Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine Clinic - Construction Began January 17, 2012

The Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine broke ground Jan. 17 on a permanent clinic located on a county-owned 0.83-acre parcel at 82-915 Avenue 48, west of Jackson Street, in the City of Indio.

This new home will double the space of the existing facility, to better serve patients in our community that are not otherwise receiving medical care through any other program. The Volunteers in Medicine is staffed by approximately 50 volunteer retirees and active practitioners in the medical and administrative field. Currently operating from a temporary office at 81-880 Dr. Carreon Blvd., they offer women's services, dental services and general medical services free of charge to uninsured patients who are ineligible for county, state or federal government programs.

The total project budget is $2,856,887 for the 6,133-square-foot clinic. The county has a memorandum of understanding to enter into a 20-year lease with the Volunteers in Medicine, with an agreement that the organization operate the facility.

To volunteer, to support the Volunteers in Medicine or to see if you qualify for Volunteers in Medicine services and make an appointment, please call Bruce Yeager, executive director of the Volunteers in Medicine at 760-342-4414.

Indio Medical Plaza Skilled Nursing Facility – Expected Opening July 1, 2012

The Indio Medical Plaza Skilled Nursing Facility is proposed in the City of Indio at 81-550 JFK Court, just west of the JFK Memorial Hospital.

The two-story, 92,054-square-foot privately owned and operated facility will be developed by Optiflex Properties & Development, LLC, in collaboration with the Riverside County Department of Mental Health.  In exchange for the developer’s obligations to plan, construct and operate this facility, the county will refer psychiatric patients in need of special treatment program services.

100 of the 204 beds at the facility will be dedicated to special treatment program patients, which will save the Riverside County Department of Mental Health approximately $5 million annually. 250 people will be employed at this facility.

The $22 million project is expected to be opened on July 1, 2012.

Thermal Aviation Education Center – Ongoing

Immediately south of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station, the Thermal Aviation Education Center is an approximate 15,000-square-foot building with two 12,000-square-foot hangars attached that will provide space for the Palm Springs Air Museum, the Boys & Girls Club Aviation Program, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Civil Air Patrol and the Sheriff’s Aviation Explorers. 

There will be classrooms and offices, a library and ancillary facilities for restoration, and repair of museum aviation exhibits and instruction in aviation-related topics.

Mecca Senior Center - Acquisition 87% Complete

The preferred site for the Senior Center (Hammond and Avenue 66) has been 87% acquired and there is a very conceptual, draft site plan.  The site has been cleared of all structures and the CEQA is scheduled to go to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for consideration in February 2012. 

Bermuda Dunes Community Service Center – Dedicated January 14, 2010

The $1.1 million Bermuda Dunes Community Service Center, located at 78-400 Avenue 42, was dedicated on January 14, 2010.

The 2,344-square-foot building includes office space for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and Code Enforcement, as well as a general community room named in honor of Roy Wilson.  The community room allows for public meetings to be held in Bermuda Dunes..
 

Blythe Animal Shelter – Dedicated December 11, 2010

Supervisor John J. Benoit joined county officials and community leaders at the grand opening of the Blythe Animal Shelter December 11, 2010 at 245 S. Carlton Ave.

“This new, modern animal shelter has the additional capacity to hold more animals and offers a convenient location for residents to access,” said Supervisor John J. Benoit. “This is a great addition to the Blythe area.”

Built at a cost of $2.1 million, the 5,700-square-foot shelter will house approximately 1,500 animals annually. The animal shelter is expected to handle more than 80 dogs and 40 cats daily.

The decision to build a new shelter dates back to 2006 when much-needed upgrades were discussed for the older facility near the Blythe Airport (16450 West Hobson Way). At the time, renovations to the facility, which housed 1,200 animals annually, were estimated to cost as much as $1 million. Supervisor Roy Wilson championed the idea of a new shelter in Blythe, and Supervisor Benoit continued his momentum.

Services at the shelter will include adoptions, lost-pet assistance, spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, microchipping and humane euthanasia requests.

