Palm Springs Preservation Foundation

Palm Springs Preservation Foundation (PSPF) is a nonprofit organization based in Palm Springs, California, focused on the preservation of the region's historic architecture and cultural resources. The foundation advocates for the preservation of mid-century modern architecture in Palm Springs and the broader Coachella Valley.^[1][2]

The organization was established in 1997 under the name Palm Springs Historic Site Foundation.^[3][4] It later adopted the name Palm Springs Preservation Foundation as its activities expanded to include educational programming and publications.^[4]

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.^[5][6]

PSPF has been involved in efforts to secure recognition and protection for historic buildings and neighborhoods in Palm Springs.^[5] The foundation has sponsored or supported several nominations before the city's Historic Site Preservation Board and City Council.^[7]

Among the sites associated with its advocacy are the Town & Country Center, a 1948 complex designed by Paul R. Williams and A. Quincy Jones,^[5][8][9] and Tahquitz Plaza, an office complex designed by Hugh M. Kaptur that was designated a Class 1 Historic Site in 2015.^[5][9][10] 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.^[9][11]

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^[12]; the Canyon Country Club Colony, a residential development noted for its architectural character;^[13] and the Palm Springs Financial District, where historic designation was extended to postwar commercial buildings.^[14] PSPF has also featured the demolished Maslon House, designed by Richard Neutra in 1962, in its public programming and educational materials.^[15]

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.^[16] Modernism Week, an independent nonprofit festival devoted to mid-century design and architecture,^[17] was co-founded with the involvement of PSPF, which continues to contribute programming.^[18] 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.^[19] Local media have noted PSPF's role in Modernism Week, describing its programs as part of the festival's growth and visibility.^[20][21]

The foundation operates a publishing program that produces books and journals on Palm Springs architecture and design.^[3] Its publications have included architects such as William F. Cody,^[22] E. Stewart Williams,^[23] Herbert W. Burns,^[24] Hugh M. Kaptur,^[25] as well as developers including the Alexander Construction Company.^[26] The program has also published works on broader themes, including Spanish Colonial Revival and Polynesian-inspired architecture.^[3][15] PSPF's publishing program has been recognized by preservation and design organizations including awards from the Independent Publisher Book Awards.^[27][28]

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.^[29] The Palm Springs Modern Committee, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit focused on Desert Modern architecture.^[30] The Palm Springs Historical Society, established in 1955, operates museums and maintains archives on the city's broader history.^[31]

• Official website