LOOKING IN ON: CITY HALL

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

The developer that has been attempting to attract a grocery store to West Las Vegas for more than a year is out of the picture, at least officially.

In December DLC Urban Core was given a 30-day extension to close a deal with the grocery chain Food 4 Less or lose its exclusive negotiating rights on behalf of the city. Councilman Lawrence Weekly said at Wednesday's council meeting that because the developer has not been able to come through in a timely manner, the city must now explore other options.

Officials at DLC Urban Core say that while the exclusive negotiating agreement with the city is no longer in effect, they continue to talk with officials from Food 4 Less and are very near closing a deal.

Weekly confirmed that he received a letter of interest from Food 4 Less recently, but did not feel it provided sufficient justification for the city to extend the exclusive agreement.

The city may now choose to pursue offers independently, or accept a proposal from DLC Urban Core for the Food 4 Less store, if the developer can successfully complete an agreement.

A proposed six-story apartment building at Ninth Street and Bridger Avenue that was opposed by many area residents will not be built, at least not now.

Weekly persuaded developer Steven Biagiotti of SDA Inc. to request that the item be withdrawn from consideration without prejudice at Wednesday's council meeting.

Several area residents had complained that the building was too big and would not have enough parking spaces to accommodate the tenants who would live in its 300 units. Biagiotti and members of Weekly's staff met with residents recently to discuss their concerns and try to work out a compromise. Despite a desire to lure developers to the downtown area, Weekly said he just did not feel comfortable supporting the project.

Weekly agreed with residents that the building was too large for the area and said he felt even some of the people who supported the project did so reluctantly.

"They want to see some positive development here," Weekly said. "But you don't have to say yes to a project because you feel like we are shoving it down your throat."

Weekly said if Biagiotti insisted on a vote, he would recommend denial, which almost certainly would have been supported by a majority of the council and would have effectively killed the project.

Biagiotti said a smaller building with fewer units on the site was not practical financially. "That would not work for me," he said.

He plans to continue talking to residents and hopes at some point to convince them and the council that the project is a good fit for the area.