Tree-lined sidewalks and picturesque streets will soon crisscross downtown Las Vegas now that infrastructure improvements are underway at Union Park, home of the World Jewelry Center (WJC).
The 25-hectare former brownfield is a mixed-use development that will include green space, high-rise residential units, a new hotel and casino, vertical parking, and the 50-plus-storey WJC.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman and other dignitaries—including WJC principal Robert Zarnegin and managing director Bill Boyajian—broke ground in April on phase-one of the infrastructure construction.
“We’re thrilled to see the groundbreaking for Union Park and the building of streets and tree-lined sidewalks getting under way,” Zarnegin said. “These are very important steps before the start of construction on the World Jewelry Center.”
Union Park is one of the largest city-sponsored master-planned developments in the United States and the first project in Nevada to be built under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development program. The system sets standards for environmentally sustainable construction.
“Union Park’s diverse cultural appeal and amenities will add a lot of prestige to the World Jewelry Center’s reputation as a global marketplace for gems and jewellery,” Boyajian said. “Both the trade and consumers will no doubt find this to be a part of Las Vegas they will want to visit again and again.”
The $7.8-million infrastructure improvements include site grading, roadway excavation, and drainage features, as well as installation of gas, telephone, cable, and fiber optics.
