge your thinking about what mobile home parks are all about. By every measure, Parkview Mobile Estates is a distinguished, attractive, affordable, well-situated, 55-plus community that’s brimming with character. The community has tranquil Zen homes, Santa Fe-style residences, a New Orleans house, a classic Streamline trailer home, some Modernist facades, and more. Whatever the style, these homes reflect the sensibilities of Parkview Mobile Estates homeowners: some quirky, some elegant, some recalling an earlier age, but all beautifully maintained and contributing to their eclectic mix.
RACQUET CLUB ESTATES
Most of Racquet Club Estates’ 500-plus single-family homes are iconic midcentury designs featuring post-and-beam construction, soaring rooflines, clerestory windows, open floor plans, and blurred lines separating indoor from outdoor living. For that, the residents are indebted to it the innovations of architects William Krisel, Donald Wexler, and Jack Meiselman. Notable Racquet Club Estates residents have included actors Steve McQueen, Debbie Reynolds, Jackie Cooper, big-band singer Billy Daniels Sr.; fashion critic Mr. Blackwell; and Tarzan’s cinematic companion, Cheeta the Chimp.
RACQUET CLUB WEST
Racquet Clue West takes pride in its heritage and builds for its future. Palm Springs is known for its Hollywood ties, and this neighborhood is among its best connections. When Tinseltown discovered Palm Springs in the 1930s, the Hollywood crowd was looked down upon by the more established locals and was unwelcome to existing tennis courts. This moved actors Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy to build their own community – with its own tennis courts. The Racquet Club was born in 1934, and its courts and lounges were quickly populated with a galaxy of stars, including Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Clark Gable, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Cosby, and more. That was the attraction then. Today the neighborhood is prized for its large lots and range of architectural styles. The 446 households include family homes, sizable estates, cozy apartments, and luxury condos. In fact, the neighborhood has been discovered by builders who now enriching their own architectural mix with sharp, sophisticated, contemporary designs.
RANCH CLUB ESTATES
In the late 1950s, the “Ranch Club” was the largest and most popular social club in Palm Springs. Its grounds sprawled for a square mile, and it was all owned by developer Noel Clarke. Clarke first built two nightclubs, some swimming pools, and stables for riding horses. But he envisioned much more. Surrounding these amenities, he planned “Ranch Club Estates” – a neighborhood of 800 to 1,000 homes with a community center and a golf course. Architect and Ranch Club member Hugh Kaptur was retained to design the residences. In his characteristic style noted for its “quite elegance,” Kaptur created about a half-dozen models, all low set, with gently sloped roofs, post-and-beam construction, and insulated ceilings (a rarity in these parts). They sold briskly for $13,000 to $14,000. By May 1961, 250 homes were constructed and the estimate was Ranch Club Estates would build out at 1,000 homes by 1966. But with the 1965 death of Clarke, all work ceased with only about 300 homes completed.
RIMROCK
Who calls the Rimrock neighborhood home? Artists. Modernists. Hikers. And just about anyone else seeking a quiet, friendly, close-to-nature community to settle. Rimrock occupies the southeast corner of Palm Springs. The area is a so-named because it’s beneath the rim of a rocky escarpment that eventually rises several thousand feet. It’s the perfect entry point for hikers seeking immersion in nature. Many aficionados of Modernist architecture choose to live in Rimcrest Condominiums – a 51-unit complex of single-story homes terraced up a rocky hillside. The condos are connected by meandering paths that assure privacy while preserving the sense of a larger community. Built in 1967, each unit sits on its own ledge to maximize its vista. In fact, they were advertised in 1970 as “luxurious penthouse condominiums with unsurpassed views of the quiet desert.” It’s lush landscaped grounds suggest the development’s original name, Tropic Hills Estates.
