This vacant office building is "historic"?

This week, the Palm Springs Historic Society blocked the razing of the vacant office buildings on East Tahquitz Canyon.

Here are the buildings, which face the street and have huge parking filling up the block behind them.

There's nothing historic about them, that I can see.

However, the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board suddenly (June 1) decided to apply for a Class I Historic Site designation, which would block Nexus the owner, from redeveloping the site. They put a 120 day hold on the demolition permit.

Here's the article in the Desert Sun:
Desert Sun article

Could this be a personal "pay-back" by some individuals against the mayor, who accepted money from the developer? 

I'll make a complete disclosure: I don't know any of the people involved, and am not involved in the development. My interest: I'd like a pleasant and vibrant Palm Springs to live in. The currently vacant buildings don't contribute to a nice environment, and I'd like to see better buildings.