Into The Mix
Plise Companies will soon begin construction on City Crossing, bringing a new large-scale mixed-use center to Henderson, Nevada.
Stephen O’Kane

Plise Companies is set to begin construction on City Crossing,  a 6 million-square-foot mixed-use center in Henderson, Nevada.

Las Vegas-based Plise Companies has a new project in its sight. The company will soon begin the development of City Crossing, a large-scale mixed-use center in the Southern Las Vegas Valley with the hopes of creating a dominant destination featuring everything from retail to residential.

The City of Henderson, which occupies the southern rim of the Las Vegas Valley, offers access to the area’s unique attractions such as the Colorado River, Lake Mead and Sloan Canyon National Conservation area, as well as Black Mountain and the River and McCullough Mountains. The city also houses several retail opportunities, including numerous strip centers, factory outlet stores and malls such as The Galleria at Sunset, which houses more than 100 specialty retail and restaurant opportunities. Henderson, however, has not seen the type of projects that are currently being developed in the neighboring city of Las Vegas. Plise Companies plans to bring that kind of destination to Henderson, creating a new opportunity for residents and visitors to the area.

Site preparation work has begun on City Crossing, which was originally zoned as an industrial warehouse complex. Plise Companies acquired the 126-acre property in 2003 and has since redesigned and rezoned the site as a mixed-use development. With new residential, hotel and casino projects being planned in the city and surrounding areas, the market expressed a need for a new type of development to cater to the growing density of residents and visitors. Plise Companies feels that City Crossing will satisfy the growth the city is experiencing, and will attract all demographics.

“City Crossing will fill the present void in the market place and create a destination center the area is lacking,” says Mitchell Stipp, chief operating officer and general counsel for Plise Companies. “The scale and location (accessibility in an under serviced upscale market) should result in City Crossing being the market-dominant mixed-use center in Southern Nevada.”

The project will be located at the northwest corner Bruner Avenue and Executive Airport Drive, west of the Henderson Executive Airport and east of the Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway intersection. City Crossing will include several opportunities that feature a mix of retail, dining and entertainment venues, as well as professional office and upscale residential space.

Upon completion, City Crossing will span approximately 6 million square feet. Planned for the mixed-use destination is 600,000 square feet of retail, which will include restaurants, lifestyle retail, taverns, and spa and fitness facilties. Also included will be approximately 1 million square feet of Class A office space, 2,500 luxury residences and a 100,000-square-foot fitness center. The master-planned development will be accented with outdoor plazas, sidewalks and extensive landscaping, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment.

The residential portion will comprise condominium and live-work loft residences, which will be located in the western area of the development. Most of the residential units will be positioned above ground-level retail space, giving City Crossing a true live-work-play atmosphere.

The first phase, which is valued at $500 million, will focus on developing portions of the office and retail elements. Plans include two to three office buildings, spanning up to nine stories, as well as parking space and three to four restaurants. Phase I of the development is scheduled to begin during the next 9 to 12 months, with the first 50 acres slated for completion in September 2009. The second phase of City Crossing will feature more retail space including big box retailers, inline shops, boutiques and freestanding pad sites.

Plise believes City Crossing is an exemplary project for the company. “Plise is the right company to develop a project of this scale as we are a proven developer in Southern Nevada and has the construction capability and financial strength to bring a desirable product to the market,” says Stipp.

The company has developed more than 5 million square feet of commercial property in Southern Nevada. But even with experience, companies always run into challenges, and this development is no exception.

“Coordinating the offsite improvements with other land owners and developers in the area as well as the general market fluctuations are some of the challenges we face with this project,” says Stipp.

However, despite the usual difficulties in creating a destination such as City Crossing, the response from the community has helped push the project forward.

“The response has been positive from nearby communities and the City of Henderson,” says Stipp. “Development is highly anticipated and project merchandising is gaining momentum.”

Joining Plise Companies in the development of this project is Plise Development & Construction, serving as general contractor; Architects Orange, serving as project architect; and WRG, serving as civil engineers. City Crossing is expected to take approximately 7 years to complete.


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