Here’s the status of 5 big Las Vegas Valley building projects — VIDEO
Developers are putting up houses, apartments, warehouses and other projects around the Las Vegas Valley.
But some are making more progress than others. Here’s a look at five big proposals that were unveiled within the past two years and where they are today.
Kind Heaven
Announced in March 2018, this Southeast Asian-themed attraction at The Linq Promenade on the Strip is expected to cost around $100 million and span about 100,000 square feet.
According to its website, it will have food, fashion, art and music “via state-of-the-art multi-sensory technology on location and online.”
Visitors “will engage with extraordinary sights, sounds, touch, tastes and smells, as well as experience danger, mystery, intrigue, inspiration and spiritual enlightenment,” the site says.
Kind Heaven initially was slated to open in August 2019, the Review-Journal reported.
It’s now scheduled to debut in April 2020, said Cary Granat, CEO of project developer Immersive Artistry.
Kind Heaven, also backed by Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction fame, has expanded its music and food offerings and added interactive technology, Granat said.
He declined to discuss ticket prices.
The Bend
This southwest valley project across the street from Ikea is slated to have eateries, a five-story office building and a 12-screen movie theater.
As of late 2017, the developers aimed to break ground the next year and finish in 2019. But the project site was still empty April 10 and showed no signs of activity. 
The Bend, on Sunset Road between Durango Drive and Riley Street, is expected to include Galaxy Theatres, Mothership Coffee, Thai restaurant Lotus of Siam and other tenants. It is being developed by three investors who own different sections of the project site.
Dapper Cos. founder J Dapper, who owns the biggest portion, said April 10 that he only recently obtained a grading permit, which “took a very long time to get.”
He also said there is “bad caliche in the area,” and he didn’t know whether he could blast out the rock-like soil — a roughly 10-week process — or have to dig it out — a 20-week process.
Dr. Dhaval Shah, an infectious-disease specialist who owns part of the project site, said he expects to break ground on his portion of The Bend in June or July and finish six to seven months later.
The Bend’s other landowner, Michael Panciro, did not return a call seeking comment.
Treehouse Las Vegas
This dining and entertainment complex in Las Vegas’ Arts District promises a big menu of features, including indoor and outdoor lounges, a nightclub, a dayclub with pool, a rooftop bar and lounge, indoor trees, a private speakeasy and “seafood delicacies popular in Australia and Asia.”
That’s according to a city of Las Vegas news release in August 2018 that announced the project’s groundbreaking later that month. At the time, Treehouse was expected to open in March 2019.
But as of April 10, the project was nowhere close to being finished. Its wood framing was still visible, and no construction workers were seen at the fenced-off site.
The building’s developer, Brock Metzka, did not return a call seeking comment. Efforts to interview Treehouse management were unsuccessful.
The Treehouse building, 1022 S. Main St., is already up for sale. It’s listed for $7.1 million and marketed as an under-construction retail project.
Listing broker Brian Krueger of Coldwell Banker Premier Realty said the project has had “a lot of change-orders” and could be finished by August.
He also said it was put on the market to “see what kind of activity we might get,” but indicated a sale would be subject to Treehouse being up and running.
Shanghai Plaza
In summer 2017, a developer started building a retail center in Las Vegas’ Chinatown area, a part of town that’s already packed with eatery-heavy plazas.
And so far, numerous tenants have filed in. 
Shanghai Plaza, an 80,000-square-foot project developed by Shanghai Hui De Real Estate, is 81 percent leased, according to an April 17 email from listing broker Gary Chan of Ansons Realty.
Construction finished in November, he said.
The plaza, on Spring Mountain Road at Arville Street, has lured several Asian food-and-beverage spots, including Dagu Rice Noodle, Weera Thai and SweetHoney Dessert.
Showcase Mall expansion
Known for its facade featuring a giant Coke bottle and M&M’s, Showcase Mall is next to MGM Grand and caters to tourists and others walking by on the Strip.
The mall’s ownership bought the neighboring Smith &Wollensky building in spring 2017 and filed plans to replace it with a four-story, 145,000-square-foot building to expand Showcase.
Last August, Target unveiled plans to open a 20,000-square-foot store in that new portion in 2020. The former steakhouse building was demolished by that point, but today, Showcase’s expanded section has not materialized yet. 
Target spokeswoman Jacque DeBuse said the store is still listed under its projected 2020 openings, adding the retail giant typically doesn’t have specific grand-opening timing to announce until a few months before the doors open.
Representatives of Showcase owners the Nakash family and Gindi Capital did not respond to requests for comment.
Contact Eli Segall at esegall@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0342. Follow @eli_segall on Twitter.
