The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $365 million construction contract to build a new veterans hospital and medical center in North Las Vegas. It’s the largest construction contract ever granted by the VA. The long-planned facility located at the Northern 215 Beltway and Pecos will include a 790,000-square-foot hospital, medical treatment clinics, and a 120-bed nursing home. It’s scheduled for completion in September 2011.
Credits: KXNT
Having spearheaded a number of million-dollar projects in Las Vegas, Michael Nigro has thorough knowledge of the thousands of things that can thwart construction.
A key challenge to real estate development now is financing, the president of Nigro Construction said.
Credits: Review Journal
Martin-Harris Construction is building the first phase of Desert Blue, a 19-story, 281-room time share project by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts on Twain Avenue, west of Interstate 15.
It will be Wyndham’s flagship time share property with one- and two-bedroom units and Presidential Suites. Amenities include a lobby, outdoor pools, fountains and spas.
The initial phase is scheduled for completion in early 2010. Two more high-end towers are planned for the 14-acre site north of the Rio hotel.
A seven-story parking structure with 1,100 spaces is under construction. Concrete has been poured for tension decks and steel is in place to proceed with a unique exterior of “panelized skin,” Martin-Harris project manager Brian Schmidt said.
Florida-based Wyndham operates more than 145 vacation ownership resorts, including three WorldMark brands (formerly TrendWest) in Las Vegas.
COLLEGE BUILDING: Core Construction completed the first permanent building for Nevada State College at 1021 E. Paradise Hills Drive in Henderson.
It was first planned as a liberal arts building, but will now accommodate general education and student services with laboratories and multiple classrooms.
Core built the two-story, 42,000-square-foot facility from the ground up starting in May 2007. The contract from Nevada State Public Works Board was for $13.3 million. Carpenter Sellers Architects is the architect of record.
NEW CONTRACTOR: Gemstone Development changed general contractors on its ManhattanWest condo project near Russell Road and the Beltway.
Camco Pacific Construction has replaced UPA and will complete the first phase of the $350 million mixed-use project. Gemstone Chief Executive Officer Alex Edelstein said the change was made for “performance” reasons.
The 20-acre project will have 700 condo units along with offices, restaurants and shops.
Edelstein said he’s on track to complete the Union Square commercial plaza in the fall. The midrise residential buildings are about 80 percent finished and the nine-story Element House residential tower is about 70 percent finished, he said.
APARTMENT VACANCY: Spencer Ballif of CB Richard Ellis brokerage reported 8.35 percent apartment vacancy for Las Vegas in August, down from 8.44 percent in July. Class “A” apartment vacancy was 7.19 percent for 30,926 units reporting; class “B” vacancy was 8.70 percent for 43,423 units reporting; and class “C” vacancy was 9.16 percent for 25,882 units reporting.
HOUSING UPTICK: Southern Nevada’s housing market showed encouraging signs of recovery in August, Robin Yates of Windermere Real Estate said.
Of the 5,627 new listings in August, about 42 percent, or 2,365, were foreclosures. Bank-owned properties represented 68 percent, or 1,982, closings in August, according to Windermere.
The uptick in foreclosure sales is a sign that home buyers are seeing the “silver lining” in the housing market and it shows banks are more willing to cut deals for qualified buyers, Yates said.
RETAIL CENTER: Nigro Construction completed two design-build projects at Park Central Plaza on Losee Road in North Las Vegas. The first was a 6,600-square-foot Timbers Bar and Grill at a cost of $1.6 million; the second was a 6,000-square-foot Checker Auto store for $1.7 million.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Las Vegas-based JVC Architects and general contractor Crete Construction have completed a 2,550-square-foot multipurpose lunchroom at St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, 1111 Michael Way. The $425,000 project has roll-up doors that open to the playground and bring natural sunlight into the room, architect Jim Van Compernolle said. Students currently eat lunch under a covered canopy area.
Credits: Review Journal
When Stefanie Robinson and her husband, Paul, began searching for a new home, she was also looking for a new career.
“I graduated from the Art Institute of Las Vegas and told the career placement department I was interested in working for a builder. At the same time, we were looking for a new home and found one we liked at Richmond American’s Brentwood Grove community. We decided to buy it, signed the contract, and a few weeks later I heard Richmond was hiring for a design associate at their Home Gallery. The timing couldn’t have been better.”
One of the qualities that first drew the Robinsons to Brentwood Grove was the location. Situated in northern Las Vegas, the neighborhood offers close proximity to Interstate 215, the Las Vegas Beltway and U.S. Highway 95, creating an easy drive to shopping, Nellis Air Force Base and downtown.
“It’s close to our friends and family,” Paul Robinson said, “so we were already familiar with the area and loved the new retail and dining nearby.”
“The roomy backyard for our two dogs was also important,” Robinson added. “When we were looking at different plans, the RichmondAmerican.com Web site was definitely helpful. I compared floor plans from several communities until we found just the right one.”
The couple chose the Willow, a two-story home with about 2,050 square feet. Priced from the $230,000s, the plan features three bedrooms, 21/2 baths, and a two-car garage with additional storage. The main floor includes a formal dining room, kitchen, nook and family room.
Other highlights include circular entries, lofts, upstairs tech centers and master bedroom suites with private baths and two separate walk-in closets.
“One thing we especially liked about the Willow was the master bath,” Stefanie Robinson said. “We each get our own vanity and closet.”
Once the couple decided on a floor plan they visited the Home Gallery to browse design options and upgrades.
“The Home Gallery was such a beautiful place,” Stefanie Robinson said. “Right away, I felt like it was exactly the kind of thing I wanted to be doing. I even asked our designer about working there, but it wasn’t until a few weeks later that a position opened up and I applied. Now I get to show buyers all the same things I got excited about when I bought my home.”
From the design selection to the construction stages to the loan process, they found that Richmond American’s customer service helped make their home-buying experience a positive one.
“My father is in construction, and on our walks, I was concerned he would be over the top with questions,” Paul Robinson said, “but our superintendent and Home Care team answered everything to his satisfaction. If we had questions or concerns, our Home Care Specialist went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied. He always answered his phone and would call us occasionally just to check in.”
Brentwood Grove offers three floor plans in addition to the Willow. Priced from $159,990, the Elm is a single-story home with three bedrooms, two baths and about 1,100 square feet. One of the bedrooms is available as an optional study, and an optional patio is also available.
Priced from the $240,000s, the Birch is a two-story home with three bedrooms, three baths and about 2,150 square feet. The first floor features an open family room, nook and kitchen, with a separate dining room and study.
The second floor offers a master suite with a private bath and two walk-in closets, as well as a loft, a laundry room, two secondary bedrooms and a bath. Both the loft and the study are available as optional bedrooms.
The largest floor plan is the Empress, priced from the $250,000s. This home features about 2,350 square feet, four bedrooms and three baths. The main level includes a formal dining room, family room, kitchen, nook, study and full bath. An optional bedroom is available in place of the dining room, and an optional patio is offered off the family room. The second level features a bonus room and an optional deck off the master bedroom suite.
Models at Brentwood Grove are open for touring daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except for Friday, when they open at noon. To visit, take I-215 to the Jones exit and go north. Turn right on Horse, left on Bradley and right on Brent Lane.
Credits: Review Journal