Union Village, Henderson deal amended again

The city of Henderson has amended its land purchase agreement a fifth time with Union Village LLC.

The latest change, approved Tuesday by the City Council, postpones the escrow closing date until Sept. 17.

The deal, approved in June 2011, calls for the city to sell 150.7 acres near U.S. Highway 95 and Galleria Drive for $11.6 million.

The $1.6 billion project on a total of 228 acres is billed as the first integrated health village in the world.

City Manager Jacob Snow has said the city will not sell its land until the developer has signed an agreement with the primary tenant.

“They’re in another exclusive arrangement with a hospital developer who is very keen on serving the residents of Henderson,” Snow said last week.

The village developer had a one-year agreement to negotiate exclusively with Dignity Health, but that agreement ended in January. Dignity Health owns the two St. Rose Dominican hospitals in Henderson.

When a three-month extension was approved in April, the developer agreed to about $115,000 in escrow deposits each month.

With the latest amendment, Union Village has agreed to reimburse the city an additional $500,000 in roadway improvements, Murnane said.

Henderson spokesman Bud Cranor said, “I think you can safely say: When you start to get money, that makes things a little more real.”

MORE PARKING AT PARK

A month after it officially opened, Cornerstone Park at 1600 Wigwam Parkway, near Stephanie Street, is poised to receive new amenities, including interpretive signage and 115 additional parking spaces.

The Henderson City Council approved a change order Tuesday that allotted $481,000 for the improvements.

Also planned is a pedestrian walkway with warning beacons at Wigwam Parkway.

“The popularity of the park has accelerated staff’s plans to add additional parking facilities,” according to background included with the agenda item. “There were also concerns expressed by the local citizenry regarding pedestrian crossing of Wigwam to enter the park. These enhancements are designed to address those concerns.”

Cornerstone Park was funded with $16.4 million generated through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, and the additional funds will come from the same source.

WATER STREET WORK

Work could begin by the end of the year to repave and narrow Water Street and a pedestrian path between Lake Mead Parkway and Boulder Highway.

In June 2012, the City Council approved a cooperative agreement between the city and the Nevada Department of Transportation for the design and construction of landscaping improvements on that area of Water Street.

On Tuesday, the council approved a revision to the Water Street Enhancement Project to include reconstruction of the street.

“If you drive the road, it’s not the prettiest approach to downtown Henderson,” said Bob Murnane, public works director for Henderson.

The total estimated project funding, which includes federal sources and $100,250 in matching funds from the city, is nearly $2.7 million.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.