Las Vegas target of ‘villages within cities’ plan

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Oct. 20, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

What started out as a bus tour to prospective sites around Las Vegas earlier this month has sparked a full-blown plan by American CityVista to build its first housing development in a mature part of the city.

At his weekly press conference Thursday, Mayor Oscar Goodman said American CityVista is "definitely moving forward" with plans to build a housing development off Washington Avenue and Rancho Drive.

American CityVista is a joint-venture with Henry Cisneros, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Bruce Karatz, chief executive officer of home builder Kaufman & Broad.

The company has plans to develop "villages within cities" in mature areas of cities nationwide. The group already has agreed to a project in San Antonio and say Las Vegas is their next target.

Contacted Thursday, Randy Reinhart, vice president of American CityVista, said the company is in the acquisition stage, finalizing terms to purchase the property.

Although the city has faxed facts and figures to the company, Reinhart said he could not comment on the price of the land.

"We're primed and ready" to move forward, he said.

Reinhart said after acquisition is complete the company will submit site plans to the city's Planning Commission and then to the City Council for final approval.

The company is also interested in building housing at Spectrum Park, an industrial park at Pecos Road and Stewart Avenue. Plans for that site, though, are in the infant stage, he said.

Cisneros said on a bus tour of the city earlier this month that Las Vegas is ideal for development because it has large enough parcels to accommodate American CityVista's 80-to 120-home development.

Reinhart said the benefit of American CityVista projects are that the developments are close to major streets and services.

"By providing the housing close to major arteries, we're able to reduce traffic, provide necessary housing at a reduced market rate price, and that's the goal," he said.

American CityVista is looking to build about 200 homes in Las Vegas. The homes would be marketed in the median-price range of $120,000 and below. Affordable housing would also be in the mix.

Each home will be wired for computers and able to be customized.

Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly, whose ward encompasses the site at Rancho and Washington, said is he crossing his fingers that the plans move full speed ahead.

"We're really exited about (American CityVista) looking into a development," he said. "What a big boost this would give to the citizens. This definitely is going to give a shot in the arm to residents who sat dormant with their property for so long."