Vegas downtown on the go

It appears that Vegas downtown hasn't received this much attention since they filmed segments of a James Bond movie over there 30 some years ago. The current buzz is not about any film, or high-stakes gaming, though. It's about residential real estate projects. More specifically mid- and high-rise condominium projects. And how they are going to attract more residents there and with them come more services and things for people to do. Pump fresh energy to the community.

Soho Lofts opened its doors last year and claimed the title of being the first high-rise there, a 17-story tower with 120 luxury units. More of them are going up as we speak, adding about 800 more condos to the inventory in the next twelve months or so. They include Streamline Tower, pictured, that will have 275 units, Juhl 341 and Newport Lofts 168.

Besides these, there are another 13,000 more condos either proposed or already on the drawing board. Once the first phase concludes successfully, as it so seems, then the next one gets a boost from the first and the momentum just builds from there.

City Hall has to be thrilled about the way things are moving ahead now. It has been working tirelessly for years on all sorts of drafts and plans that would help revitalize that part of town. It's offering tax breaks and zoning changes and what not to draw development dollars. As we can see, the effort seems to be paying off.

Downtown has always played the role of the second-class younger brother to the classy big brother of the Strip. Maybe the time has at last come for a nice turnaround. It's hardly going to challenge the Strip for supremacy, but it can firmly put itself back on the map and reclaim a measure of respectability.