The organization was established in 1997 under the name Palm Springs Historic Site Foundation by Carl Prout, Diana "Moussie" Powell and others.[4][5][6] It later adopted the name Palm Springs Preservation Foundation as its activities expanded to include educational programming and publications.[5]
In 2023, the foundation received a Governor's Historic Preservation Award from the State of California for its advocacy, educational programming, and publications related to historic preservation in Palm Springs.[7][8]
Among the sites associated with its advocacy are the Town & Country Center, a 1948 complex designed by Paul R. Williams and A. Quincy Jones,[7][10][11] and Tahquitz Plaza, an office complex designed by Hugh M. Kaptur that was designated a Class 1 Historic Site in 2015.[7][11][12] The foundation has also supported the designation of residential historic districts, including the Villa Roma condominium complex, which was recognized as a Class 1 Historic District in 2023.[11][13]
The foundation has been associated with preservation efforts involving several other local sites. These include the Aluminaire House, a 1931 prefabricated residence by Albert Frey and Lawrence Kocher that was relocated to the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2024;[14] the Canyon Country Club Colony, a residential development noted for its architectural character;[15] and the Palm Springs Financial District, where historic designation was extended to postwar commercial buildings.[16] PSPF has also featured the demolished Maslon House, designed by Richard Neutra in 1962, in its public programming and educational materials.[17]
Education and outreach
PSPF organizes lectures, tours, and other programs on architectural history and preservation. The foundation has produced public service videos and has partnered with local museums on exhibitions.[18]Modernism Week, an independent nonprofit festival devoted to mid-century design and architecture,[19] was co-founded with the involvement of PSPF, which continues to contribute programming.[20] During Modernism Week, PSPF has presented free talks and guided home tours, including the recurring program Lost, Saved and Endangered: Modernist Architecture in Palm Springs.[21] Local media have noted PSPF's role in Modernism Week, describing its programs as part of the festival's growth and visibility.[3][22]
Palm Springs has several other organizations involved in historic preservation. The city's Historic Site Preservation Board, created in 1981, reviews and recommends site and district designations.[30] The Palm Springs Modern Committee, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit focused on Desert Modern architecture.[31] The Palm Springs Historical Society, established in 1955, operates museums and maintains archives on the city's broader history.[32] The Palm Springs Architectural Alliance, created in 2018, focuses on the preservation of the region's architectural heritage.[33]
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