Roads, parks soon to take shape on 1,900 acres

Mathis Winkler

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 | 9:35 a.m.

Developers of a master-planned community on 1,900 acres in North Las Vegas said they are close to selling 235 acres to home builders and hope to begin building roads and parks by early next year.

American Nevada Corp. and Del Webb Corp., partnering as North Valley Enterprises, on Monday paid a remaining $37.76 million of the $47.2 million purchase price for the land. The two companies had already made a down payment to the Bureau of Land Management after entering the highest bid for the land at an auction in May.

The land is bisected by the proposed Las Vegas Beltway and sits roughly between Centennial Parkway, Grand Teton Drive, Decatur Boulevard and Clayton Street.

The first phase of development, which includes about 1,000 homes, is planned for the parcel's southeastern corner, said John Kilduff, the president of American Nevada.

Del Webb officials said they would begin developing an initial 400 homes in a community for people 55 and older on the site's northeastern corner at the same time. The age-restricted community would have 2,400 homes when it is completed.

In total, American Nevada wants to build 3,822 single-family homes and 988 apartments on its portion of the land. The community's complete development is probably six years away and will depend on how successful home sales are, Kilduff said.

American Nevada is owned by the Greenspun Corp., which also owns the Las Vegas Sun.

A planning map released Wednesday by Del Webb Corp. details locations for residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, parks and schools.

Del Webb officials said the map was 90 percent finished, with minor changes still to come.

The community's residential neighborhoods would be arranged according to home prices, with areas for first-time buyers located at the western end of the community and the most expensive homes abutting an area of open space at the eastern end of the land.

A commercial hub, including a hotel, would cluster around the intersection of the beltway and an extension of Simmons Street, with additional commercial centers at the intersection of Centennial Parkway and Simmons Street.

The plan also shows a golf course in the Del Webb community. Developers had said previously that they weren't sure whether they could include the golf course in the project.