Press Release: Alexander Family Star
Press Release: THE ALEXANDER FAMILY, Civic Pioneers, Builders, & Humanitarians to be Honored on World Famous Walk of the Stars on Friday, February 14th, 2020
Written on 12 February 2020. Posted in What's New
PRESS RELEASE
Palm Springs, CA – February 5, 2020 – The Alexander Family – George and Mildred and son, Robert and his wife, Helene – mid-century modern home builders and civic leaders will be posthumously honored with the 439th star on the City’s world-famous Walk of the Stars Palm Springs on Friday, February 14th, 2020.
The Star Dedication, organized by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, is FREE and open to the public and will take place from 2pm-3pm. The Alexander Family’s star will be installed on the sidewalk outside Palm Springs Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Center located at 300 South Palm Canyon Drive at the southwest corner of the property. The event will be emceed by Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors and Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce CEO Nona Watson. The Alexander Family star dedication speakers include actress Ruta Lee; VP for the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs, Rick Werlin; Alexander Family star organizer, David Hyams; and Palm Springs ModCom member & preservationist, Joan Gand. Jill Kitnick, the daughter of Robert and Helene, will accept the star on her family’s behalf.
"I am overjoyed to be celebrating my family and the beautiful and thoughtful contributions they made to this wonderful city,” said Jill Kitnick. “I love that my maiden name has become a noun: ‘I live in an Alexander - I remodeled an Alexander - I flipped an Alexander.’”
Beginning in 1956 with the construction of the Ocotillo Lodge, the Alexander Construction Company became the masters in modern building in the Coachella Valley; a style that has become quintessential to the mid-century look and feel of Palm Springs. For over 10 years, the Alexanders were serious builders who wanted to bring stylish and modern homes to average middle class homeowners. The Alexander Construction Company was not just a builder of tract homes, they were also effective marketers who understood the importance of curb appeal. They proved it was possible to build modern new neighborhoods quickly and efficiently by applying simple, clean design with some prefabricated components in the construction, and running the development much like a mass assembly line in a Detroit auto plant.
Over 2,500 Alexanders were built with designs by architects Daniel Palmer, William Krisel, Charles DuBois, Donald Wexler, and Richard Harrison in several neighborhoods in and around Palm Springs. The first Alexander development was the Twin Palms Estates in 1957 followed by Racquet Club Road Estates, plus over 300 homes in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood that quickly became favored by Hollywood movie stars and moguls.
In 1960, Robert Alexander built the House of Tomorrow for his family. Also, in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood, the home was designed by the modernist architect, William Krisel. Elvis Presley and his new wife, Priscilla, made the home famous during their honeymoon stay in 1968. The Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway, as it is known today, is visited by thousands annually.
Their legacy includes their leadership and involvement in civic activities and organizations such as the World Adoption International Fund, the Boys Club (now Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs), the legendary Desert Circus and more. The Alexander Family are credited for doubling the size of Palm Springs in a single decade and are still recognized today as leading civic pioneers in Palm Springs.
"George, Mildred, Robert, and Helene loved Palm Springs and contributed so much to make our city what it is today,” said Alexander Family star organizer, David Hyams. “It has been my honor and privilege to spend the last year organizing this well-deserved and long overdue recognition.
”Walk of the Stars and the Chamber of Commerce are proud to partner with the City of Palm Springs as we recognize and honor the prolific Alexanders and their architectural legacy,” said Palm Springs Chamber CEO, Nona Watson.
For more information regarding Walk of the Stars Palm Springs, contact Jeff Denean Jones at jjones@pschamber.org.
Date: 02/05/2020
Contact: Nona Watson, CEO
Phone: (760) 325-1577