State college needs $9 million to start construction

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 | 9:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada State College has collected $1 million but needs $9 million more in private contributions before construction can start on its first building in the south of Henderson at the foot of Black Mountain, the college's Spencer Stewart told the state Public Works Board on Monday.

He told the board that the school was confident it could raise the money by the December 2004 deadline. That's when bids need to be solicited to allow enough time for the construction to meet other deadlines.

With that assurance, the public works board approved the schematic design for this project. The board also approved a new office for the state Department of Motor Vehicles in North Las Vegas.

In the college's case, the Legislature has approved $13.4 million in state money but required the school to put up a matching $10 million. Dan O'Brien, manager of the public works board, said the full $10 million must be in the state's hand before bids can be solicited.

Bill Brigham of the architectural firm Field Paoli of San Francisco said there are 550 acres at the location and the project will create "an oasis in the desert."

By 2020 the school plans to have 25,000 students. The first phase calls for three buildings to house administrative offices, classrooms, labs and a lecture hall. Cars will enter the property from the north, off Nevada State Drive, Brigham said.

Parking will be created on the terraces sloping down from the school that will "reflect desert architecture," Brigham said.

The zoning for the project will go before the Henderson Planning Commission on Feb. 12 and before the City Council on March 2. A spokesman for the public works board said he did not expect any problems in gaining approval.

The DMV, on the other hand, is expecting some opposition to its plan in North Las Vegas.

The agency is being evicted from its current location in that city and has acquired 14.24 acres from the Bureau of Land Management at Decatur Boulevard and Durrell Avenue.

DMV officials want to be operating out of the new North Las Vegas building by November 2005 when the agency's lease at its current location expires.

A spokesman for the architectural firm Tate Snyder Kimsey said the new DMV headquarters in North Las Vegas will have 30 service counters and accommodate 135 employees. The lobby of the building will be able to accomodate up to 300 people.

The North Las Vegas Planning Commission will consider the zoning on Jan. 28 and the City Council takes up the issue March 3. The public works board was told there may be some concern by local officials over plans for a commercial drivers licensing testing grounds on the site. That testing would bring in additional big rigs to the area.

The main public access to the new DMV headquarters would be off Decatur Boulevard.

Also approved by the public works board Monday was the design for a new five-story building in Carson City to house the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which is now renting private office space.

The is the state's first venture in more than 30 years into a lease-purchase agreement. In this one, a private company builds the five-story building on state land and leases it back to the state in an arrangement that calls for eventual transfer of ownershipe to the state.

Board member I.R. "Renny" Ashleman of Las Vegas questioned when there would be more state office construction in Southern Nevada, where offices are spread across the valley.

Dan O'Brien, manager of the public works board, said a master plan is going to be developed for Southern Nevada and its building needs.

Ashleman said he knew there would not be enough money to construct all the buildings that are needed in the north and south.

But he said there has been "continual expansion" in Carson City and that does "not satisfy southern constituents."

He said there needs to be "a balance in this relationship."

The next lease-purchase project may also be in Carson City for the state Human Resources Department. Gov. Kenny Guinn asked the Legislature to approve this project but lawmakers decided to go ahead only with one in this experimental financing mode.