New homes expected to give new hope to West Las Vegas

Erin Neff

Thursday, Nov. 19, 1998 | 11:14 a.m.

The vacant lots along Van Buren Avenue that neighbors say add to the blightened perception of West Las Vegas are about to give rise to new homes and hope for a rebirth in one of the area's original settlements.

Community activists joined with bankers, city officials and nonprofit redevelopment groups Wednesday to break ground for the first four of 13 new homes planned to be built in the city's original McWilliams Townsite -- an area that has fallen into decay and abandonment during decades of neglect.

"To see this going on is wonderful," said Jewel Jimerson, a 24-year resident of the area nostalgically called Old Westside. "Soon people are going to have beautiful homes to live in and these empty lots will be gone."

The Van Buren Homes development, planned along Van Buren between E and G streets, will be the first new residential construction in years here and a chance at the proverbial American dream for first-time homebuyers.

Wednesday's groundbreaking also marked what officials called the "coming of age" of the Westside New Pioneers Community Development Corp.

Westside New Pioneers was formed in 1996 by residents, business owners and the local offshoot of Local Initiatives Support Corp. -- a national, nonprofit organization created by the Ford Foundation to help restore neighborhoods.

Marsha L. Cole, executive director of Westside New Pioneers, said she has an agreement with general contractor Joe Mello to hire residents of the neighborhood during construction.

"I'm hoping this will set a precedent in this neighborhood," Cole said.

Construction of the first four homes will begin in December and should be finished in 120 days, Cole said. The average home will cost $102,000 and features a stucco design with garage.

The remaining nine homes will be built in a second phase after additional land purchases and financing.

The first phase of construction is funded by $140,000 in city of Las Vegas funds, a $150,000 Nevada State Bank construction loan and roughly $120,000 in LISC loans.

Lucie Melchert, spokeswoman for the city's Neighborhood Services department, said the Westside New Pioneers can re-apply for city fundings for the second phase of the project.

The city funding is split between about $110,000 in federal housing moneys, about $25,000 in money set aside from the issuance of redevelopment bonds and $3,500 in matching Neighborhood Partners funds.

Thomas Morgan, LISC's program director in Las Vegas, said the Van Buren project is the first of more to come.

"This will be the first signal that the (Community Development Corporation) is an agent for affirmative change in the neighborhoods," Morgan said.

Homeowners can expect to pay about $525 a month in mortgage payments and interest, Morgan said.

City Councilman Gary Reese called the groundbreaking "a historic day for West Las Vegas."

"Our duty as residents and neighbors is to preserve our historic west side," Reese said.