Welcome To The Evolution
Photographs by Chris Miller / imagineimagary.com
MAYOR: Ernesto M. Gutierrez
MAYOR PRO TEM: Rita Lamb
COUNCIL MEMBERS: Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Raymond Gregory
YEAR INCORPORATED: 1981
WEBSITE: discovercathedralcity.com
As the Coachella Valley’s population grew in the 1980s and 1990s, Cathedral City (incorporated in 1981) took a lead role in creating communities for year-round residents. Housing remains a core focus for the City bordering Palm Springs to the west, Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, and Rancho Mirage on the east. Over its 41 years, the city also has evolved with a commercial vibrancy that now includes an automotive center comprising 20 dealerships, an Amazon commercial hub, a casino, a cannabis industry, and entrepreneurial ventures ranging from startups to scale-ups.
In how many locales can you find a Coffee Donuccino? Kona espresso ice cream and crumb donuts evoke bliss at Pickfair Promenade’s Monster Shakes — steps from City Hall, Mary Pickford Theater, and a new DropBy Office coworking space that includes a podcast studio. In August, Luchador Brewing Company of Chino Hills opened its second location in the space adjoining CV Repertory’s theater. In addition to its on-site brewhouse and 20 on-tap craft beers, Luchador features an indoor food truck — a 1950s-vintage International Harvester — from which patrons can order authentic Mexican dishes.
Few people get excited about gas stations, but Cathedral City’s new Tower Market (at Date Palm Drive and Ortega Road) sells more than competitively priced fuel. The 5,238-squarefoot “convenience market” not only offers fried chicken that Economic Development Director Dr. Stone James calls “stunningly good,” but also a small selection of fresh produce, refrigerated meat/deli items, and a vault of ice-cold adult beverages.
Cities cannot boast of success without attending to infrastructure. Cathedral City continues its commitment to improving vital transportation corridors by revamping, to the tune of $22 million, one of its key north-south roads. As desert residents know, flooding is an annual issue throughout the Coachella Valley. The 2019 Valentine’s Day storm washed away a substantial portion of Cathedral Canyon Drive’s low-wash crossing. After 15 years in the planning stage and under construction since mid-2020, the 600-foot Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge which includes a bike lane, lighted sidewalks, and access to the pedestrian/ bike CV Link pathway is complete. Just in time for this month’s bridge dedication, the City installed tile murals on 16 street-facing pilasters in tribute to the bridge’s namesake — the youth counselor who served as a pillar for families struggling with childcare, poverty, and language barriers. As a part of her lifelong commitment to serving Coachella Valley youth, she served as Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City executive director for several years and was instrumental in overseeing the fundraising and construction of the current club facility. To memorialize Ofelia Bringas’ contributions for future generations, notable local artists were commissioned to tell her story, having their oil-on-canvas artworks baked onto ceramic tile murals.
One of the City’s major successes this year involves College of the Desert’s Roadrunner Motors automotive and advanced transportation training facility. After purchasing five acres of coveted real estate behind the Shottenkirk Desert Lexus, Palm Springs VW, and Palm Springs Subaru new-car dealerships, the college canceled its plans. Cathedral City’s City Council, City Manager, and Economic Development Department worked closely with college officials to overcome various hurdles and reignite the development process. Recognizing the vital importance this campus provides to under-resourced residents, Dr. James states, “This training facility will provide equitable opportunities for higher education that will enable residents to access jobs in an industry offering not just a living wage, but indeed a thriving wage and opportunities for personal and professional growth. This project is a huge win for our residents, our auto dealers, and our valley.” COD is expected to break ground on the project in 2024.
Now open for a year, an Amazon commercial hub facility has brought more than 150 jobs to the city. The 90,000-square-foot building languished for 16 years after Sam’s Club vacated the Date Palm Drive property in 2008. In addition to eliminating physical blight, Amazon’s community impact is estimated at $7.7 million annually in salary and benefits. The City Council is proud of the fact that the online retail giant’s presence provides yeararound employment and 100 percent tuition reimbursement.
Though dormant for a shorter period (since 2017), a Carey Road property, remembered as an Elizabeth Arden women’s retreat in the 1950s, is now the Paloma Resort, an exclusive destination offering themed bungalows with amenities that include a fitness center; spa; tapas-centric restaurant called Sol y Sombra; putting green; and a pool area that includes reservable, curtained daybeds and a pool-party suite with a full kitchen.
Recently approved by the City’s Planning Commission, Cathedral Cove Center consists of a 5-acre commercial development (restaurants, retail, and convenience store) and 8 acres of land suitable for multifamily residential development. This project, on the southwest corner of East Palm Canyon and Date Palm drives, will be a great addition to the city’s Downtown Arts and Entertainment District.
As for recently completed housing, the city is not only seeing master-planned communities revitalized following the 2007–2008 recession, but also the development of several attached-housing complexes. They include the affordable-housing project called Veterans Village of Cathedral City (Landau Boulevard and Vega Road), which offers 60 one- and twobedroom units intended for housing-unstable veterans. Veterans Village features include a community pool, fire pit, barbecue area, bocce ball and horseshoe courts, gardens, and a fenced dog run.
In terms of outdoor gathering spots, people and their canine companions can enjoy a recently completed dog park in the Panorama neighborhood. The city’s biggest public-venue project coming to fruition is the $6 million amphitheater adjacent to the CV Repertory theater. Located within the City’s Downtown Arts and Entertainment District, the amphitheater already has hosted several festivals and is equipped with professionalgrade sound and lighting equipment. (An upto- date list of upcoming events can be found at discovercathedralcity.com.)
“Come this fall, bands can book a show, plug in their instruments, and play,” Dr. James says.
May sweet sounds fill the air in one of California’s 50 Safest Cities (as ranked by SafeWise).
CITY STATS
POPULATION
Total Population – 51,880
Median Age – 38.2
Annual Growth Rate – .27%
Average Household Income – $91.951
Median Household Income – $61.161
EDUCATION
High School Diploma – 26.35%
Bachelor’s Degree – 16.79%
Graduate/ Professional Degree – 9.37%
EMPLOYMENT
Healthcare/ Social Assistance – 15.28%
Accommodations/ Food Service – 13.60%
Retail Trade – 13.89%
Admin/support/waste Management Services – 11.30%
Construction – 8.23%
Education Services – 5.73%
Other Services – 6.55%
Arts/entertainment/ Recreation – 4.37%
Professional/ Scientific/ Tech – 4.82%
Public Administration – 3%
Manufacturing – 2.19%
Transportation/ Warehousing – 2.50%
Real Estate/rental/ Leasing – 2.44%
SOURCE: Esri/Coachella Valley Economic Partnership