Joslyn Center-Adjacent Residential Development Opportunity

As the agency published it

City of Palm Desert - Economic Development has issued request for proposal, solicitation 2026-RFP-062.

The City of Palm Desert (“City”) invites qualified residential developers, builders, and development teams to submit qualifications and preliminary development concepts for the potential disposition and residential development of City-owned vacant land adjacent to the Joslyn Center. The property is generally located at 44215 San Pascual Avenue, Palm Desert, California, and consists of two parcels identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 627-102-025 and 627-102-017. Together, the parcels contain approximately 42,253 square feet, or 0.97 acres. The site is generally rectangular, level at street grade, and accessible from San Pascual Avenue. The City seeks a feasible residential development concept that is compatible with surrounding uses, responsive to local housing market conditions, and consistent with applicable zoning, General Plan policies, and development standards. Proposers should demonstrate experience completing comparable residential developments and present a realistic approach to site planning, obtaining required approvals, and project delivery. The appraisal materials provided in Attachment A identify the property’s zoning as Residential-2 (R-2), report a density range of 3 to 10 dwelling units per acre, and indicate that utilities are available to the site. Surrounding uses include residential development, retail and office uses, care facilities, and vacant land. This information is provided for preliminary planning purposes; proposers are responsible for verifying development requirements, utility availability and capacity, and site conditions affecting their proposed concepts. This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) requests qualifications and development concepts for the initial proposal stage. Proposers shall not submit purchase price offers, financing evidence, proof of funds, earnest money terms, or other financial offers with their initial proposals. The City may request financial capacity information, proposed purchase price, and other business terms from proposers advanced to a subsequent review, negotiation, or disposition stage. Following the initial evaluation, the City anticipates identifying the top three developers for further consideration. These developers may be invited to interviews and asked to provide clarifications, concept refinements, supplemental information, and additional development details before the City identifies a preferred proposer or proposers for negotiations. Selection or participation in negotiations does not constitute project approval or convey rights to the property. Any transaction remains subject to applicable requirements, approval of final transaction documents by the appropriate governing body, and execution by all required parties.

The City is exploring the potential disposition and residential development of its vacant property adjacent to the Joslyn Center. Through this solicitation, the City seeks development concepts that respond to the site’s size, location, and surrounding uses and demonstrate a practical path from initial planning through completed construction. The City’s objectives include encouraging compatible residential development, making effective use of the available land, and identifying a development team with demonstrated experience delivering comparable projects. Proposed concepts should address neighborhood compatibility through thoughtful building placement, scale, architectural character, access, parking, and landscaping. The City is not prescribing a single preferred residential product type. Potential concepts may include single-family homes, small-lot development, duplexes, triplexes, courtyard housing, townhomes, multifamily rental housing, for-sale condominiums, or mixed residential formats. Concepts may also include an affordable, workforce, or attainable housing component, or limited complementary community-serving or live/work elements where permitted and appropriate. Proposers should explain why their concept is feasible and appropriate for the site, supported by market rationale, preliminary site planning, and relevant development experience. The City encourages proposals that demonstrate sensitivity to neighborhood context, desert-appropriate design, accessibility, and long-term project stewardship. The City will consider the proposed development concept together with the team’s qualifications, relevant experience, implementation approach, and schedule. Proposers should clearly identify assumptions, anticipated approvals, and any requested City participation that could affect successful delivery of the project.

Responses are due November 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM PST.

Questions must be submitted by October 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM PDT.

Commodity categories: Real Estate.

Contact: Mariela Salazar, Management Analyst (msalazar@palmdesert.gov, (760) 574-5284).

1 document is attached to the notice: Land Appraisal Report.

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofpalmdesert/projects/309969. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.

Reproduced from the official notice via OpenGov Procurement - California. The agency's page is the one that counts.