Communication lack seen as factor in slow redevelopment

Erin Neff

Thursday, March 16, 2000 | 10:59 a.m.

Las Vegas officials on Wednesday began to get to the root of downtown's slow redevelopment efforts by homing in on some communication problems.

Claiming the city's duties often overlap those of its appointed private sector board, the City Centre Development Corp., the council asked for a report on how to achieve a streamlined revitalization effort.

"I think that the roles (of the city and City Centre) have been ill-defined, if defined at all," Mayor Oscar Goodman said. "It's mush. We're dealing with amorphous responsibilities and duties."

Marty Keach, a newly appointed City Centre board member and one of Goodman's law partners, pointed the finger at the city staff.

"You have (the city office of) business development attempting to develop several sites downtown," Keach said. "If you want downtown redeveloped, you have to give CCDC the first shot."

Business Development Director Jeff Maresh said his office has involvement only in projects that existed prior to City Centre's formation in 1997.

"We have had no involvement with the (Union Pacific) site, Neonopolis or (the) Intown (office tower)," Maresh said.

But Jodi Goodheart, the City Centre board's president, called that "disingenuous."

As proof, she cited a letter Maresh received from the owner of a downtown office building thanking him for discussing parking rentals at the planned Pauls Corp. office tower.

"You gotta cut through a lot of this red tape," Keach warned. "The council needs to give CCDC the authority to get the job done."

Wednesday's meeting was a reconvened strategic planning session, tabled Feb. 28, between the city's Redevelopment Agency and the City Centre board. The council is the Redevelopment Agency.

In the first session numerous stakeholders in downtown redevelopment presented progress reports. The boards ran out of time during that meeting to come to any real focus or authorize any clear direction.

Wednesday's meeting offered little more than circuitous debate about the problems developers face downtown because of higher land costs, parking shortages, the perception of crime and a convoluted city permit process.

Mike Forche, City Centre's executive director, said alleviating some of the problems developers face would help spur revitalization.

He suggested a capital improvement fund of about $10 million to be used to offer developers incentives -- including the expensive assemblage of parcels downtown.

Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald proposed waiving certain required fees, such as sewer hook-ups, in certain redevelopment cases as an incentive for affordable housing developers.

City Manager Virginia Valentine said her staff would prepare a report for the council based on Wednesday's session. That report should include some formal recommendations for the council to approve.