ROGERS RANCH
The year was 1929. Leading a string of 15 horses, Trav Rogers pulled into Palm Springs fresh from the Western wilderness. Rogers was a colorful figure, so widely admired for his business acumen and tireless promotion of Palm Springs that he was called “Mr. Palm Springs.” His first project was The Stables and the Rogers Ranch Club. The Stables was a popular private club with a Western-themed restaurant and was the place to go for well-to-do horsemen. Sagewood condominiums rose from the historic dust of The Stables. Built in 1972 and designed by Donald Wexler, its simple lines and natural colors blend with nature, and its deep window overhangs are Wexler trademarks. Contrasting with the openness of Sagewood, Ranch Club Estates imparts a sense of being nestled in a hideaway and still retains the original Rogers Ranch Club pool.
SONORA SUNRISE
If any Palm Springs neighborhood successfully combines relaxing desert ambiance with classic Palm Springs cool, it must be Sonora Sunrise. It’s a mix of full-time and seasonal residents appreciate the blend of qualities that make this south Palm Springs location so special. The Mesquite Golf and Country Club is within the borders of Sonora Sunrise. Its expansive open space affords an unobstructed mountain views of nearby Mount San Jacinto and winter’s snow-capped peaks of 11,000-food Mount San Gorgonio in the distance. The Club’s location also provides 18 holes of great golf right within the neighborhood. The birdwatchers appreciate the hawks swooping overhead. Surrounded by scenic bike routes and hiking trails favored by walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Plus, it is an easy stroll or bike ride to supermarkets, shopping, restaurants, and essential services.
SUNMOR
Central Palm Springs’ Sunmor neighborhood is a remarkably intact collection of modernist homes. Most the 141 residences still maintain their midcentury rooflines, breezeways, clerestory windows, and other classic architectural features of that era. Formed by combining two original tracts (Sunmor Estates and part of Alejo Palms Estates), the neighborhood was built by some of the most important and familiar names of the 1950s and ‘60s. It was Robert Higgins who originally imagined a neighborhood of affordable modernist tract homes in this location and built the first houses. In 1957, the Alexander Construction Company took over from Higgins and built most of the remaining parcels with designs from Jack Meiselman, William Krisel, and others. The Alexanders were committed to the ideal that even a luxury community like Palm Springs quality homes could be built to fit the budgets of lower- and middle-income families. With home prices in the late 1950s generally starting at a modest $15,000, the homes were available to not only the elite Hollywood crowd but to more modest buyers.
SUNRISE PARK
Residents of the 1,400 Sunrise Park homes know they live someplace special. Centrally located, the neighborhood is less than one mile from Downtown and Uptown Palm Springs. This quiet residential area is dotted with midcentury homes designed or developed by some of the most innovative and influential names of the era: the Alexanders, William Krisel, Jack Meiselman, and others. Architects Roy Burton, Hugh Kaptur, and William Cody were so taken with Sunrise Park, they built their own homes in the neighborhood. Within the borders of Sunrise Park is the Palm Springs Cultural Center. It’s the primary venue for stage shows, lectures and discussions, and films and film festivals, including the prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Palm Springs International ShortFest, the American Documentary Film Festival, Cinema Diverse (LGBT films), and the Arthur Lyons Film Noir, Native American, and Jewish film festivals. Adjacent to the Cultural Center will be a second campus of the College of the Desert, now under construction.
TAHQUITZ CREEK GOLF
The Tahquitz Creek Golf neighborhood may be Palm Springs’ best-kept secret. Located near the eastern corner of south Palm Springs, Tahquitz Creek Golf is a bucolic community of condominiums and single-family homes adjacent to the championship Lawrence Hughes-designed Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort. Tahquitz Creek Wash, with its native landscape, horseback riding trails, and exceptional golf course vistas, runs through the neighborhood of 1,400 homes representing several architectural styles.
