Almost anyone that has driven on 215 West by Charleston has seen it. The steel skeleton that stands as one of the Valley’s reminders that the economic slowdown has effected those us of with budgets large and small. I’m talking about the Summerlin Centre Mall (or Red Rock Mall) which was due to have 5 or 6 anchor stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, Crate & Barrel with up to 300 stores overall.

Work was halted in late 2008 with the developer, General Growth Properties, citing the economy and lack of financing to continue the project. General Growth Properties then declared bankruptcy protection shortly thereafter. However in the past few days there has been some activity around Summerlin Centre Mall. Several trucks and some heavy equipment (bulldozers and backhoes) have been seen around the property. There has been no formal announcement as of yet, but it could be possible that work may be starting back up soon to complete this project and add some much needed jobs to the local economy. If we find out more information we will let you know!

Andrew Kwasniewski, President of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, was found dead yesterday by his wife in their Summerlin home. According to reports, it appears to be a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. It is an ongoing investigation by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department and there should be more details at a later date.

I took advantage of the beautiful weather this morning by taking my dogs for a long walk through the Summerlin Centre area (just west of the 215 between Charleston and Sahara). I was pleasantly surprised to find construction workers building away on a Saturday morning. New homes are going up in at least three communities (Traccia, Allerton Park, and Villa Trieste). Builders have been lowering their prices, and it looks like some people are being inticed by builder incentives, even though there are plenty of less expensive homes on the market.

Another bit of good news in the housing market is that a luxury condo developer in Summerlin that declared bankruptcy last year has had its communities taken over by another developer. These communities were partially completed, with homeowners living among the skeletons of units that were never finished because of the bankruptcy. It seems like a good sign that this investor considers this the right time to come in and finish off these properties that were unsellable just a year or two ago.

Yes, home inventory is still high. And, yes, a lot still needs to happen in the Las Vegas economy before things turn around. But it’s little signs like these that are encouraging and make me feel like we’re on the right track.

Not everyone in Las Vegas was at a sportsbook watching the NCAA tournament this past weekend. Many people were out house hunting!

Summerlin hosted what they called America’s Biggest Open House at new home communities last weekend. Judging by the cars in my neighborhood, their campaign is working to get people out looking at the models. When I came home around lunchtime on Saturday, the visitor’s lane at the guard gate in my community was six cars deep, and the parking lot at the sales office was overflowing. While new home prices haven’t quite caught up with the deals out there on foreclosures and short sales, several communities are advertising inticing offers like discounted ready-for-move-in homes (one neighborhood is advertising $155,000 off!) or kitchen and landscaping upgrades for free. Even if people don’t buy the new homes, this event is good for the community because it gets people driving around Summerlin, seeing what the area has to offer.

A new neighborhood in Summerlin Centre has a feature that is sure to make it stand out among the rest - solar panel roofs. Pulte Home’s Villa Trieste subdivision just opened in central Summerlin near Charleston Boulevard and Interstate 215. In addition to energy efficient features that have become common place in new Las Vegas homes, including Energy Star appliances and low energy windows, Villa Trieste homes include rooftop solar arrays that are sure to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources.

Although now is a difficult time for a new home community to open (Pulte had actually built a number of 3-story model homes on this site and tore them down after deciding they weren’t going to work in the current market), Pulte is offering four unique floor plans ranging from 1,487 to 1,960 square feet at starting prices from $227,990 to $266,900. This makes Villa Trieste competitive against existing homes in the Summerlin area, offering affordable starter homes in a desirable location that is convenient to shopping, recreation, and the highway.

I took a look at the model homes, and they are not your typical cookie cutter floorplans. Each model seems to appeal to different buyers, from families who need up to 4 bedrooms to individuals who need a home office and a large space for entertaining. The bedrooms in one of the models is dedicated to an interactive display showing the green technology at work. Villa Trieste includes generous standard features, such as granite countertops and 12-inch tile flooring, and also has some unique features, such as a tankless water heater and his-and-hers master bedroom closets, and some options typically seen in more expensive homes, like walk-in showers. Each home even features a touch-screen dashboard that allows homeowners to compare their energy consumption against that of their neighbors.

If Villa Trieste succeeds in its goal of reducing energy output and costs, I think it could become the standard for future Las Vegas valley homes.

61: October MeetUp at the Asylum Haunted House

Greetings, mortals.  In this edition of the Living in Las Vegas Podcast, we recount (and listen to) the blood-curdling, bone-chilling screams of our October Listener MeetUp at the ultra-spooky Asylum.  Show notes:

• PHOTOS!
• Weather/Pool Report: ch-Ch-CHILLY
• LiLV Stuff
• Listener Line: 206.312.0105
• Sign up for email alerts!
• Mouse Killer
• October MeetUp at THE ASYLUM
• Gordon Biersch
• The Asylum
• More Gordon Biersch

For all the ghouls and goblins planning to join us for the October Listener Meetup, which will include a trip to The Asylum haunted house, we will be meeting at 6:30PM at Gordon Biersch in Summerlin.  The plan is to have a couple drinks then head on over for the spooky part of the evening.  After we all collectively listen to Melissa scream bloody murder for 15-20 minutes, we’ll decide upon a place to continue the evening’s festivities.

Meeting Location: Gordon Biersch (750 S. Rampart Blvd, 702.487.6463)
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2008
Time: 6:30PM for drinks
Attire: Depends (that is, if you have a weak bladder)

As always, Melissa and I are looking forward to another great time with our listeners!

See you on Saturday!

58: It’s Here–The NEW Living In Las Vegas Website!

And on the thirteenth day of July, with thunder resonating from above, the Living in Las Vegas Podcast website goes from version 1.0 to version 2.0!  A great deal of work was put into our new site, we hope you like it (and tell us what you think!).  Show notes:

• Sponsor Podcasts Intersections by Interwoven, Interwoven’s GearUp Podcast, Acutrack Podcast, Polycom On Demand
• Weather/Pool Report: Lightning, Thunder and Swimming (not at the same time)
• Anybody going to the New Media Expo?
• Cheryl buys a house! (And saves a TON of money)
• Listener Voicemail: More about buying a house in Las Vegas
• Listener Emails: Moving from Scotland, buying a vacation home, best places to live, realtor recommendation, what to do with minor children during a visit, dealing with a hangover
• Let’s talk about our New Website!
• Local’s Choice Radio
• Living in Las Vegas Blog
• Five RSS Feeds
• New Photo Format
• Mailing List: Sign up using the form to the right!

40: Scott’s Birthday Celebration at the Red Rock Casino

In celebration of Scott’s birthday, today’s Living in Las Vegas Podcast features our stay at the Red Rock Casino/Hotel/Spa. We spent a couple evenings soaking in the Red Rock vibe and attended the coolest Cirque du Soleil show we’ve EVER seen! Show notes:

• Weather Update
• Need CDs/DVDs? Check out the Acutrack Podcast
• Computer Meltdown
• Spiders and Bathtubs
• A visit from a high school friend
• New Friends of LiLV photos added
• Listener Letters
• Quicky Valentine’s Day update
• Red Rock Casino/Hotel/Spa
• Suprise Limos
• Craftsteak at MGM
• Cirque du Soleil’s KA
• This week’s Hot or Horrible

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