Developers aim to bring apartments, retail to downtown Henderson

A proposed downtown Henderson residential, restaurant and retail project moved forward this week when the city’s redevelopment advisory commission approved a notice of intent to consider selling land to a group of developers.

Construction of the apartment building would push forward a city agenda to give Water Street a face-lift.

“This is going to change Water Street dramatically,” commission Vice Chair Ron Leavitt said during a meeting on Tuesday.

The notice of intent to consider the sale needs approval from Henderson’s redevelopment agency before developer Strada LV can obtain final approval for the land purchase, according to Anthony Molloy, the city’s downtown redevelopment manager. A public hearing for the sale is expected on Sept. 17.

Plans call for the proposed six-floor building to be built near the intersection of Water Street and Atlantic Avenue, across Water Street from the future Vegas Golden Knights community ice arena.

Developers agreed to pay the city’s redevelopment agency nearly $400,000 for the land, plus another $30,000 for costs associated with the demolition of a Chinese restaurant that previously occupied the area. If the redevelopment agency sells the land in September, the developers will have one year to start construction.

Tom Wucherer, a founding member of Strada LV, said the complex will house 120 apartments and about 15,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space on the ground floor. The anchor tenant for the ground floor would be a food hall offering several options.

Another roughly 15,000 square feet of the building would be dedicated to office space. Developers have received a letter of intent from one prospective tenant to lease 12,000 square feet of office space, he said.

Wucherer said the goal of the project is to be part of the city’s vision of creating an entertainment hub in downtown Henderson. He said he wants the development to attract people who are craving an urban environment.

“So anybody that wants to give up the suburbia or the suburban lifestyle and move back to the heart of the city and enjoy a walkable community, that’s who we’re looking for,” he said.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.