Thursday, April 2, 1998 | 10:27 a.m.
Despite an expired contract for the development of the Union Pacific site just west of downtown, the city of Las Vegas is continuing to explore options for the land's future.
Union Pacific Assistant Vice President David Urhich met with Las Vegas city officials last week to discuss development alternatives for the land, which is targeted as a site for a downtown project including an events center valued at $120 million, a performing arts district and a collection of restaurants.
No final deals have been made between UP and a partner, though Denver developer Bill Pauls, who has already made public his plans for the 115-acre site, is the leading contender. But Pauls' contract with UP expired last week and another developer, Paul Tanner, owns 61.5 acres in the middle of the area which he has said he wanted to use as a site for a domed stadium.
Rather than wait for a developer to step forward or for UP to start selling off parcels, the city's downtown redevelopment board, City Centre Development Corp., commissioned a study on possible designs.
There were three options that EDAW, a consulting firm hired by the CCDC, came up with for the land.
The first and lowest density of the three is called the neighborhood development, or urban village plan. In this particular option, there would be commercial buildings lining the east side of the railroad tracks, with townhomes and duplexes taking up the majority of the property to the west of the tracks. The strip of land farthest west, lining Interstate 15, is slated for institutional or public use -- structures like hospitals, government centers, entertainment complexes or non-gaming hotels. CCDC members agreed that this plan was not feasible because of its residential nature.
The second option, and most viable according to the board, is a medium density, special commercial district plan. Under this design, the majority of the land would be used for commercial development while a small amount would be zoned for apartments. The western strip along I-15 would be designated for institutional or public use.
The third and highest density option takes into account what the area would be like if the domed stadium, or some other large venue of that nature, were to be built on the land. To the east and just north of the proposed stadium, commercial projects are slated.
Stacey Lied, project manager for CCDC, said EDAW's proposals were "very preliminary in their schematics."
The purpose of the study and subsequent design options was to make sure there is a master plan for the UP site rather than just having the land developed piecemeal.
"This land is very important," Lied said. "It's a fantastic urban site that needs to be developed properly."
The biggest obstacle, however, to getting the land developed is transportation. Though it's located right next to the highway, there's no direct access to the site from I-15.
The railroad tracks, which split the property running north-south on the eastern portion, are also an issue. Union Pacific won't put in ground-level crosswalks for pedestrians or cars to get across the tracks. The only options available for a developer who wants to connect the site to downtown Las Vegas is to go over or under the tracks -- a potentially costly endeavor.
Costs and exact dimensions of the plan options for the site are being further examined by EDAW and are expected to be discussed at the next CCDC meeting on May 6.
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