Gainswave Therapy in Palm Springs, FL

Gus Carlson is a U.S.-based columnist for The Globe and Mail.

It seems counterintuitive when people express their affection for a place by talking as much about what it isn’t as about what it is.

So don’t be taken aback when people who choose to spend this time of year in Palm Springs, Calif. – including the hundreds of thousands of annual tourists, homeowners and renters from Canada – tell you that sometimes it’s what this scenic desert oasis isn’t that makes it so special.

Palm Springs isn’t Florida or Arizona, two of the most popular Sun Belt destinations for Canadian snowbirds investing in property and vacationers and retirees seeking a respite from the northern winter. Florida, in particular, is a hotbed of Canadian activity – Canadians are by far the largest foreign buyers of residential property in the state and among the largest blocs of tourists.

The benefits of being the un-Florida and un-Arizona destinations are plentiful. The Palm Springs area – comprised of nine towns in the Coachella Valley, including Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Desert Hot Springs – is quiet and uncongested, even in high winter season. You can get reservations at good restaurants and there are no lines at grocery stores. If you are a golfer, there are so many courses it is easy to get a tee time that suits you.

Carlson: Snowbirds beware: Canadians who own homes in Florida will find it a lot costlier

House prices in the area are cheaper than other popular snowbird destinations, though not cheap, the cultural and arts scene is active, and as quaint as it may sound, being chill is a social strength here rather than a stigma. Even hockey fans can get their fix – the Seattle Kraken’s farm team, the Firebirds, play in a brand-new arena in Thousand Palms.

And there’s the unique vibe. In an increasingly noisy, self-absorbed culture in which success is often measured by the accumulation of things and the wow factor of boastful Instagram posts, Palm Springs has become something of an anachronism – a small step back in time where civility, modesty and common courtesy are highly valued and outdoor activities such as golf, hiking and cycling, not social climbing or partisan political bickering, are the preferred activities.

The low-key, old-school tenor of Palm Springs is deeply embedded in its DNA. This was the hideaway for movie stars to escape the glare of celebrity in the glory days of Hollywood. You can almost feel the ghosts of Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Jane Wyman and William Powell toasting you as you settle into a margarita at a local cantina.

“Palm Springs is an oasis from many things: Rain, humidity, traffic congestion, politics and negativity,” said Jim Whitney, a retired creative director from Toronto who has rented a winter house in La Quinta for the past three years.

Mr. Whitney and his wife, Karen, had vacationed in Florida and had three-week rentals in Arizona for four years. When friends suggested they consider wintering in Palm Springs, they bit.

“The weather in the valley is as dry as Arizona and has none of the Florida humidity and storm fronts,” he said. “West Palm Beach, Fla., averages over 62 inches of rain per year, while Palm Springs averages only five inches. Other than the occasional high-wind storm, it’s Groundhog Day for sunshine every day.”

Even more remarkable, he said, the discussion of politics isn’t just frowned upon, it’s actively discouraged: “In the three years we’ve been here, I may have heard the words Trump and Biden mentioned only a few times.”

Mike Irwin, a senior wealth adviser at Mission Wealth Advisors in Calgary, is one of many Canadians who bought property in the valley right after the financial crisis of 2007-09, when the Canadian dollar was strong, local housing prices were low and the strength of Canada’s banks was a credential for Canadians seeking to buy foreign properties. At one point in the years after the crisis, Canadians made up 25 per cent of home buyers in the valley.

“If you want big-city attractions Phoenix is great,” said Mr. Irwin, who owns a townhouse in Palm Desert, where he spends about 10 weeks a year. “But we wanted a place to go to unwind, with no stress, no pressure. The desert is different that way.”

Mr. Irwin is one of many Canadians benefiting from a raft of direct flights from several Canadian cities to Palm Springs. With the flight from Calgary only 2½ hours, long-weekend trips with his family and friends are easy.

So prevalent are Canadians in Palm Springs – and so significant is their impact on the local economy – a columnist for The Sacramento Bee newspaper suggested in jest a few years ago that California should cede the valley to Canada.

Like any paradise, of course, Palm Springs has its shortcomings. Among them is its proximity to the San Andreas Fault, meaning earthquakes and tremors are not uncommon, and home insurance rates reflect that risk.

There are even some drawbacks specific to Canadians. Local residents sometimes complain that Canadians are bad tippers and cause traffic snarls because they obey speed limits. And there are those pesky Canadian quarters that find their way into the change drawers of local merchants.

As if Canadians haven’t heard that before. Seems some lighthearted ribbing is a small price to pay for a slice of this unique corner of the world.

An Innovative Building System that Stacks Like Real-Life LEGO Blocks

As ever-stronger hurricanes threaten Florida and property insurance rates skyrocket, the mission is on to find stronger, more resilient ways to build that can withstand intensifying storms and devastating winds.

“As a longtime resident, I’ve witnessed the relentless fury of hurricanes and seen families’ homes shattered by nature’s wrath. It’s a stark reminder of our vulnerability. Yet, here in Florida, we find hope through innovation,” said Congresswoman Lois Frankel. “Together, we can be architects of change and forge a future where families can weather any storm.”

“Storms not only jeopardize our homes, but we’re also enduring the year-round burden of historically elevated property insurance rates. Today, we stand with pride, unveiling a more resilient approach to construction right here in Palm Springs. This serves as a potential blueprint for communities not only in the Sunshine State but far beyond,” Palm Springs Mayor Bev Smith said.

With the rise of devastating storms, Florida tops the list for the most expensive homeowners’ insurance in the country. The average cost is now $6,000 a year—a 42% increase over 2022—making it now four times the national average.

