North Las Vegas briefs for December 7, 2000

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 | 11:31 a.m.

New building planned for 52

Construction will begin soon on a new building for Fire Station 52, helping relieve some of the burden in the city's northwest.

The city has awarded a $1.97 million contract to Yack Construction Inc. to relocate the deteriorating fire station at Cheyenne Avenue and Civic Center Drive to the other side of Interstate 15.

The 3.44-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Lossee and Frehner roads will house an 11,500-square-foot building, with one fire engine bay and living quarters for 10 personnel, sleeping quarters, kitchen, training facilities and more.

Construction is expected to take seven months.

Higher cost receives approval

The firm designing the city's new recreation center has been allowed to tack on an extra $16,710 on its bill to design additional restrooms as part of the pool and bathhouse.

HSA Architects Inc. originally was given a not-to-exceed fee of $414,000 to design the new recreation center at Allen Lane and Alexander Road. The design included a 41,000-square-foot recreation building, swimming pool and bathhouse.

HSA will design additional restroom facilities, which were once envisioned to be constructed at the adjacent Flores Park.

After-school programs funded

A $129,131 award to North Las Vegas from the state will allow the Economic Opportunity Board to offer before- and after-school services for children whose parents are working, in job training or enrolled in educational programs.

Since 1995 the state has provided funds to the city -- through the EOB Child Care Assistance Division -- for child-care programs. The funds will be used toward providing Safekey before- and after-school care during track breaks for children who meet federal poverty guidelines.

City hopes to attend state course

The city is asking if it can join the Emergency Management Institute's Integrated Emergency Course of Nevada.

Mayor Michael Montandon has asked the state for places in the course, which will cost the city $5,000 per participant.

The course provides training to enhance the abilities of city decision- and policy-makers to prepare for, recover from and fend off emergencies and disasters.

Zoning change given Bigelow

North Las Vegas is on its way to becoming the only city in the state to house a major aerospace tech campus.

The council granted space visionary Robert Bigelow a zoning change for 40 acres at the corner of Brooks Avenue and Clayton Street for a high-tech space campus.

The campus is expected to consist of a rocket-shaped building, a visitors center and six other buildings. Phase one of the project, expected to take 20 months, will include the construction of a warehouse and visitors center.

In addition, Bigelow said Wednesday that he is buying nine acres adjacent to the site, which will also be part of the campus.

Bigelow's company, Bigelow Development Aerospace Division, has plans to design, engineer, build and assemble hardware to be launched into space.

Although Mayor Michael Montandon has boasted of his flight on an F-16 jet, he said he won't be lining up for a launch to the moon.

"I promise I won't take a trip to the moon even if you get it done," he said.