Coachella Valley Savings & Loan #2 - Now a Chase Bank
Museums, Tours and Cool Architecture: Sightseeing in Palm Springs
Words by Patricia Kline
Now that you know where to stay, eat, drink and shop, it’s time to sightsee!
Here are some of our favorite places (so far) to visit and admire.
Museums:
101 Museum Drive
Designed by E. Stewart Williams in 1974 and is the jewel of downtown Palm Springs. Don’t miss the outside sculpture garden.
Located near the main Palm Springs Art Museum is the
Palm Springs Museum Architecture and Design Center
300 S. Palm Canyon Drive
Formerly the Santa Fe Savings and Loan Building
Designed by E. Stewart Williams in 1960
Now also owned by the museum is
686 Palisades Dr.
Designed by Albert Frey as his residence in 1963. He bequeathed the home to the museum in 1998. Perched high above the valley the home is a must see. Book through the Palm Springs Art Museum
Tours
In addition to the Frey House II tour mentioned above, check out:
Some driving tours offered in Palm Springs only offer a glimpse of the exterior of the homes you want to see but tour owner Michael Stern has access to the interiors of some of the most architecturally significant homes in Palm Springs.
37977 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage
1966, A. Quincy Jones
Formerly the winter home for Ambassadors Walter & Leonore Annenberg.
And where world leaders still gather. I loved touring the estate to marvel at the design of architect A. Quincy Jones but I did have to wonder how he liked the definitely not minimalist interiors favored by the Annenbergs.
The Palm Springs Visitor Center was originally a Gas Station Designed by Albert Frey.
Cool Architecture
225W. Baristo Road
1947, William Cody
562 W. Arenas
1955, Herbet Burns
4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive
Architect unknown
Started life as California’s first Holiday Inn.
Visit to see the fun interiors designed by Jonathan Adler
Palm Springs Fire Station #1
277 N. Indian Canyon
1957, Frey and Chambers
Formerly Tramway Gas Station
2901 N. Palm Canyon Drive
1965, Albert Frey
Once you see the soaring roof line of the visitor center you know you are in Palm Springs. My favorite building in Palm Springs.
Rackstrom-Reid Building
The retail in this building seems to change often but I’m more interested in the building. I love the rock wall and the staircase.
666 N. Palm Canyon Drive
1960, Howard & Lawrence Lapham
Coachella Valley Savings & Loan #2
Now a Chase Bank
499 S. Palm Canyon Drive
1966, E. Stewart Williams
One of my favorite buildings in Palm Springs! I hate that Chase added an ATM to clutter up the front of the building but it is still sexy! (we edited out the ATM in the photo!)
City National Bank
Now a Bank of America
588 S. Palm Canyon Drive
1959, Victor Gruen Associates
Nichols Store Building
Now a Trina Turk retail location
891-899 N. Palm Canyon Drive
1953, Clark & Frey
Formerly the Harold Hicks Insurance and Real Estate Building now home to a great collection of retail shops.
1345 N. Palm Canyon Drive
1955, E. Stewart Williams
For a walking map of Downtown pickup a walking map from Destination Palm Springs ($5). It features midcentury architecture and cultural and public sites.