Indio Hills Community Center – Dedicated May 2009

In May 2009, the $1.72 million community center located adjacent to the community park at 80-400 Dillon Road was dedicated and immediately put to use to host the first Indio Hills Community Council meeting. The community center features a large multi-purpose room, restrooms, kitchen and storage space, and green design. The facility includes photovoltaic power, passive solar design and many other design elements which make the new building very eco-friendly.

Mecca Boys and Girls Club - Grand Opening December 2, 2011

The Joel E. Smilow Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, located in Mecca at 91-391 Avenue 66, opened to the public on December 2, 2011.

This new clubhouse is an outstanding resource for the Mecca community, especially with its young population.  The clubhouse provides computer access and a safe environment for children to study and learn teamwork that will equip them for success in life.

The 30,636 square-foot clubhouse includes a teen center, cyber café, exercise and weight room, gymnasium, community meeting room, homework center, boxing club and interior courtyard for outdoor activities and outdoor basketball courts.  The design of the facility incorporates many features detailed in the Mecca Design Guidelines such as Spanish roof tiles, decorative paving, covered walkways and lush but drought-tolerant landscaping.  The approximately $7 million project was funded by redevelopment and was constructed between April 2010 and fall 2011.

The clubhouse is open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday during school session and from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during non-school days (winter breaks and summer vacations). read more

Mecca Community Library and Sheriff Station – Completed February 2008

In February 2008, the county completed construction of an 11,000-square-foot facility, located at 91-260 Avenue 66, which houses a Sheriff’s Department substation, the Mecca Library and the offices of the Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District.  The Redevelopment Agency funded the entire $4.55 million project.

North Shore Beach Yacht Club & Community Center – Grand Opening May 1, 2010

Located on the Salton Sea’s northern shoreline at 99-155 Sea View Drive, the North Shore Yacht Club facility was designed by renowned architect Albert Frey and was host to many Hollywood celebrities who kept boats and entertained at the club during the heyday of the “California Riviera.”

Over time, the building fell into abandonment and was a magnet for graffiti.  The county commenced a significant historic rehabilitation project, engaging an architectural historian who verified compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards throughout the design and construction process.

In May 2010, the 6,500-square-foot, 52-year-old structure, designated a Riverside County Historic Landmark, completed a $3.5 million renovation, adding multipurpose rooms, two offices, a kitchen, indoor and outdoor restroom facilities, a children’s playground and multi-purpose outdoor patio space.

This historic structure is being used today as a community center, offering physical fitness activities and after-school programs and is just one of many efforts to revitalize the Salton Sea area and develop its recreation and tourism potential

Ripley Migrant Farm Worker Housing - Completed October 2008

In 2005, Riverside County’s Housing Authority purchased a 100-unit migrant farm worker center located at 24-501 School Road and received authorization from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development to convert it into a 76-unit year-round residential community.

Funded by $8.5 million in redevelopment and with the help of a $3 million Joe Serna Farm Worker Housing Grant, the center was completely rehabilitated in October 2008.

Roy Wilson Community & Child Care Center - Ribbon-Cutting September 1, 2010

Located at 13341 Mesa Drive, the Roy Wilson Community & Child Care Center opened on September 1, 2010.

The latest piece in the Mesa Verde Improvement Project, which has also brought a new water system and paved roads to the community, the 5,937-square-foot facility will be divided into a community and child care center, a center for important services in the community.  The Renu-Hope Foundation will provide child care services for newborn through preschool ages.

The project cost $2.3 million to construct.  The community center features solar panels and energy-efficient windows to reduce the center’s future operational costs as a cool center and venue for public meetings. 

Thermal Jerry C. Rummonds Memorial Community and Senior Center – Rededicated March 9, 2010

In March 2010, the 30-year-old Jerry C. Rummonds Memorial Community and Senior Center, located at 87-299 Church Street, completed $210,000 in upgrades in order to improve accessibility and increase energy efficiency.  The center received a new façade, new water wise landscaping, roofing repairs, air conditioning system, repainted interior walls, and new carpet and paint in the community center room.

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