|
States at a Glance: Nevada
In the fastest-growing big city in the country, where developers never met a neon sign they didn't like, the Campaige Place housing development is a breath of fresh air. The 320-room development was built in a decrepit part of downtown Las Vegas known more for its crime rate than for its safe, affordable housing opportunities. But Campaige Place is turning this around. The apartments are located in a stylish, secure and well-designed building and monthly rents are very affordable. The project is conveniently located near jobs and shops and will allow those who work downtown to dispense with driving. In a city like Las Vegas, which consists mainly of hotels and casinos, providing affordable housing near the core is crucial. City officials and developers hope that projects like Campaige Place will spark more development in the area, thus adding to efforts to revitalize a part of Las Vegas desperately in need of help.
Being the fastest-growing city in America is quite a distinction -- especially when the city is essentially a suburb of another city. Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas, is quickly becoming a highly popular destination for retirees, and has just bypassed Reno as the second largest city in Nevada. Its population has exploded in the last decade, jumping from 69,000 in 1990 to 200,000 by the end of 2000. In an area that used to be mainly open space and Bureau of Land Management property, development has occurred at a feverish pace and with little planning. Developers are snatching up land and building subdivisions with names like McDonald Ranch, the Vineyards and Palermo. Smack dab in the middle of all this sprawl is Anthem by Del Webb -- a development firm that seems to specialize in sprawling projects. Del Webb's latest is a 5,000-acre development with 12,000 homes and 30,000 residents. The project is being built on what is now Henderson's southwest border, but given the pace of development and lack of planning, it is unclear where Henderson's borders will be in two or three years. What is clear is that developments like Anthem are eating up precious natural resources. Major irrigation is needed to sustain the faux desert oasis the project will create. In fact, Del Webb will have to build five new reservoirs to meet the needs of the community and its lush surroundings. It will also add more cars to crowded roads and more smog to dirty skies. States at a Glance | Introduction | Resources | Acknowledgments Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club |
