Why a former Palm Springs gas station still sits vacant

When Joseph Praner bought an old gas station on South Palm Canyon Drive in 2020, he planned on remodeling the building to be used as storage for his business. But five years later, the project remains unfinished.

Praner says the city of Palm Springs is imposing unreasonable requirements that drive up costs so much he is questioning whether it's worth it to finish. He has propped up a large wooden sign on the property, near the sidewalk, criticizing the city for throwing up hurdles to the renovation.