PALM SPRINGS, CA – July 29, 2022: The Palm Springs City Council, in concurrence with the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation, has approved the selection of Architectural Resources Group, Inc. to complete the design and oversee the renovation of the Plaza Theatre.
Architectural Resources Group has completed a number of theater and other historic projects of similar scope including New Mission Theater in San Francisco and The Alameda Theater. The firm has an Architectural Conservator on board who will be instrumental in the restoration of the Plaza Theatre.
The design is anticipated to take approximately eight months to complete, with construction anticipated to begin in the spring of 2023. It is projected that the work will take approximately one year to complete, allowing the Theatre to open around the Spring of 2024.
Regarding the status of the fundraising campaign, Foundation President J.R. Roberts said: “Our board formed in earnest last year in response to a $5 million challenge grant from David Lee to support the restoration effort. David has worked extensively in television comedy, writing, and producing Cheers and The Jeffersons, and writing, directing, and co-creating Wings and Frasier. Along with other smaller donations, an anonymous donor pledged $2 million. Recently, the foundation board secured an additional $2 million from the City of Palm Springs and $2.5 million from the State of California bringing our total to date to $12 million.” Due to anticipated cost increases, the fundraising goal has been revised to $16 million in order to restore the building to its original splendor and update it to meet the access, technology, and equity needs of today and tomorrow. Any funds in excess of the actual construction costs will be reserved in an endowment fund to help ensure the theatre’s future needs are met. The Foundation’s intent is to raise the remaining $4 million by the end of 2022.
When restored, the Plaza Theatre will be the only place available for the entire community to come together and utilize it as an affordable community venue showcasing diverse programming for all people, local youth organizations, promoting multicultural programming in film, music, live theater, education, comedy, and entertainment for all. It will also support and serve nonprofit organizations like the Palm Springs International Film Festival, ONE-PS, Modernism Week, and many others. The valley needs venues like the Plaza Theatre that are accessible and affordable for everyone.
For more information about the Theatre, please visit SaveThePlazaTheatrePS.org
About the Selection Process
The Theatre’s Foundation Board collaborated with the Assistant City Manager, Engineering and Procurement, and Contracting Departments to develop a Request for Proposals (RFP) to complete the design and construction administration of the renovation. The RFP was advertised in the local paper and issued on June 14, 2022. A preproposal conference was held at the Plaza Theatre on June 21, 2022, and nine firms were present for the conference and on-site tour. On July 6, 2022, seven proposals were received from architectural firms and were evaluated by committee members made up of City Staff from the Engineering and Planning Departments, and members from the Foundation. Proposals were reviewed against the published criteria in the RFP, which included the firms experience, the staff experience, the understanding of the scope of work, local preference, and price. Two proposers ranked the highest after the proposal and cost scores were completed, so interviews were conducted with these two firms and their presentations and responses to questions during the interview were scored by the Evaluation Committee against the same published criteria. Architectural Resources Group was the highest scoring firm at the completion of the process and is being recommended for award of the contract.
# # #