The 16th century’s uber prognosticator (who relied on cosmic calculations to peer into the future) and 21st century skeptics (who use the internet to do almost everything) might point out that — in today’s mad, mad, mad, mad world — past events make an unreliable source for forecasting. Technology, climate change, politics, and other factors cloud the crystal ball.
Nevertheless, we want to know what to expect so that we can plan for it. Thus, Vision turned to experts across different industries to share what they foresee for the Coachella Valley on several important fronts: residential and commercial development, tourism, healthcare, higher education, solar energy, water, and even artificial intelligence.
FOR DEVELOPERS, THE ONLY WAY IS UP
As the Coachella Valley’s nine cities attracted more and more homebuyers, residential developments gobbled up swathes of raw desert. Now, declares Gretchen Gutierrez, CEO of Desert Valleys Builders Association, “Several cities are close to buildout and have no way to acquire more capacity because they are landlocked by other cities.”
Cities that cannot expand laterally to meet state-mandated supplies of affordable housing must “look at going vertical,” she says. That’s a figurately tall order for a region that treasures its vast horizons. “Each city has its own ordinance concerning building-height limitations. The community needs to understand that this is something we have to embrace.” She anticipates multifamily housing units rising up to six stories.