County Commission approves The Curve

Stephen Curran

Thursday, April 21, 2005 | 9:31 a.m.

The Clark County Commission on Wednesday gave the design of two 18-story towers in southwest Las Vegas a unanimous thumbs up, while sending another plan back to the drawing board.

The commission, which met as the zoning board Wednesday morning, approved the design review for The Curve, a $200 million condominium project off the Las Vegas Beltway between Durango Drive and Sunset Road. The plans call for 376 individual condos, 115,885 square feet of retail and restaurants and 61,201 square feet of office space. Prices for the condos are expected to start at $385,000 and top out at more than $1 million.

Commissioners in September approved the project, which now fits under its newly created mixed-use ordinance, but not before requiring the Curve Development Co. to reduce the height of the towers to 216 feet from 300 feet.

Speaking after a brief presentation by attorney Tabith Keetch, who represents the project, commissioner Lynette Boggs McDonald called the project a prime example of the purpose of the new ordinance. The design review was approved 6-0. Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates was absent when the votes were cast.

"This example before us is exactly what we're striving for in creating the mixed-use guidelines," Boggs McDonald said.

Commissioners later unanimously rejected a request to develop 5 acres near Russell Road and Edmond Street, saying the developer's plans for a coffee shop within the 160-unit complex were inadequate for the property to qualify as a mixed-use project.

Las Vegas developer Brad Esposito had touted the four-story project as an alternative to taller, more expensive condos sprouting up throughout the valley. He estimated individual condos would have cost between $200,000 and $250,000.

But commissioners said the project, which allocates roughly 2,500 square feet for what civil engineer Dave Brown said would likely be a Starbucks, would set a "terrible precedent" for other applicants hoping for similar zoning.

Chairman Rory Reid, in whose district the yet-undeveloped land sits, was highly critical of the plans.

"I just think this would set a terrible precedent," he said. "You've provided a Starbucks in return for 32 units an acre. ... I can't support that."

Esposito, who was told by commissioners he could appeal through the courts before they defeated his request 7-0, said after the rejection that commissioners routinely give preference to pricier developments, while paying only lip service to more affordable housing.

Existing zoning would have allowed Esposito to place a bar or adult-oriented business on the property, a move the developer said he snubbed in order to potentially build affordable housing.

Esposito said he plans to take his appeal to the courts.

"It's sad to deny homes to people," he said. "I fully intend to appeal to the courts."