Conceived as an entry statement to The City of Palm Springs and designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers, The Tramway Gas Station was constructed in 1965 as an Enco Service Station. The cantilevered canopy is referred to as a hyperbolic paraboloid assumingly because of its massive wedge shape and upon completion has been considered a landmark desert building.
The station however has had a controversial past since its closure back in the early 1990’s. When the gas station closed its doors the building was boarded up and eventually vandalized and defaced. Back in 1995 developers planned to tear it down to make room for a new resort community. That proposal sent shockwaves throughout the international architectural community and the city designated it as class one historic site saving the structure from certain destruction. However two weeks later the city rescinded that designation under pressure from the developer. The delay though served its purpose by allowing design aficionados a pilgrimage to Palm Springs with further efforts to save the building and from that point on Palm Springs has realized an ongoing appreciation of its mid-century modern buildings and residences.
The developer never proceeded with the destruction and in 1998 the station was declared a class one historic site. In 2002 the city purchased the former gas station for $638,000 then invested an additional $500,000 for remodeling and rehabilitation. Today the iconic gas station serves as The Palm Springs Visitors Center and is open to public seven days a week from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
The structure also doubles as a tribute to the many people who journeyed to Palm Springs back in 1995 to save the building from certain doom. Those very same people reported back to architectural journals and representatives about the myriad of significant buildings remaining in the area and as a result property values were greatly appreciated. The city hasn’t been the same since enjoying worldly appreciation of its design makeup.
Palm Springs Modernism Week runs February 17 – 27, 2011, with events, screenings, lectures, tours and book signings across the greater Palm Springs.
If you have suggestions of other greater Palm Springs area landmarks to visit, destinations to see, or things to do then please visit the discussion board and leave a comment.
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