TAHQUITZ RIVER ESTATES
Tahquitz River Estates is a showcase of more than 1,100 homes representing architectural styles spanning almost 90 years. The first subdivision was the 350-lot Palos Verdes Estates. Developed in the early 19302, many of these small Spanish Revival-styles homes still charm this neighborhood’s streets. Many architects were building not just homes but estates set in compounds. This was the case for cosmetics giant Max Factor who lived in “The Fontenelle,” and footcare magnate Dr. William Scholl whose multi-structured property spanned several lots. Following his death, Scholl’s property was divided into 10 parcels that are now adorned with stunning contemporary homes. Many of these are based on Joseph Eichler floor plans, and others are inspired by Donald Wexler – further enriching the architectural diversity in this neighborhood.
THE MESA
Snuggled into the hillsides of the San Jacinto Mountains in south Palm Springs and sheltered from much of the area’s blazing sun and rushing wind is the charming Palm Canyon Mesa neighborhood, more commonly know as The Mesa. The area is as eclectic as Palm Springs itself and features a variety of architectural styles, including native adobe, Spanish-inspired, midcentury modern, and contemporary. Notable residents include entertainer and fitness enthusiast Suzanne Somers and entertainers Cher and Barry Manilow.
THE MOVIE COLONY
What’s life like in The Movie Colony? Well, it’s just a stroll to Downtown, Uptown, the art museum, and Ruth Hardy Park. Enjoy walking among attractive and historic homes. In the mid-1920s, Palm Springs was becoming a residential community. About that time, Hollywood discovered that the “anything goes” atmosphere and proximity to Los Angeles made it a great place to unwind. Film stars began flocking in numbers to Palm Springs in the 1930s, especially after 20th Century Fox movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck won a poker game against fellow film kingpin Joseph Schenck. His prize? Schenck’s Palm Springs estate that would soon become known as The Movie Colony. By World War II, Palm Springs had firmly established its reputation as “Hollywood’s Playground,’ and The Movie Colony neighborhood was an epicenter for its visiting elites. Although generally spacious and brimming with bedrooms, the original residences in The Movie Colony weren’t opulent or pretentious. They were large but comfortable and scaled for practical living. Prewar, The Movie Colony estates were primarily Spanish Colonial Revival and other revival styles. Postwar, they were largely midcentury modern and other minimalist forms. So what’s life like The Movie Colony? Convenience, views, diverse architecture, and a significant dose of old Hollywood.
TWIN PALMS
Twin Palms is best known as “a William Krisel neighborhood.” Architect William Krisel once said he loved Twin Palms because he designed it his way. The Twin Palms neighborhood is known as the desert community’s first modernist tract. With a signature set of trees that graced every home’s front landscaping, the homes in Twin Palms are truly modern. From post-and-beam homes with butterfly roofs to atriums and sliding glass doors. Architectural design elements found within the neighborhood are what make it so unique. In fact, it’s the architectural design elements that have played a leading role in creating today’s Twin Palms. The minute you step into the Twin Palms neighborhood, you find yourself in another era. A place where modern designs now mingle with the 1950’s era styles. Twin Palms is a neighborhood that stands on its own. From mid-century modern to today, the homes in the Twin Palms neighborhood epitomize modernist aesthetic.
UPPER WEST SIDE
The Upper West Side residents share a great location, great views, cooling breezes, and a sophisticated lifestyle second to none. As you enter the neighborhood from the west on San Rafael Drive, your first stop on the left is the gated Palermo complex. Its bold colors, modern architecture, and leafy green streets have already made it a uniquely style Palm Springs address. Continuing down San Rafael are 10 detached contemporary homes. Stylish and well kept, they set the tone as you enter the heart of the neighborhood. Next stop is gated San Rafael. Its namesake park features a community pool and broad greenbelt that are magnets for residents of its 67 single-family desert-contemporary homes. Farther east is Sundance, developed in 1985 as a retreat for the Dallas Cowboys. Sundance became a hotel-timeshare in 1986 and became private homes in 1988. On the north side of San Rafael is Miralon. Currently under construction, its 1,150 homes will be a showcase of desert living for the city of Palm Springs. Just beyond Miralon is Vintage Palms – a popular residential community of 62 single-family homes. This attractive ungated enclave was constructed between 1991 and 2001 to capitalize on the area’s spectacular mountain views. South of Vintage Palms is Murano. Built between 2007 and 2015, Murano’s 57 single-family homes were designed by local architect James Cioffi, respected for his stunning updates of iconic 1950s residential design.
