City plans technology corridor on Cheyenne

Wednesday, May 15, 2002 | 10 a.m.

Cheyenne Avenue for years has had the reputation of being good for just two uses -- big warehouses and desert brush.

The city of North Las Vegas is working with five developers to change that image and build the Cheyenne Technology Corridor between the North Las Vegas Airport and Community College of Southern Nevada.

The City Council will issue a proclamation 7 p.m. Wednesday unveiling the Cheyenne Technology Corridor logo that was developed by community college student Chun-Han Wang.

That effort will kick off a campaign for the project that, when finished, is expected to add 1.5 million to 2 million square feet of technology-based office complexes along the street.

"Contract warehouses can only employ so many people -- about a dozen per 100,000 square feet -- while technology offices can employ hundreds," said Mike Majewski, manager of economic development for the city of North Las Vegas.

He said area residents and community college students will be targeted for many of those highly skilled, well-paying jobs.

"The community college is developing a digital communications building (to train students), and that is the very type of business we hope to bring to the area," Majewski said. "The neat thing is that with so much space, we won't have to tear down anything to develop it."

Michael Carroll, spokesman for one of the developers, Jackson-Shaw Co., said changing the long-standing big box image of the area to one of advanced technological offices will be a challenge.

"We have to build a quality product with excellent landscaping to change the perception," Carroll said. "A big part of that will be public relations to attract the type of businesses we want."

To date, Jackson-Shaw has built 126,000 square feet of office space along Cheyenne and has attracted to it three companies employing a total of 390 workers, with one company planning an expansion by 90 workers.

Majewski said the area should be attractive to businesses because of its easy access to Interstate 15, U.S. 95 and the north leg of the Las Vegas Beltway.

The other developers in the private-public partnership are Brennan Brothers, RDS/Insight LLC, Harsch Investment Properties and Stoltz Management.

Majewski said that to bring the community college in as a partner, developers decided to give students rather than a major advertising firm the opportunity to create the corridor's logo.

Thirteen students submitted 75 designs for consideration, with Wang submitting the winner. Catherine Leece took second place and Laura White finished third.

All entries will be on display at a 6 p.m. reception for the project at North Las Vegas City Hall, 2200 Civic Drive.