RENCO is easier to insure because: • It has a longer lifespan than typical construction • It’s rated to be hurricane and earthquake resistant • It’s resistant to fire, water, mold, and pests

RENCO makes building housing more affordable because: • It uses recycled materials • It follows color-coded plans like a LEGO set, so there is no construction waste • Labor costs are reduced, since builders don’t need specialized workers like carpenters and masons to assemble it

“Together, we hold the power to tackle Florida’s home insurance crisis head-on,” said former Congressman Patrick E. Murphy, who is helping to lead RENCO’s expansion. “To bring insurance costs down, we must not only build stronger homes, but we must also lower the cost of construction.”

Last year, Hurricane Ian cost insurers roughly $63 billion, and the problem is only expected to get worse. Over the next 30 years, hurricanes will endanger an additional 13.4 million properties according to First Street Foundation, a climate change nonprofit.

RENCO USA Co-Founder Tom Murphy, Jr. has spent more than 50 years in the construction industry. As the CEO of Coastal Construction, he’s helped build some of the region’s most iconic projects, from the new Aston Martin Residences to the Four Seasons Surf Club—but for Murphy, RENCO means much more.

“We now have the chance of a lifetime to revolutionize the future of construction. This means creating homes that are not only sustainable and resilient, but built to endure for generations yet to come,” said RENCO USA Co-Founder Tom Murphy, Jr.

PALM SPRINGS -- The latest innovation in homebuilding is being touted as a game changer in South Florida that could end up revolutionizing the construction industry.

The concept seems simple.

"We're building adult size Legos to build adult size homes," said Ken Smuts, president of Renco USA, a Miami-based company that is using renewable composites to create foundation blocks used for house building.

Smuts traveled to Turkey and brought the renewable composite Lego idea back with him.

He said he put it through the rigors of insurance industry testing for wind, fire and water ratings.

"We did our impact testing for Miami-Dade County and we reached our approvals through Tallahassee," Smuts said. "We've tested this up to a failure point of over 250 mph wind. A typical concrete block that's not reinforced breaks in compression at about 1600 PSI, this block breaks at 16,000 PSI. That's 10 times stronger."

He said the new design aids in erecting the homes quicker.

"We don't have to use tools, we don't have to use heavy equipment and the building literally flies up (with) eight weeks to build," Smuts said.

Building is like how the timeless toys for kids are used.

There are 22 unique Lego-like pieces. And a construction crew follows a color-coded diagram while snapping together the pieces.

A glue is used to create a chemical bond that is stronger than the material itself.

The inaugural project is a 96-unit apartment complex in Palm Springs, located just west of Lake Worth in Palm Beach County.

Officials say construction costs are 20 percent less expensive than traditional construction.

The savings could eventually lead to lower insurance rates.

"We've seen rates in the building process 40 percent lower for builder's insurance," Smuts said.

The concept has gone from being similar to a toy that is now a renewable, composite interlocking system that some say could be the first transformational approach to construction in more than 100 years.

Smuts says Renco is a couple of months away from having a fully operational factory in Jupiter, where the company will manufacture the composite blocks.

The company aims to start mass production, erecting a minimum of 5,000 apartment units a year. And the company plans to transition into building single-family homes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Keith Jones

Keith Jones is an award-winning journalist who has covered major stories from both the anchor desk and the field. Keith anchors the weekend mornings and reports during the week for CBS4 News.

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"Real-life Lego kit" used to create Palm Springs apartment block

Florida-based manufacturer Renco has used stackable, Lego-like blocks made of repurposed materials to build an apartment block in Palm Springs designed by architecture studio Arquitectonica.

Made of a composite of glass fibres, resin and stone, the were designed to be stronger, less energy-intensive and more affordable that traditional materials, according to Renco.

The blocks were first used in Turkey after earthquakes to rebuild infrastructure faster and more affordably after natural disasters.

"Renco's structural building system is a new way to build that is 23 times stronger than concrete, less expensive and finished in a fraction of the time," said the company.

"Think of it like a real-life Lego kit – moulded blocks that interlock and create entire structures," it continued.

"By simplifying construction into a Lego-like kit, Renco buildings can be assembled much faster, reducing time on the job and energy consumption."

An individual block is made using a composite of glass fibres, resin and stone with 40 per cent of materials repurposed from sources like the "massive boat building industry" that would otherwise go to waste.

Each moulded block is rectangular and topped with a series of knobs, which interlock and stack in the same way as a Lego block.

The typical block measures 8 by 8 by 16 inches (20 by 20 by 40 centimetres) and weighs 20 per cent less than a traditional concrete block, according to the team.

A two-part methyl methacrylate adhesive was used to bind the blocks to one another.

"To build with Renco, all that is required is a fork truck to lift up the materials, a glue gun powered by a small generator and a mallet," said the team.

"Crews don't need heavy equipment or power tools – no exterior scaffolding, no big cranes, no cutting, burning, welding or grinding."

The block's design also reduces construction time.

"It only takes about two hours to train a person to build with Renco, so construction projects are not delayed due to traditional labour shortages," said the team.

"For example, the first Renco USA housing complex in Palm Springs, Florida was finished in record time. With 11 unskilled workers, it took about eight weeks to assemble each of the four identical three-story buildings."

According to the team, the construction method can triple a building's lifespan and is rated to be hurricane and earthquake-resistant.

Additionally, the company claims that the blocks are fire, water, mould, termite and pest-resistant.

"It simply won't rust or rot and nothing will consume it," said the team.

The construction blocks have passed over "400 rigorous safety tests" to be used in the US.

The apartment complex by Arquitectonica, which is the first US project to employ the blocks, contains 96 apartments distributed between four identical, rectangular buildings which are marked by colourful entrances.

Recently, Chinese materials company Yi Design created a porous brick using 90 per cent recycled ceramic waste that could be used to mitigate flooding.

The photography is courtesy of Renco.