Downtown still priority for Goodman

Judy Odierna

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003 | 11:09 a.m.

Hitting on themes that began in his election campaign four years ago and have flowed through his administration, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman reiterated his vision of a vibrant downtown in his State of the City address on Tuesday.

"In order to preserve our quality of life we need to be supportive of what is going on down there," Goodman said.

Goodman, who is up for re-election this year, continued to push his emphasis on downtown redevelopment, recapping much of what has happened there -- from Neonopolis to a new downtown park -- and citing various development accomplishments throughout each council member's ward.

Despite talk of a major announcement regarding the city's 61-acre parcel of vacant land downtown, Goodman made reference only to a list of possible developments he has cited for some time now -- an academic medical center possibly operated by the Cleveland Clinic, "an urban village" and a performing arts center.

He addressed detractors who have said that the city has wasted time trying to work with a master developer on the 61 acres, as well as previous plans that included a sports arena.

"It just wasn't the right fit," Goodman said.

Though no deals have been signed, Goodman promised more concrete results for the 61 acres by next year.

"We're a lot closer to it now," he said. "At this time next year the seeds which have been sown will be on their way."

Councilman Lawrence Weekly, whose district includes downtown, said revitalizing the area needs to be the city's top priority.

"The downtown is our central core. For the city to be a complete package we have to make it vibrant and whole," Weekly said this morning. "People care about the quality of life in their own neck of the woods, but that's not where we need to stop."

Councilman Larry Brown agreed.

"I wholeheartedly support the mayor's commitment to downtown," he said. "Without a strong, vibrant downtown we are limited in what we can do throughout the valley and the rest of the city. It impacts other things."

But Goodman did have some good news for the downtown area on Tuesday: Developer Irwin Molasky, who has been critical of the city's redevelopment efforts, will construct a new building for the Internal Revenue Service's Las Vegas office on a five-acre parcel adjacent to 61 acres the city owns near U.S. 95.

"He was one of the most vocal critics," Goodman said. "He said (downtown) was not being treated (as if it was) on a level playing field. I reached out to him and said I'd like to level the playing field."

Molasky owns the the Molasky Group, which has developed projects such as the Boulevard Mall, downtown's Bank of America tower, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and Park Towers, a two-tower, 20-story luxury condominium development at Hughes Center.

About a year ago Molasky publicly expressed his disappointment with the redevelopment process, saying his building funneled more than $90,000 annually through taxes for 16 years into the redevelopment fund, which he said was being turned over to other developers for competing projects.

"As a taxpayer I resented them wasting my money by building things with the mentality that if you build it they will come," he recalled Tuesday. "You have to build to the market."

Goodman approached Molasky and, after a conversation in which Molasky offered some recommendations on redevelopment, the mayor gave him a challenge.

"He said instead of criticizing, why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Molasky said.

Molasky, with assistance from city officials, prepared a bid to build the IRS building for the federal General Services Administration. Molasky's company was one of seven that sought the contract. The project is expected to bring 500 to 600 people a day into downtown.

"It's the perfect example of the private sector and government entities working together to create something exciting and worthwhile," Molasky said.

Molasky's news wasn't a complete surprise.

In October the developer announced the sale of five Las Vegas properties totaling $150 million.

Molasky said he would use the proceeds from the sale to invest in two major projects in the Las Vegas Valley as well as several high-end apartment communities in Las Vegas and elsewhere.

The IRS building is one of those, and the other is a hangar facility at McCarran International Airport. Molasky said he just signed a 40-year lease with the airport.

Goodman also mentioned in his speech that he wanted to see what he called a "public/public partnership" with other government agencies, particularly Clark County.

When asked later if he meant consolidating the two entities, Goodman said he didn't use the "c-word" in his speech.

"No one should get excited," he said. "We need to save taxpayer money by providing effective services without duplication."