NLV accepting proposals for mixed-use development

By Jeff Pope

Friday, Aug. 7, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.

North Las Vegas officials want a high-density project to redevelop an older area of the city known as the island and will let developers decide what will work through a public-private partnership.

The island is a gateway into downtown from Interstate 15 on the west and Las Vegas Boulevard on the east with Lake Mead Boulevard splitting to form the north and south boundaries.

The city’s Redevelopment Agency owns more than five acres in and around the island and is offering those to developers to build on or acquire additional parcels to build a larger project.

The agency wants a combination of office, retail and residential components but will let the market dictate the mix and scale of uses.

The request is broad enough to let developers suggest what would be viable and what the market would dictate, Redevelopment manager Larry Bender said.

Mayor Shari Buck said other property owners told her they want to sell to a developer and are impatient with the city for seemingly dragging its feet.

The city will accept proposals until Nov. 17.

The City Council, which also sits as the Redevelopment Agency Board, turned down a proposal from a developer in June. The developer, Watts Development, was back before the council on Wednesday requesting the city skip the request for other proposals.

Watts has about $9 million worth of other properties in and around the island in escrow and owns parcels located between those owned by the agency, the company’s attorney Bob Gronauer said.

“You have a developer willing to come in here and do something ... and owners who are willing to sell who have not been willing to sell to the city,” he said.

Construction of any project likely would not begin for two or three years, Councilman Robert Eliason said.

“I think we need to see what’s available to us instead of just settling on one,” he said.