Celebrating the Greater Palm Springs Lifestyle
Text by Jorie Parr. Photos by Gordon Parr.
The latest addition to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars honors Albert Frey, arguably the most revered architect in city history. His star is embedded at 300 South Palm Canyon Dr. alongside an historic building by a colleague, E. Stewart Williams.
Frey (pronounced FRAY), born in Switzerland in 1903, worked for Le Corbusier in Paris in the 20s. He first arrived in Palm Springs in 1934, making his permanent home here in 1939. Anyone driving into town from Los Angeles right off confronts his famous swooping-roof Tramway Gas Station. Other designs include the industrial designer Raymond Loewy’s house and his own remarkable residences, Frey I and II.
The dedication ceremony featured fascinating speakers, notably writer Brad Dunning, who talked about the photo session wherein the nonagenarian architect stands on his head. They had to keep taping up his pants so that they didn’t fall down. Frey lived until the age of 95.
After the ceremonies, we all trooped up to the Palm Springs Historical Society at 219 South Palm Canyon for refreshments. It was interesting to check out the center with its displays harking back to the original Indian inhabitants on to the naughty Chi Chi club in mid-Mod days.
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