New Mixed-Use Development Approved for Downtown Vegas

Known as Project Pulse, the development includes a 22,000-seat arena, offices, hotel rooms  and condominiums.

REI Approved for Project Pulse in Downtown Las Vegas

The Las Vegas City Council recently approved Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based real estate development firm REI’s plans to build a 22,000-seat arena in downtown Las Vegas as part of the company’s $9.5 billion mixed used development, Project Pulse. Warburg Pincus is REI’s financial partner in the development.

REI has acquired approximately 85 acres at the corner of Charleston Blvd. and Main St. Upon completion, Project Pulse will include 300,000 sq ft of gaming floor space, 6,000 hotel rooms, over 1.5 million sq ft of commercial and retail floor space, 3.5 million sq ft of office and permanent exhibition space, as well as 1,500 condominium units and 1,600 timeshare condominium units. Construction is slated to commence in the third quarter of 2008. Arena construction is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2010.

Accidents Raise Concern in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Strip is proving to be very unlucky for construction workers, with three separate fatal accidents occurring during a two-week period in August.

There have been 11 construction–related fatalities this year on Las Vegas jobsites, reports OSHA’s Nevada Division. "It's very alarming what's happening," says Nicky Nolte, a local OSHA trainer.

On Aug. 17, concrete-cutter Justin Paul Chapman, 31, fell down an elevator shaft at the 50-story Palms Place tower at Flamingo Road and Arville Street, just west of the Strip.
M.J. Dean Construction, Las Vegas, is the general contractor on the $600 million project.

On Aug. 9, the third fatality this year at CityCenter occurred when an elevator counterweight system struck Harvey Englander, 65, who had leaned over into the shaft to grease the elevator lift on a 60-story hotel tower. In February, two workers were killed and two others injured when a pair of 3,000-lb walls fell at the CityCenter site.

On Aug. 2 Norvin Tsosie, 36, was killed in a fall at the Fontainbleau Resort Hotel jobsite.  OSHA is investigating each of the accidents.

Investors Acquire Las Vegas Apartment Development Site

Principal Real Estate Investors and Vested Housing Group LLC have partnered to acquire a 16.25 acre apartment development site located in Henderson for approximately $10.5 million.

The planned project will offer a uniquely designed loft-style community with 350 units totaling approximately 325,000 sq ft. The plans also include a luxury clubhouse and pool, fitness center and a class A finish package including 10-ft ceilings, granite countertops and tuck-under garages.

Inspirada Town Center Plan Approved

The City of Henderson approved a plan to develop a 300-acre parcel of land as the town center of Inspirada, a nearly 2,000-acre master planned community in southwest Las Vegas. The urban town center will be developed with shops, services, entertainment and office space, as well as various home styles from single-family homes to condominium and town homes populating the town center area. Buildings for civic and municipal uses and a casino also are included in the plan. The town center will include landscaping, benches, planters and shade structures.

Connected by 22 mi. of walking trails and bicycle paths, Inspirada will be made up of seven villages, each with their own distinctive theme.

Homebuilders and developers KB Home, Toll Brothers, Focus Property Group, Woodside Homes, Kimball Hill Homes, Pardee Homes, Meritage Homes and Beazer Homes will construct 13,500 residences.

General Design & Construction Completes Cabo Restaurant and Bar

General Design & Construction has completed Cabo Restaurant and Bar inside the Palace Station Hotel & Casino.

Before building the 8,654-sq-ft Cabo Restaurant, GDC demolished the existing Guadalajara Restaurant. New construction consists of a dining area, kitchens and service bars, as well as high-end finishes including flooring, electrical and lighting, HVAC, plumbing, kitchen equipment, paint and granite countertops. 

Construction of the project began in January. This is the sixteenth project GDC has performed for Station Casinos.

