The Mall: A Part of Borrego Springs History Since 1965

The architects, community vision and changing road plans behind a familiar Borrego landmark.

Photo Source: Borrego Modern on June 14, 2020

The Mall began in 1965 as an ambitious development combining shopping, services and housing in the heart of Borrego Springs. Originally called the Borrego Springs Shopping Center and Villas Borrego Apartments, the project occupied 20 acres between Palm Canyon Drive and Country Club Drive.

According to Bill Lawrence’s history for Borrego Modern, “Richard Zerbe – The Mall,” it was the DiGiorgio Corporation’s largest development in the community at the time. The company held extensive property in the Borrego Valley, including land used to grow table grapes.

George Kuhrts headed the development, with financial backing from Robert DiGiorgio and A.A. Burnand. The Borrego Sun announced the project, valued at more than $1 million, with a banner headline in 1965.

Plans included a shopping mall, bank, gas station and 28 apartments with two swimming pools. The apartments later became the Villas Borrego condominiums.

Architect Richard “Dick” Zerbe collaborated with Raymond Lee Eggers and Joseph Pisciotti and Associates on the project. Construction was handled by P.H. Lusardi Co., whose president was Werner Lusardi of Vista.

Zerbe’s work extended well beyond The Mall. Originally trained in aeronautical engineering, he worked in San Diego’s aircraft industry before moving into architectural design and construction. Based in Julian, he became an important figure in Borrego’s development during the 1950s and 1960s. Borrego Modern credits him with nearly 50 homes and apartments in the valley, along with numerous commercial projects. His designs emphasized clean lines, generous windows and connections between indoor and outdoor spaces suited to the desert.



Groundbreaking for The Mall took place in October 1965. That December, a ceremony marked the burial of a time capsule intended to be opened in 2000.

Students from Borrego’s elementary and high schools were invited to write about what the community would look like at the turn of the century. The contest offered a $100 savings bond and a place in the capsule for the winning essay.

Borrego Springs High School junior Levina Houck won with a vision that included a monorail crossing the mountains to the coast, skyscrapers surrounding Christmas Circle, water filling Clark Dry Lake and a smaller state park.

Participants in the sealing ceremony included Robert DiGiorgio, A.A. Burnand and W.A. Patterson, president of de Anza Country Club and chairman of United Airlines. Mr. and Mrs. Kuhrts, Werner Lusardi and Richard Zerbe also took part.

One of The Mall’s most unusual features—its orientation toward Country Club Drive—reflects a road plan that changed.

As Lawrence explains, architect Lee Eggers confirmed that Montezuma Grade was originally expected to bring traffic toward Christmas Circle along Country Club Drive. The shopping center was designed accordingly. The eventual route instead connected with Palm Canyon Drive at Hoberg Road, leaving The Mall facing away from the busier road.

Lawrence learned about the architectural collaboration firsthand at a gathering of his wife’s grandparents’ longtime friends. Among them was Eggers, who recalled working with Zerbe on The Mall—the only project they designed together.

After the DiGiorgio Company left Borrego, Cameron Brothers Construction acquired The Mall. The company also purchased, restored and expanded Borrego Springs Resort.

In 2014, Jim and Anne Wermers purchased The Mall and began substantial renovations, addressing deferred maintenance while preserving its mid-century modern character. Their investment continued the property’s role as a place for local businesses and community activity.

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Historical content adapted from Bill Lawrence’s “Richard Zerbe – The Mall,” published by Borrego Modern on June 14, 2020. Additional architectural background comes from Lawrence’s “Richard Zerbe, AIA.”