Westland Plaza to get neighbor

Denise Cardinal

Friday, Aug. 15, 1997 | 9:38 a.m.

The Westland Plaza shopping center in West Las Vegas soon will have a retail neighbor, according to the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency.

The department has received at least two serious proposals for the development of land directly east of the two-year-old strip mall on West Owens Avenue that is owned by basketball legend Magic Johnson.

"The land has interest from several developers," said Dave Oka, senior development project officer for the redevelopment agency. Details about the developers and the type of projects couldn't be discussed until final, he said.

"A proposal or two has come through our door in the last three or four months. So, now we're looking at the feasibility of the projects and if they'll fit into the neighborhood."

Retail is the primary focus of any potential development for the parcel, Oka said, adding that it's just a matter of determining which kind. A drug store is commonly found next to a grocery store such as the Westland Plaza's Vons, he said.

"It doesn't seem realistic to get a big box user on that side of the plaza," he said. "It's an area that smaller stores would do well in."

To ensure the project succeeds, the city is taking area demographics and disposable income into consideration when choosing the specific plan. But some of the customers and tenants of Westland Plaza have their own thoughts on what should be built.

"I'd like to see a Taco Bell," said Joe April, manager of Mailboxes Etc. The flow of traffic into his shop would definitely support one, he said. "We're busy. We've increased our business 35 percent since last year."

April is not alone in his yearning for a nearby fast food restaurant. Cathee Moore, a State Farm insurance agent who keeps her office in the plaza, also would like to see one. A Wal-Mart or a Kmart would also work well, she said.

"It's a great spot," she said. A resident of the Sunrise Mountain area, her commute is only 15 minutes. "It's not far from the freeways or from any part of town."

The attention being paid to West Las Vegas is a big change for a part of town that has long been ignored. Known as an older, rundown part of the city, the building of Westland Plaza was considered a risk. In fact, the Vons did not do very well in its first few months. But according to Oka, the last year has been good to the tenants, and developers can't help but take notice.

"With the growth here, and our location so close to the Strip and highways, we can't be ignored any longer," said Nick Nixon, executive director of the Urban Chamber of Commerce, who uses the plaza every day. "For those developers who are apprehensive about building here -- it's their loss."