Joslyn Center-Adjacent Residential Development Opportunity
Open State & local contract opportunity Posted
- Solicitation number
- 2026-RFP-062
- State
- California
- Responses due
Opportunity facts
- Jurisdiction
- Point of contact
-
- Celina Cabrera ccabrera@palmdesert.gov (760) 776-6449
Opportunity details come from procurement.opengov.com. Updated .
About this opportunity
The City of Palm Desert is requesting qualifications and preliminary development concepts for residential development of City-owned vacant land adjacent to the Joslyn Center, with proposals due November 2, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The RFP is a two-stage process: initial concept submissions do not include financial or purchase-price offers; the City will advance the top three developers to negotiation stages where financial capacity and proposed terms are requested.
The property comprises two parcels (Assessor's Parcel Numbers 627-102-025 and 627-102-017) totaling 0.97 acres at 44215 San Pascual Avenue, Palm Desert. It is zoned Residential-2 (R-2) with an allowable density of 3 to 10 dwelling units per acre. The site is level, rectangular, street-accessible, and utilities are available. The City seeks flexible residential concepts including single-family homes, small-lot development, duplexes, triplexes, courtyard housing, townhomes, multifamily rental housing, for-sale condominiums, or mixed residential formats, with potential affordable or workforce housing components. Proposers must verify zoning, entitlements, environmental conditions, soils, title, utility capacity, and market feasibility independently.
The appraised market value of the property is $800,000 (approximately $19.00 per square foot). The appraisal identifies multifamily residential development as the highest and best use, with nine units supportable at allowable density—equating to approximately $90,000 per unit.
Evaluation criteria are Development Concept, Design Quality, and Neighborhood Compatibility (25 points); Developer Qualifications and Relevant Experience (30 points); Implementation Approach, Entitlement Strategy, and Schedule Feasibility (20 points); Housing, Community Benefits, and Alignment with City Objectives (15 points); and Completeness, Responsiveness, and Clarity (10 points), for a maximum of 100 points. Questions are due October 12, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, with clarifications issued by October 19. Proposals must be submitted electronically through OpenGov Procurement. The City reserves the right to reject all proposals, amend or cancel the RFP, pursue alternative disposition, and negotiate with multiple proposers concurrently. Selection does not convey property rights or constitute project approval; any transaction requires City Attorney review and City governing-body approval.
Opportunity text
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.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Joslyn_Center-Adjacent_Residential_Development_Opportunity.pdf | ||
| Land-_Appraisal_Report.pdf |
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