New apartments in downtown Las Vegas to feature on-site therapy

The new 63-unit apartment complex in Las Vegas’ Arts District, expected to be finished by May, will have a unique feature: On-site therapy.

Developer Sam Cherry said that in shareDOWNTOWN, located on the southwestern corner of Casino Center Boulevard and Colorado Avenue, a therapist will visit regularly to meet with tenants. Initial consultations will be free for residents but the exact details of the program long-term were still being worked out.

A doctor will also stop by regularly to perform health and welfare checks such as physicals and blood pressure readings, and there will be a so-called Zen Room for yoga, meditation and other wellness activities.

“There’s more to life in a project than having a big fancy pool,” said Cherry, inspired by his wife who’s a therapist, as he unveiled the stylish design for the under-construction complex during a ceremony Tuesday.

The development’s plans include an interior, open-air courtyard and ground level retail and parking.

It has been more than a decade since Cherry, chief executive of Cherry Development, built a residential project in downtown Las Vegas after the construction of the SoHo and Newport lofts in 2006 and 2008, respectively. But since pivoting to hospitality projects following the economic downtown, Cherry’s new four-story apartment complex signals the company’s return to the residential market in the heart of the city.

“When we started it was with (former Mayor) Oscar Goodman,” he said. “It was his vision that really drew us to downtown and now our current mayor’s vision to keep it going and really make it better than it’s ever been before.”

Mayor Carolyn Goodman said her husband, Oscar, believed downtown’s success would hinge on attracting a concentration of people while creating a viable arts and culture community. ShareDOWNTOWN will incorporate art into the design, including murals from local artist SNIPT.

The apartment units will be 480 square feet and are expected to rent for $1,100 to $1,300 per month, according to Cherry. The complex, which broke ground in July, is within the city’s Ward 3.

Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, who represents the ward, called the development another addition to the overall ward’s “livelihood,” following projects such as the SoHo and Newport lofts, Juhl, The Ogden and Fremont9.

But in particular, the new apartment complex would be a boon to the Arts District, according to Diaz.

“It really is a renaissance within our Arts District and it only makes sense to have new housing options to support all the people who want to live where they want to work,” she said.

Contact Shea Johnson at sjohnson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ on Twitter.