Sandy Valley Senior Center Underway

Construction is underway for the Sandy Valley Senior Center, designed by JVC Architects. Sandy Valley is a town of just under 2,000 people, located in southwest Nevada near the Nevada-California state line. With more than 12% of the town’s population age 65 and older, the Sandy Valley Senior Center will offer a convenient location for meetings and activities for the senior population.

Contracted by Clark County Real Properties, JVC Architects drafted the plan for the 3,100-sq-ft center earlier this year and estimates that construction will be completed in March 2008. JVC principal in charge Roy Burson, AIA is project manager. B&H Construction is the general contractor for the $1.7 million development.

Crisci Builders Builds Out Agassi Enterprises

Crisci Builders is completing tenant improvement services for Agassi Enterprises, Inc., which oversees Andre Agassi’s business and charitable ventures. Crescent Real Estate contracted Crisci Builders to build out the 21,462-sq-ft office in Howard Hughes Center.

The commercial tenant improvement project is scheduled to be completed this month.
JMA Architecture Studios is the architect of record. Crisci Builders’ Paul Auzenne is serving as manager and Mike Maupin is serving as superintendent for the $1.6 million project.

Sullivan Square Breaks Ground

Sullivan Square, a new mixed-use community in southwest Las Vegas, broke ground starting with a 20-ft excavation for the underground parking area and laying of utilities.
UPA Group is the general contractor for the project.

The excavation and utility work will take between 60 and 90 days to complete, and then they will begin pouring the foundation for Sullivan Square's first two high-rise condominium towers, live/work spaces and brownstones.

The foundation will take about 30 days to pour and set. During this time, two tower cranes will be erected for the vertical construction and the concrete super structure will be seen coming out of the ground.  This portion of the project is scheduled to take between eight and 10 months.

25,000 truckloads of concrete are estimated to be used for the foundation and superstructure, more than 5,000 tons of reinforced steel for the building, 2,000 windows and 15 mi. of drywall partitions.

At completion, Sullivan Square will feature 1,300 residential units with six options for urban living. Currently, condominiums in Sullivan Square's first high-rise tower, Madison I, along with brownstones and live/work spaces are available for sale. The community will soon offer mid-rise terraced condominiums, Chicago-style lofts and townhomes.

The project will be submitted for LEED certification. It is being co-developed by Glen, Smith & Glen Development and Harcourt Developments.

Luxor Announces Multi-Phase Enhancement Plan

Luxor, a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM MIRAGE, announced a multi-phase enhancement plan slated to take place in several phases.

Phase one encompasses the casino level where major renovations and additions are already underway. Projects include Aurora, a 157-seat lounge that brings the Aurora Borealis to life with a landscape designed by Japanese design firm Super Potato. LAX Nightclub, an offshoot of a successful Los Angeles nightclub, will transform the space formerly occupied by RA with décor created by Los Angeles designer Thomas Schoos.

The new Noir Bar’s main entrance will be outside of the resort providing patrons private access to the venue. Company, the third restaurant from Pure Management Group, will encompass more than 10,000 sq ft and will feature a fireside lounge surrounded by aspen trees and a state-of-the-art wine room. Located next to LAX, Company was designed by New York-based design firm AvroKO.

Flight, a new bar opening adjacent to LAX, was designed by Schoos to carry LAX’s unique design onto the casino floor. Flight will offer a 40-seat lounge as well as a full bar.

The dining room at CatHouse will feature low-light chandeliers, tufted fabric walls and a cobalt blue color scheme, while the >>  lounge portion of the venue is a predominantly red room. Schoos will add a touch of safari to Luxor with the remodeled Luxor Steak House through chocolate browns, rich dark leather and animal prints.

Located in the center of Luxor’s pyramid, Liquidity will feature a bar and three separate lounge areas draped in water. Liquidity’s design by Super Potato will center on a projection system that uses water as a canvas. The water theme will flow onto the remodeled casino floor with new carpet, wall coverings, wave-patterned columns and light fixtures in varying shades of blues and purples.

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