Desert Center... SOLD! but....???

[stokerwhore]

someone bought desert center for 6 mil. it'd be cool if they did something with it.

The rise, fall, and uncertain future of Desert Center

On its 100-year anniversary, downtown Desert Center is being sold for more than $6 million to a buyer who is not a member of its founding family.

www.desertsun.com

 

[King295]

That was a neat read, thanks for posting it up.

 

[Mandelon]

The buyer, Balwinder Singh Wraich appears to be an Indian fellow, who owns a trucking company. He says he will rebuild the town with a truckstop and fast food restaurants. And maybe a curry place. LOL

 

[Dana757]

I hope he never ever cleans the bathrooms just like the good ol days. Well maybe not. lol

 

[The Prisoner]

The buyer, Balwinder Singh Wraich appears to be an Indian fellow, who owns a trucking company. He says he will rebuild the town with a truckstop and fast food restaurants. And maybe a curry place. LOL

Singh. No appears about it.

 

[Cdog]

6 million!!! Jesus Patel got took!!!

Usually those guys are cheap AF and don’t over pay for anything.

I don’t see anything there worth 600k.

 

[Icky]

Maybe with the solar plants going it it will attract more business. Usually the dirt lots are full with trucks anyway

 

[OC Mike]

Yes it was...

 

[One2go]

That's great article,I've heard so many stories about the palm trees.. never knew exactly why. The cost to do that even then was huge. Used to stop at the little hamburger stand on way to Echo Lodge in the late 80s

 

[BingerFang]

Maybe Apu will put a nice Kwik-E-Mart

 

[crzy2bealive]

Good read


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stephenkatsea]

Years ago we ate at the cafe a few times, breakfast or sandwiches. Not bad and nice people. Once had a boat trailer blow out between Chiriaco Summit and Desert Center. I stopped, removed the blown out tire and ratchet strapped the axel of the now missing forward tire. The gas station in DC sold me a tire at a very good price. Mounted maybe $40. I had out 4 $20 bills. I held out two hands each with bills in them. Told the young attendant this $40 is for the tire and this other $40 is for you. Told him Thank You Very Much. That must have been about 30 years ago. I actually have some fond memories of Desert Center, other than that ridiculous friggin' bathroom.

 

[Gonefishin5555]

$6M sounds steeps but if you do it right and you have a destination truck stop type place with some food and other residual business I think you can make some bank

 

[cofooter]

Never underestimate those Indians! (dots not feathers)

 

[Springfield]

I can see a huge 7-11 truck stop there in the future.
And not meaning that in a neg way. .

 

[monkeyswrench]

Hell, as someone that rolls 10 into SoCal from central AZ, I'd just be happy to see some bright lights out there to break up the monotony!

 

[JB in so cal]

Employees will be the problem....

 

[Cdog]

Employees will be the problem....

Employees, water, fuel taxes, probably tons of asbestos abatement, the state of CA. I bet that site has some major spills. I reminder the gas station being real gritty. Old fuel tank removal. It's probably a superfund site.


Not to mention vehicles have decent range these days and everyone has a map feature to tell them where to stop. If you need fuel you wait till you get to AZ and buy it for $1.00 Cheaper per gallon. Or you fill up in AZ and can drive 500 miles.

 

[boatdoc55]

Years ago we ate at the cafe a few times, breakfast or sandwiches. Not bad and nice people. Once had a boat trailer blow out between Chiriaco Summit and Desert Center. I stopped, removed the blown out tire and ratchet strapped the axel of the now missing forward tire. The gas station in DC sold me a tire at a very good price. Mounted maybe $40. I had out 4 $20 bills. I held out two hands each with bills in them. Told the young attendant this $40 is for the tire and this other $40 is for you. Told him Thank You Very Much. That must have been about 30 years ago. I actually have some fond memories of Desert Center, other than that ridiculous friggin' bathroom.

A buddy and myself spent the better part of three hours there rattail filing a ford rim to go on a dodge in our late teens. His dad tossed said Ford rim in the van and said it would work but shouldn't need it anyway. Fuck me, it was Sept 3rd coming back from a dove hunt in Blythe. I have never wanted to murder my Godfather more than that day.

 

[EarpRider]

someone bought desert center for 6 mil. it'd be cool if they did something with it.

The rise, fall, and uncertain future of Desert Center

On its 100-year anniversary, downtown Desert Center is being sold for more than $6 million to a buyer who is not a member of its founding family.

www.desertsun.com

Cool story, great read. Thanks.

 

[EarpRider]

Employees will be the problem....

Exactly, where would they live?

 

[Rondog4405]

That's a long haul to work and back from blythe or indio. Good luck to em

 

[Backlash]

Lot lizards better bring their sunblock!

 

[Englewood]

Put a large truck stop there…won’t even be able to count his money.

 

[RiverDave]

Amazing article.. I look forward to seeing what goes in!

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Question, so you build a truck stop, prolly need 30 or so employees, where do they live? Commute from Indio Parker or Blythe?

 

[Water Romper]

Employees, water, fuel taxes, probably tons of asbestos abatement, the state of CA. I bet that site has some major spills. I reminder the gas station being real gritty. Old fuel tank removal. It's probably a superfund site.

