Building Nevada - May 2004

The District at Green Valley Ranch

by Howard Stutz

Developers of The District at Green Valley Ranch, an $85 million mixed-use project that blends retail, restaurants, office space and residential into an urban lifestyle setting, believe the complex could be the future of construction in the Las Vegas Valley. As available land for growth continues to disappear during the current Southern Nevada building boom, developments serving multiple functions are finding their way from designers’ drafting tables to the construction job site.

The District at Green Valley Ranch, which opened in April in the expanding Henderson community adjacent to Interstate 215, is Southern Nevada’s first such complex, and the project’s success or failure could foretell the idea’s potential. Similar concepts have been discussed by developers of Summerlin in the far western end of the Valley.

Encompassing specialty retail shops, unique restaurants, upscale office space and luxury loft-style apartments and flats, The District is patterned after some of the more successful mixed-use centers in Los Angeles, San Jose and Scottsdale, Ariz. The residential units are located above the retail spaces and the complex’s primary setting is along a Northeastern-style two-lane Main Street that is pedestrian friendly, tree-lined and open to vehicles.

Built on 25 acres adjacent to the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Casino and Spa, The District encompasses a total square footage of 400,000 and is expected attract customers from throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Its main clientele, however, includes inhabitants of its 88 residential units and tenants of its combined 85,000 square feet of office space, who enjoy the lifestyle engendered by the complex’s metropolitan setting.

"I, for one, truly believe we’ll see more developments of this nature throughout Las Vegas in the coming years," said Howard Perlman, founder of Perlman Architects, Inc., which designed the main portion of The District. "The idea of mixing retail and residential is not a new concept – just new to Southern Nevada. The concept makes good use of land and provides a suitable environment for active adults." Perlman, in addition to exploring similar complexes around the country, incorporated design ideas from SoHo – New York City’s ultra-hip and eclectic neighborhood in lower Manhattan – to give The District a distinct urban feel and setting.

"This idea behind The District appeals to the person who enjoys living, shopping, eating and working in an exciting environment," said John Kilduff, president of American Nevada Corporation, The District’s developer. "This is not a shopping center. We don’t have a traditional anchor tenant (such as a department store). Our anchor is the Green Valley Ranch Station and the amenities it offers. The District is a lifestyle setting that is unique to Southern Nevada."

Developers describe The District as an "all day experience." Visitors can shop along the main street and dine at one of the many restaurant locations. Afterward, they can visit Green Valley Ranch Station for gaming, movies and other entertainment opportunities. For residents, The District brings shopping, dining and entertainment within easy walking distance.

The 50 retail shops – totaling 195,000 square feet – include stores making their initial entry into Southern Nevada; such as: REI, a high-end supplier of outdoor gear; Anthropologie, a national chain offering clothing and decorative home items inspired by other cultures; and Coldwater Creek, which specializes in women’s casual clothing, accessories, jewelry and gifts. Other retail tenants include well-known specialty shops such as Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn and The Sharper Image. The restaurants also include several locations new to the market, such as Kennedy Tavern, Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que and King’s Fish House, and established eateries, such as P.F. Chang’s.

The District has 25,000 square feet of office space above the retail element and a 60,000-square-foot, three-story office building located at the corner of Green Valley Parkway and Paseo Verde Parkway.

The residential aspect, totaling 120,000 square feet, serves as The District’s most unique characteristic. American Nevada is handling leasing of the 88 residential units that range in size from 875 square feet up to 1,749 square feet, with lofts having a ceiling height of 20 feet. The plans are lavished with interior features, such as marble floors, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, French doors and balconies, security systems, and Roman tubs and separate marble showers. Lifestyle amenities include secure underground parking with direct elevator access to the apartments, and views of the Las Vegas Strip and the mountains. The units also have views that look down toward the streetscape. "There have been a lot of new developments in the Valley that call themselves lofts," Perlman said. "The District has several two-story units with a true loft design and feel about them."

A private rooftop garden accessible to the residents includes outdoor fireplaces, wet bars and barbeques, two spas, a fitness center, a boardroom that seats 12, a library with a living room-style reading area and a multimedia theatre.

"Our target market for the residential aspect is young professionals who want to live in a exciting and vibrant location that is close to numerous entertainment opportunities and work, and empty-nesters seeking an upscale and secure environment," Kilduff said. "The District only has 88 units, so that adds to its appeal as a very exclusive place to live."

Construction on The District began last year, but American Nevada had been planning the project for almost three years, Kilduff said, as the company sought the right ratio of residential, office and retail. The District’s design led to several challenges and a rare building arrangement encompassing both commercial and residential subcontractors. McCarthy Building Companies, the project’s general contractor, had multiple sub-contractors on site doing similar work.

Dennis Tucker, senior vice president of operations for McCarthy, said the aspect of residential-above-commercial meant various design elements, such as increased plumbing and electrical configurations to bring power and water upstairs, as well as the private elevators leading up to the units.

"In retail construction, the contractor usually builds a box and the tenant has his subcontractors finish the interior," Tucker said. "With this project, we had a lot of different subcontractors in the mix. For example, we may have had one subcontractor who specializes in drywall for retail projects. Working right above him might have been a drywall contractor who handles just residential. During the building phase, more than 400 construction workers took part in the project.

Whether or not another project of this scope can be situated in the bourgeoning Las Vegas Valley is the subject of some debate. In addition to Summerlin, similar projects have been proposed for downtown Las Vegas. Perlman said the mixed-use concept appeals to certain segments of society. "The District is a cool place to live, a cool place to work, a cool place to shop and a cool place to eat," Perlman said. "That’s the setting we’ve created, and I think it will try to be duplicated in other locations in the valley."