Mayor Oscar B. Goodman addressed a packed room as he presented the 2008 State of the City Address recently at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. The “green” location provided a perfect backdrop for the mayor to present his address, which focused on one of the city’s top priorities, “sustainability,” and the city’s efforts to preserve our community for future generations.

The mayor touched on some of the green buildings in the downtown area and the acceptance of Union Park, the 61-acre parcel under development in downtown, into a LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Neighborhood Development pilot program. He also shared the results of the city’s performance at the World Leadership Awards, which recently took place in London, England. The city took first place honors in two categories, Transportation and Sports and Leisure, as well as being named American City of the Year. The mayor also touched on the continued development at Union Park and the revitalization taking place among properties along the Fremont Street Experience and the city’s new Entertainment District. 

Also at the address, Mayor Goodman announced the recipients of the second annual Mayor’s Urban Design Awards. The awards recognize projects that cultivate walkways and streets as shared public spaces, promote walkability and safety, conserve resources and seamlessly link to their surroundings. This year a historic preservation category was added to recognize projects that safeguard the cultural history of Las Vegas. The 2007 recipients are:

Buildings and Environs Category
Newport Lofts 

Public Places Category
Las Vegas Springs Preserve 

Public Art Category
Betty Willis, creator of the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign

Historic Preservation
The Morelli House

A five-member volunteer committee was formed to review and rank the nominations for recommendation to Mayor Goodman, who selected the award winners. 

If you missed the State of the City, you can still catch it as it rebroadcasts on KCLV Channel 2 at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15. Video of the address is also posted on the city’s Web site.