The Royal Hawaiian Estates, a tiki-themed apartment complex built in 1962, was designated an historic district by the City of Palm Springs.
From The Desert Sun: "With the council's vote, Royal Hawaiian Estates owners now can seek tax-reducing opportunities under the state's Mills Act, which covers historic properties.
'This is the type of historic preservation that we need in Palm Springs,' Mayor Pro Tem Rick Hutcheson said at Wednesday's meeting. He called it a 'bottom-up' approach initiated by property owners."
The Royal Hawaiian Estates' official website has extensive documentation of the history of the 40-unit complex as well as photographs.
From the website:"In the design of the Royal Hawaiian Estates, Donald Wexler and Rich Harrison make a statement in the truest spirit of their times. From their first conception, Wexler's ideas have been single-mindedly directed toward the clean, modernist lines of Bauhaus design adapted to unique desert scenery and climate. His apprenticeship with Neutra and Cody, his steadfast vision of clean lines leading the eye to open vistas, sometimes framed as graceful arches may be consider his personal signature. At the Royal Hawaiian Estates, we see his use of color and whimsical form to enhance the recreational aspect of desert file."
FULL STORY: Tiki-themed condo complex gets historic designation
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