January 31, 2006
Henderson planning for future development
By Brian Wargo
Las Vegas Sun
While Henderson and Clark County debate where the city's
southwest boundary should be, Henderson already is mapping out plans
for its next generation of master-planned communities on both sides
of the city limits.
Henderson officials are preparing for a fall auction involving
2,095 acres of Bureau of Land Management property west of the
Inspirada master-planned community. City planners envision a mix of
residential and commercial development.
Henderson also was considering a fall auction of 700 acres of
unincorporated Clark County between Inspirada and the Sloan Canyon
National Conservation Area south of St. Rose Parkway near Las Vegas
Boulevard South.
That sale, however, has been taken off the table because mining
claims for the site have not been resolved, said Stephanie Garcia-Vause,
Henderson deputy director of long range planning. The city has
designated the property for residential development.
The 700-acre site is part of 3,626 acres of BLM land along the
southwest Henderson border that the city had sought to annex, only
to face objections from Clark County.
The latest planning efforts are the culmination of work that
started after Henderson, with Clark County's blessing, annexed 5,400
acres in 2000 -- its largest annexation in 29 years. Henderson
wanted the land to establish a "western gateway" to the city.
That's already under way. Focus Property Groups is moving ahead
with Inspirada on nearly 2,000 acres purchased for $557 million in
June 2004. Model homes are to be finished by the end of the year
with the first homes expected to be occupied in early 2007.
Not all of that 2,095 acres of federal land, however, will be
auctioned for a future master-planned community west of Inspirada.
The city will set aside property for schools and other
facilities, and the Nevada Transportation Department still uses a
portion as a gravel pit, Garcia-Vause said.
"It will have a mix of uses with residential and commercial,"
Garcia-Vause said. "We are in the process of working with the
development community. We like ... flexibility. The successful
bidders are going to be marketing and selling it, and we want to
work with them on what they want."
Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said she hopes whatever is
built offers a different master-planned community compared to those
that exist in the Las Vegas Valley.
That was the case with Inspirada, a development to be reminiscent
of pre-World War II communities. Inspirada will offer dense,
pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods connected with narrow streets,
village squares, parks and open space. With 11,500 homes, the
venture will be one of the nation's largest "new urbanism"
communities.
"We want to find something that isn't the typical residences
existing in the valley, but something we know will be successful
because it has a uniqueness to it," Cyphers said. "We strive for a
choice of different developments. That is one of our successes. I
don't think it is wise to put your eggs all in one basket."
John Ritter, Focus Property Group chief executive, said his
company has worked with the city to ensure that any development to
the west is consistent with Inspirada. He said it is important that
the auction be staggered so that it would not compete with Inspirada
for financing and homes sales.
Ritter said he envisions the proposed development as primarily
residential so it does not compete with the planned Town Center at
Inspirada -- 300 acres expected to include a resort casino, retail
and possibly high-rise office buildings.
"I think it needs to be different from Inspirada," Ritter said.
"You don't want too much of the same type of housing projects on
line at one time. You don't want them to cannibalize each other."
Brian Wargo can be reached at 259-4011 or at wargo@lasvegassun.com.
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