With the start of the new year, the city is moving full speed ahead with plans for a 61-ace urban village in the heart of downtown. The city recently hired Dan Van Epp and the Newland Communities as master development consultant for the project. The city will act as the master developer in order to move quickly to implement the city’s vision for the site.

Van Epp is the former president of The Howard Hughes Corporation and currently the regional president of the development company Newland Communities.

The City Council also recently approved the conceptual infrastructure plan for $40 million in bonds necessary to finance the 61-acre project. In addition, the council approved a development agreement for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Later this month, the council is scheduled to consider a development agreement for the “Keep Memory Alive” Lou Ruvo Alzheimer’s Institute being designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, another key component of this development effort.

This 61-acre tract is the largest single piece of undeveloped land in downtown Las Vegas. It is located adjacent to the World Market Center and the Las Vegas Premium Outlets.

Fifth Street School

The city is also moving forward with a proposal by the Nevada School of the Arts to transform the historic Fifth Street School into an arts and design center complete with classroom space, a gallery, a visitor’s center and more.
 
The Nevada School of the Arts is a non-profit organization that promotes music education. Two previous tenants of the Fifth Street School will also return once the renovation is complete. The University of Nevada Las Vegas Downtown Design Center, home to the UNLV College of Fine Arts and the School of Architecture, will be housed in the school. Also occupying future space in the newly refurbished downtown structure will be the UNLV Modern Letters and Writers in Exile program.

The refurbished school will also showcase a shared performance and gallery space in the historic gymnasium, which will be managed by one of the building’s future tenants. In addition, almost 1,600 square feet will be used to house a new downtown Las Vegas visitors and information center, which will be operated by the city of Las Vegas.

The Fifth Street School was originally constructed by the federal government in 1936 at the same time as the Hoover Dam. It was the first permanent Las Vegas elementary school. For more than 30 years, it served as an elementary school for grades one through six.

Designed in the Spanish mission style, the former school is comprised of 10-inch thick concrete and topped with red tiled roofing. One of its highlights is an interior Mediterranean-style courtyard completed with a vintage tiled fountain.