City of Desert Hot Springs Acquiring Former Library Building from Riverside County
January 18, 2024
DESERT HOT SPRINGS – After serving the community of Desert Hot Springs from 1972 to 2021, the former Desert Hot Springs library at 11691 West Drive could be the home of new services for the community.
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors last week approved the sale of the former library, a county-owned building, to the City of Desert Hot Springs. The previous library is contiguous with the Carl May Community and Senior Center, which are city-owned property. Acquiring the library building means the city will fully own the entire complex for future community use.
Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas welcome the transfer of the former library from the county to the city, which will benefit the community with a new space for services.
“This is an effort that came to me by Mayor Scott Matas as well as the Councilmembers from Desert Hot Springs some time ago and we finally got it done,” said Supervisor Perez. “This will allow the city to take over the building. It will be theirs to use as they identify new ways to expand their services to residents. We are very proud of our great partnership with the City of Desert Hot Springs that has created the opportunity to grow our services for our residents.”
“The City of Desert Hot Springs is excited to take ownership of this building so we are able to ensure this entire complex will be available to serve the residents and seniors of Desert Hot Springs,” said Mayor Scott Matas.
The building transfer is possible because of the investment in the new library that was constructed in Desert Hot Springs. One of the first projects Supervisor Perez worked on as a county supervisor was to find a way, working with the Riverside County Library System, to build a brand new modern library branch for the City of Desert Hot Springs. The $12 million library, built by Riverside County and opened in 2021, freed up the former library space owned by the county.
The City of Desert Hot Springs is purchasing the property from the county at a cost of $350,000.
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Supervisor V. Manuel Perez represents the Fourth Supervisorial District on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. The largest district in the county by geography, the 4th District covers eastern Riverside County, from Whitewater, stretching across the entire Coachella Valley south to the Salton Sea, up Highway 74 to Idyllwild and the mountain communities, and heading east of the Coachella Valley to Blythe and the Colorado River.
Supervisor Perez’s office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