Yup, bet the land is contaminated something fierce. I wonder if there are any Indian (feathers not dots) history out there, build a casino and truck stop, like a small Morongo. I wonder where the utilities come from, gas, water, electricity, probably cost a fortune.
I would assume the 6 million is just the beginning, a guy doesn't drop that kind of bank for snakes and horny toads. This will be interesting.

 

[Mandelon]

He'll do a little trailer park and fill it with fresh immigrants. A few families to take care of the town, and they will be happy. Weather no worse then where they came from and here they will make a million times better money and have freedom to do as they please. It seems a win all around.

 

[coolchange]

I attribute my resistance of the COVID to having used the Desert center bathroom.

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

I attribute my resistance of the COVID to having used the Desert center bathroom.

I had an STD literally swim up my pee stream there

 

[77charger]

Hell, as someone that rolls 10 into SoCal from central AZ, I'd just be happy to see some bright lights out there to break up the monotony!

Yup i go from phx to oc twice a month and the drive is pretty boring

 

[playdeep]

Back in the day...

 

[NicPaus]

Lake Tamarisk going to boom. With all the solar employees, weed farms and now a truck stop. Might be a good spot to develop.

 

[Motor Boater]

They should do the town in a 50’s vibe like cars land at Disneyland. People would stop just to see the Main Street.

 

[Ziggy]

Lake Tamarisk going to boom. With all the solar employees, weed farms and now a truck stop. Might be a good spot to develop.

Tamarisk for sure, as well as some of the other old dumpy looking existing rv parks. There is some government looking housing around too so who knows.
.
Anyone ever notice the spray painted sign a local put up to vent their displeasure of the solar farms. It's at the place on east side of rice road that is being completely surrounded by the solar farm. Certainly can sympathize with 'em.

 

[ChumpChange]

The buyer, Balwinder Singh Wraich appears to be an Indian fellow, who owns a trucking company. He says he will rebuild the town with a truckstop and fast food restaurants. And maybe a curry place. LOL

Balwinder is a smart business man. Know what he’s doing.

 

[500bbc]

Question, so you build a truck stop, prolly need 30 or so employees, where do they live? Commute from Indio Parker or Blythe?

India

 

[2Driver]

Tied up in probate court for 20 years? That’s deplorable.

If you don’t have an estate plan this is what happens to your stuff.

 

[530RL]

6,250 an acre for 1,000 acres on I10.

If it has water, probably not a bad deal.

 

[instagator]

Employees will be the problem....

No problem, sell crack too !

 

[RiverDave]

6,250 an acre for 1,000 acres on I10.

If it has water, probably not a bad deal.

I was thinking the same thing.. LOL

RD

 

[boatnam2]

Tied up in probate court for 20 years? That’s deplorable.

If you don’t have an estate plan this is what happens to your stuff.

Exactly! Doubt they seen anything with 6 zero’s in it.

 

[Tank]

You plop one of those Loves right there like they did in Boron off the 58, it'll be a gold mine.

And yes, good article, thanks for posting.

The real ghost town up the road at the Kaiser mine is the real intriguing story!! I'd love to go explore that place.

 

[rivermobster]

You plop one of those Loves right there like they did in Boron off the 58, it'll be a gold mine.

And yes, good article, thanks for posting.

The real ghost town up the road at the Kaiser mine is the real intriguing story!! I'd love to go explore that place.

I'm in. Lots of shit to explore out there.

There must be a million solar panels going in out there too. Buying a place in Lake Tamerisk might not be a bad idea right now.

 

[rivermobster]

someone bought desert center for 6 mil. it'd be cool if they did something with it.

The rise, fall, and uncertain future of Desert Center

On its 100-year anniversary, downtown Desert Center is being sold for more than $6 million to a buyer who is not a member of its founding family.

www.desertsun.com

Very awesome read. Thanks!!

 

[cold_one]

I never stopped when it was open. Where did the workers live when it was going strong?

 

[warpt71]

It would be a great pee stop or a place to stretch and grab a snack. Fuel would have to be way cheap to make it worth wile, but would be great for those that forget to fuel up lol

 

[RiverDave]

I never stopped when it was open. Where did the workers live when it was going strong?

no idea.. at one point that little burger joint had great hot dogs and burgers.. the bathrooms though.

 

[wzuber]

He'll do a little trailer park and fill it with fresh immigrants. A few families to take care of the town, and they will be happy. Weather no worse then where they came from and here they will make a million times better money and have freedom to do as they please. It seems a win all around.

my thoughts too............imigrants, what more could they want? haha

 

[BoatCop]

I never stopped when it was open. Where did the workers live when it was going strong?

Kaiser mine housing was open and used until about 2003, when the temporary prison closed. There were also a few MH parks and smaller housing subdivisions in the immediate area and up HWY 177.

As far as employees of a new enterprise, it's only 50 miles from Blythe and Indio. Not much different than driving from Havasu to Parker, and about the same commute time as folks in the LA Basin.

Water won't really be an issue. There's water for Lake Tamarisk and there used to be several farms in the area, particularly a couple major Jojoba bean farms. They failed because the market dropped out, not from lack of water. Ground water is plentiful with several dozen producing wells in the area, and a significant underground water pipeline (not MWDs) almost directly underneath the Town.