In front of a sold out crowd at the DoubleTree Golf Resort banquet room, Mayor Mark Carnevale presented the 2019 State of the City on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Highlights included a review of major projects that had started in 2018 and are nearly completed. They include:
- The Crossings at Bob Hope Drive – a new freeway-oriented shopping plaza at the corner of Varner Road and Bob Hope Drive featuring a 98-room Best Western Plus hotel, an Arco AM PM Fueling Center, Starbuck’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, as well as several other businesses to be announced.
- Sunniva Cultivation/Dispensary Campus – the first phase of the $54 million project is well on its way to opening this summer on a 325,000 square foot, medical grade cannabis cultivation and dispensary campus.
- Date Palm Bridge Widening and Seismic Improvement Project – a $20 million project that seismically reinforced and widened the bridge from 4 lanes to 6 lanes and includes bike lanes and sidewalks in both directions. Construction is completed.
- CVRep Theatre – the second anchor to the Downtown Arts and Entertainment District has been going through a multi-million dollar renovation to the former Desert Cinemas building at the corner of East Palm Canyon Drive and Cathedral Canyon Drive. The LIVE performing arts theatre has moved from Rancho Mirage and will open this new facility on March 13, 2019 for a musical performance of “Chess.”
- Agua Caliente Elementary School – located in the Dream Homes neighborhood, this $40 million elementary campus just opened a few weeks ago featuring over 82,000 square feet of space for its state-of-the-art classrooms, multi-purpose rooms, library, food service, and administrative offices.
- Dinah Shore Drive Reconstruction Project – this $2.2 million reconstruction project improved the surface of Dinah Shore Drive from the Dinah Shore Bridge all the way east to the intersection of Dinah Shore and Date Palm Drive.
In addition, the mayor and council made important announcements of new projects starting in 2019 and they include:
- Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians’ Downtown Casino – planned for the corner of Date Palm Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive, this mixed-use gaming and entertainment facility has plans to break ground this summer and will be the third anchor to the Downtown Arts and Entertainment District.
- Downtown Amphitheater Park – a $3.7 million multi-purpose amphitheater park will be located next to the downtown parking structure at the corner of Cathedral Canyon Drive and Avenida Lalo Guerrero. With a seating capacity of nearly 3,000 people, the space will host many of the city’s festivals, art shows, local theater productions, and concerts. Construction began in January and should be completed this fall.
- Cathedral Canyon Bridge Project – a $22 million project that will build a four-lane bridge across the Whitewater River Wash at Cathedral Canyon Drive. The bridge will also provide bikes lanes and sidewalks in both directions. Construction is anticipated to begin in December.
- Shottenkirk Desert Lexus Sales and Service Center – an expansion of the Cathedral City Auto Center, this new multi-million dollar facility will break ground in April as the dealership will later move from its current location on Kyle Road to the new location next to the Volkswagen dealership on East Palm Canyon Drive. Toyota plans to expand and take over the former Lexus facility.
- New Housing Developments – D.R. Horton, America’s largest home builder, will begin in several weeks on building new entry-level housing in the Verano neighborhood just north of Vista Chino and Landau Boulevard. The initial plans call for 329 homes.
The Rilington Communities also announced that they will begin building in several months 210 new homes in the Rio del Sol neighborhood located near Gerald Ford Drive and DaVall.
GHA Companies have already begun building the “District East” right behind Target and Trader Joe’s. The housing development will consist of 45 single and two-story single family homes designed with an urban twist.
Horizon Gardens Senior Living – located behind “District East” has begun building a new 140-unit development that will offer a continuum-of-care for senior living consisting of 14 memory-care units; 58 assisted-living units and 68 independent living units. Three new buildings will be constructed on the nearly 5-acre property including this 30,738-square-foot, two-story assisted living facility, and a 21,482-square-foot independent living building.
- Downtown Fire Station – construction will begin in April on the new $8.2 million fire station to serve downtown and the south side of the city. The fire station will be located on Buddy Rogers Avenue near Date Palm Drive and just northwest of its current location.
- CCBC Resort Hotel located behind Revivals plans to begin construction in 2019 on a four-story, 20-unit luxury suites expansion for vacation club guests that will feature its own rooftop pool and bar.
- New Denny’s Family Restaurant – the vacant lot at the corner of Landau Boulevard and Vista Chino will become the site of the new Denny’s family restaurant. Construction should begin this summer.
State of the City Videos
