Planners to decide next week on Park Heights development

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008 | midnight

Courtesy photo

This artist's rendering depicts GSG Development's proposed mixed-use project, Park Heights, on 40 acres of the Cornersone Redevelopment Area at Interstate 215 and Stephanie Street. The project would include two 30-story residential towers, a 13-story condominium tower, a 12-story hotel and retail shops.

The traffic study that could determine whether the Henderson Planning Commission supports a high-rise development at Stephanie Street and Wigwam Parkway should be completed by the commission's next meeting, developers said Thursday.

GSG Development is seeking the city's approval for a 40-acre, mixed-use development next to a former gravel pit where the city plans to build a park around a man-made lake. As proposed, the Park Heights development would have two residential towers each 30 stories tall, as well as high-rise hotel and office buildings.

In all, Park Heights would have up to 1,700 residential units and 851,000 square feet of retail, office, hotel and civic space.

At a hearing in September, however, planning commissioners expressed concern about the height of the buildings and the traffic burden on Stephanie Street. They delayed the item for a month to give developers time to create renderings that would give the commission a better idea of what the towers would look like and to complete a traffic study.

At Thursday's meeting, commissioners voted to continue the item to Oct. 30 on the assurance that they would have the traffic study to examine by then.

"I think that (traffic) figures weigh heavily into the other issues as we address this project," Commissioner George Bochanis said.

Commissioners also touched on other concerns. Commissioner Debra March said she was concerned about the request to change the zoning for the site by ordinance, which would essentially lock it in and limit GSG's ability to alter the project according to market conditions. She said a resolution of intent would allow more flexibility, since the project is still likely at least two years from breaking ground.

"Things change," she said. "The market may change in the next three years, and you may want to do something else."

GSG Principal Kevin Smith agreed, but said the zone change ordinance would include design guidelines that would allow for some flexibility to adapt to market conditions. He said obtaining financing for the project depends on having the land properly zoned.

"We do need something more than a resolution of intent before I go seriously looking — particularly in this environment — for funding," he said.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com.