British Retailer Arrives with New Stores

Tesco’s Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market will open stores throughout the U.S. including Arizona and Las Vegas.

Britain’s Largest Retailer Arrives in Las Vegas

Territory Inc. will bring Britain’s largest retailer, Tesco, to the Las Vegas Valley. Tesco’s Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is the newest tenant to join Commerce Commons, a 180,000-sq-ft retail neighborhood shopping center located on the southeast corner of Commerce Street and Centennial Parkway in North Las Vegas.

The 10,000-sq-ft Fresh & Easy is smaller than a typical supermarket and features easy to shop aisles for quick in and out access. The store’s location will reduce travel time and is easily accessible to neighborhood customers.

Tesco plans to open 30 Fresh & Easy stores in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego by February 2008 creating around 2,500 new jobs. The company is investing $2 billion to launch Fresh & Easy over the next five years. Currently, there are over 220 employees at Fresh & Easy’s home office in El Segundo, Calif. 

A joint venture with Epstein Land, Commerce Commons anticipated services include dining, financial, restaurants and neighborhood shopping. R&O Construction is serving as the general contractor. Commerce Commons Phase I is scheduled for completion the first quarter of 2008. Estimated project costs are $27 million.

GDC Performs T.I. for Clark County Public Defender

General Design & Construction (GDC) announced that the firm has been contracted by Clark County to perform design-build tenant improvement work for the Office of the Public Defender at 309 S. Third Street. GDC began renovations on the four-story, 70,356-sq-ft building in late September 2007, and completion is expected in spring 2008. Total project cost is $611,745.

HDR Designs Pipeline Project

The Southern Nevada Water Authority has selected HDR to initiate design for its groundwater development pipeline project that will bring a reliable new water source to Southern Nevada. HDR was selected over 17 other engineering firms for this high-profile project that is a top priority for SNWA because of the prolonged drought throughout the Colorado River Basin and western United States.

HDR’s design work will be performed in phases. In the first phase, HDR will perform hydraulic and surge analyses for more than 200 mi of large diameter pipeline, five pumping stations, four hydroelectric stations, a terminal reservoir and a treatment plant. The second phase is final design for a 75-mi section of 78- and 84-in. pipeline, a rate of flow control station and a regulating tank.

The entire groundwater development system includes approximately 300 mi of buried water pipelines up to 84 in. in diameter, five pumping station facilities that include forebays and four hydroelectric stations to take advantage of elevation changes along the pipeline. The project will also include a 40-million gal buried storage reservoir, six regulating tanks, each with a capacity of approximately 3 million gal, a 150 million-gal per day facility and 14 groundwater production well sites.

Crisci Builders Contracted to Build Out Gensler of Nevada

Crisci Builders has  been contracted to complete tenant improvement services for architecture firm Gensler of Nevada. Crescent Real Estate contracted Crisci Builders to build out the 9,780-sq-ft office space at The Hughes Center, 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 650. Construction began in August, and the project is due for completion this month. Gensler of Nevada is the architect of record on the $800,000 project.

Graham Downes Architecture Designs Japanese Restaurant

Graham Downes Architecture, a San Diego-based architectural design firm, has design underway for Mikuni, Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, located just 11 mi. northwest of the Las Vegas Strip at The Village at Queensridge in Summerlin, Nev.

Graham Downes’ innovative architectural concepts will complement the hip-lounge, entertainment-dining feel of Mikuni, blending traditional Japanese flavor with a high-energy ambiance. The sushi restaurant will have a samurai-meets-rock-and-roll motif. Downes plans to integrate his essential and high-style design approach into the colorful atmosphere.

Graham Downes is principal-in-charge for the project, with Kent Coston as project manager and Miki Iwasaki as senior designer. Completion is expected by fall 2008.

HFF Arranges $66 Million Financing for Hotel Redevelopment

The San Diego office of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP has arranged $66 million in financing for the redevelopment of the 202-suite Atrium Suites Hotel into a luxury boutique hotel in Las Vegas. Working exclusively on behalf of Financial Capital Investment Company and Asia Pacific Capital Company, HFF placed a three-year, adjustable-rate loan with Lehman Brothers. Financing proceeds are being used to acquire, renovate and reposition the property as the Paradise Boutique Hotel.

The borrower plans to transform this property into an exclusive, high-quality luxury boutique hotel, in an intimate atmosphere with a modern design and a pool and bar that will be the center of entertainment at the hotel.

Upon completion in late 2008, the Paradise Boutique Hotel will feature large king and queen sized suites, all equipped with full wet-bar entertainment areas, audio/video systems with flat-screen televisions, wireless internet and many other in-room amenities. Public-area amenities will include a lobby lounge and bar area, an upscale New York-style destination restaurant and cocktail bar, a lush landscaped and expanded pool deck with pool bar lounge, cabanas, entertainment amphitheater and spa area, and a nightclub/lounge for evening entertainment and dancing. Situated on a four-acre site at 4255 Paradise Road, The Paradise Boutique Hotel is immediately adjacent to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino just a few blocks from the Las Vegas Strip.

CORE Construction Completes Community Center

CORE Construction has completed construction of the Centennial Hills Community Center at U.S. 95 and Buffalo Drive. The company was contracted by the City of Las Vegas. Construction of the $40 million, 20.5-acre project began in March 2006. The project consisted of a 98,385-sq-ft municipal building, two indoor and outdoor swimming pools, outdoor amenity areas, site work, off-site work and improvements for the re-alignment of Deer Springs Way.

Northwest Career & Technical Academy Completed

SH Architecture & Sletten Construction celebrated the grand opening of the Northwest Career and Technical Academy. The building was designed to include a number of environmentally friendly elements including the use of half the energy of a typical high school of the same size and high efficiency lighting works with daylight to save energy. The school is an exceptional learning environment with multimedia capabilities, natural daylight, individual climate controls, and low-VOC finishes. A ground source heat pump uses the constant temperature of the earth (about 400 ft below ground) to heat and cool the building. On-site bike storage and carpool parking encourage alternative transportation.

To submit New Mexico, Arizona or Nevada news items or press releases, email Scott Blair, editor, at scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com.