Start of Henderson’s Fountain Plaza delayed

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 10:51 a.m.

Henderson developer Phyllis Thompson will deliver a revised building schedule to the Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, most likely asking for a delay of groundbreaking for her Fountain Plaza project until June.

Thompson said two weeks ago she planned to break ground on her $100 million downtown redevelopment project by March.

But she missed a deadline last week for final design plans for the first phase of the project that would build 159,000 square feet of office and retail space at the corner of Water Street and Basic Road. She also needs to secure $25.8 million to finance the first phase.

If successful, the Fountain plaza project would be the first new construction in the old downtown to be subsidized by city tax dollars.

Thompson stands to benefit from $3.8 million in city-owned land and city-financed infrastructure if the redevelopment agency approves her final design plans. Thompson would then need to get approvals from the Planning Commission and City Council.

Victor Vincent, vice president of Phyllis E. Thompson development, said Thursday that the size of the project has contributed to delays. But the city is behind the project 100 percent, he said.