VISTA LAS PALMAS
Vista Las Palmas is a stunning neighborhood of iconic midcentury homes. Nearly all were designed by acclaimed architects of the 1950s and ‘60s, with more than half by either William Krisel or Charles Dubois. These architects used glass, concrete, terrazzo, and exposed wood beams to express California Desert Modernist aesthetic. Each distinguished home come with seamless indoor-outdoor spaces to take advantage of the dry desert climate and soaring mountain views. Many residences of Vista Las Palmas have been featured in TV commercials, movies, photo spreads, and architecture documentaries. The Alexander Construction Company was the most influential developer of that era. They buried utility lines to preserve unimpeded views of mountains, and they placed no overhead street lamps that could detract from star-lit skies. The advent of residential air conditioning early in the last century allowed Vista Las Palmas homes to be marketed as year-round residences. This attracted Hollywood elite, and today, entertainment industry and executives and performers still own homes in Vista Las Palmas, joined by a diverse, international mix of neighbors. Notable residents include Marilyn Monroe, Peter Lawford, Debbie Reynolds, Kirk Douglas, Elvis Pressley, Sidney Sheldon, and Nat “King” Cole.
VISTA NORTE
Residents of Vista Norte enjoy unrestricted views in every direction thanks to their central location and all utilities placed underground – a rarity among Palm Springs’ historic neighborhoods. Views of the majestic San Jacinto Mountains to the west, the rolling Indio Hills to the north, and the open panorama stretching south and east are dramatic and unobstructed. Vista Norte consists of about 400 single-family, detached residences, some built as early as the 1940s. With borders defined by four major thoroughfares (Avenida Caballeros to the west, Sunrise Way to the east, Racquet Club Drive to the north, and Vista Chino to the south), Vista Norte is removed from the fray but not far activity of Uptown and central Palm Springs.
WARM SANDS
Warm Sands is among the most historic and diverse neighborhoods in Palm Springs. Perfectly situated, the 1,300 residences are located within walking distance of the entertainment, shopping, and dining of Downtown. Combined with breathtaking views of the San Jacintos, Warm Sands is quiet, convenient, and scenic. The neighborhood is composed of single- and multi-family homes, a mobile home park, commercial businesses, and 11 resorts. Within walking distance of Sunrise Park – home of the public library, the Swim Center, the Mizell Senior Center, and other social and recreational venues. With limited traffic and proximity to biking and hiking trails along Tahquitz Creek, Warm Sands is ideally suited for outdoor activity. Notable residents of Warm Sands have included Hollywood scriptwriter and author of Casablanca, Howard Koch; local businessman and influential developer, Lawrence Crossley; and Touched by an Angel star Della Reese.
WHITEWATER CLUB
The Whitewater story begins in 1954 when the Palm Springs Country Club was carved from open desert. It was immediately popular with celebrities, including Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack. By the 1970s, backed by investors like Richard Nixon, condominiums were planned for its periphery. Designed by celebrated modernist William Cody, five phases were built between 1972 and 1982. Residents enjoyed pools, spas, proximity to open space, and of course, spectacular mountain views. Established in 2011, Alexander Estates II is a midcentury modern enclave of detached single-family homes designed by James Cioffi and adjacent to the original condos. The intimate collection of 25 homes reflects and extends iconic Palm Springs architecture of the 1950s, but is well suited to 21st-century full-time residency. With their success, Whitewater has now embarked on its current phase: Serena Park. Plans for Serena Park call for about 400 single-family duplex and detached homes on 154 acres – half of which is planned as open space.