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Food is Growing at Historic Westside Urban Farms, and You’re Invited to Celebrate!
Greens are officially growing at the Historic Westside Urban Farms, and you are invited to an official ribbon cutting on Wednesday, April 12, from 2 to 3 p.m. at James Gay Park, at 197 Harrison Ave., near the intersection of B Street and Jackson Ave. Join Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman and Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear, along with MGM Resorts representatives, for the ribbon cutting and celebration. See the produce being grown, which includes:
- Green Beans
- Nevada Lettuce
- Parsley
- Arugula
- Collards
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Bok Choi
We’ll also share details on how the food being grown will be distributed to the community.
More news about the Historic Westside Urban Farms can be found here:
Historic Westside Design Center Officially Opens to the Public
The Historic Westside Design Center – a community space in the Historic Westside School, which provides information on the past, present and future of the Westside – officially opened to the public on March 16. Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman and Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear hosted a ribbon-cutting marking the opening of the center, which includes a timeline of the history of the Westside, a wall of photos featuring residents of the community today, an informational wall for the HUNDRED Plan in Action, and a mural showcasing the heritage of the community. The center will be the location of future community meetings and events and will serve as a space for residents and visitors to learn about the Westside.
More news about the Historic Westside Design Center can be found here:
New Historic Westside Library Approved by City Council
In February, the Las Vegas City Council approved a development plan for a proposed two-story, 40,430-square-foot library being spearheaded by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. The new library is planned for Martin Luther King Boulevard and Vegas Drive, and could open in early 2025. It would replace the smaller, aging West Las Vegas Library. In addition, to traditional library offerings the facility will feature an event center, a secured courtyard and a large outdoor area that can host farmers markets and events.
More news about the new Historic Westside Library can be found here:
More news about the new Historic Westside Library can be found here:
City Awarded Funding Through Inaugural Grant Program to Support Westside Street Improvements
In February, the city of Las Vegas was awarded a $2 million federal grant through the government’s inaugural grant program called “Reconnecting Communities Pilot.” Funding will go toward complete streets improvements along Interstate 15/Bonanza Road and F Street, including the addition of widened sidewalks, trees, lighting and curb extensions. These improvements are part of a comprehensive effort to invest in safer multi-modal infrastructure throughout the Westside neighborhood.
More news about the grant can be found here:
New Affordable Housing Opens in the Historic Westside
Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada (NHSSN) officially opened a six-unit building in the Historic Westside at Jefferson Avenue and E Street in February. NHSSN, with the help of the city, purchased the property in 2019 and it’s been renovated to provide new affordable housing options in the neighborhood. The units are under 600-square-feet, one bedroom, one bath with a kitchen and a washer and dryer. Rent starts as low as $491 and goes as high as $971. Eligibility is income based, with tenants making between 30 and 80 percent of the area’s median income. For more information about availability at this property, call NHSSN at 702.551.RENT or visit their website.
More news about NHSSN’s housing development can be found here:
Mario’s Westside Market Prepares to Undergo Major Expansion, Renovation
Mario’s Westside Market is a locally-owned grocery market that has been located on the corner of West Lake Mead and Martin Luther King boulevards since 1997 – one of the only local markets serving the Historic Westside community. Last month, Mario’s received a $1 million grant from the city of Las Vegas’ American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support an expansion and renovation of the store.
Owner Mario Berlanga is using the funds to acquire the building adjacent to his – an old CVS pharmacy – adding 6,000 square feet more of sales floor space, including a bakery and more produce options at affordable prices. The expansion is anticipated to create 10 to 15 more jobs.
Construction on the new space is expected to begin this month and continue through the summer.
More news about Mario’s expansion and renovation can be found here:
Celebratory Plans Underway to Mark 100 Year Anniversary of the Historic Westside School
The oldest standing school in the valley is turning 100 years old this year. The Historic Westside School opened in 1923 at the exact location where it currently sits today on the corner of D and Washington Streets. It underwent a $12.5 million city of Las Vegas-led renovation in 2016 and today serves as a hub for community organizations – including KCEP radio – and events.
Community leaders and alumni of the Historic Westside School are planning celebratory events to commemorate the school in the Fall of 2023. Stay tuned for more details.
More news about the 100 year anniversary can be found here:
Historic Westside Legacy Park Receives a Mayor’s Design Award
The Historic Westside Legacy Park, located at 1600 Mount Mariah Drive and designed by the city of Las Vegas in collaboration with LGA Architecture and LAGE Design, was honored with a 2023 Mayor’s Design Award in the category of Public Places.
The Mayor’s Urban Design Awards honors exceptional urban design and recognizes projects that foster the city’s commitment to sustainability and livability. Other winners include:
- Buildings and Environment – The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, 650 Shadow Lane, designed by TSK Architects;
- Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse – Mahoney’s Retail Center featuring Tacos El Pastor and the Donut Factory, 608 S. Maryland Parkway, designed by Dapper Building Company LLC.; and
- Public Art – “Our Collective Strength Has No Boundaries,” a mural at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave., created by Ardy del Rocio.
For photos of all the winning projects, please visit https://clv.files.com/f/b33e40d06ef52de1.
New Murals Bringing Color to the Historic Westside
A number of new murals are emerging on the walls of Historic Westside buildings. In January, Councilman Cedric Crear held a dedication event for new murals on the walls of the West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., created by local artist and project manager Chase McCurdy as well as muralists, Iandry Randriamandroso, X Darvi and Michelle Graves. The new murals are an extension of the mural wall that runs along the eastern boundary of the park, joining a previous mural that was completed in 2018 by artist Dray Wilmore.
Additionally, another mural is currently underway at the Obodo Collective, 1300 C. St.
The Historic Westside will continue to be the recipient of more large-scale murals, thanks to the city of Las Vegas, the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas Life and Chase McCurdy. The city continues to look for property owners who own a building within the Historic Westside who would be interested in having a mural on their property. The city will work with selected owners to fund and facilitate the creation of an original wall mural by a professional artist. Identified establishments will need to review and sign the city’s wall use agreement to move forward once selected. There is no cost to the property owner to receive a mural.
Interested property owners can apply here. You must submit a letter of interest, business and mural location information, and an image of the space for the proposed mural.
More news about the Historic Westside Mural Project can be found here:
U.S. Economic Development Administration Visits the Historic Westside
In January, Sheba Person-Whitley, Director of EDA’s Seattle Regional Office (center) and John Edmond, EDA’s Economic Development Representative for Nevada (right) toured the Historic Westside to learn about all the reinvestment efforts underway. The EDA has recently funded three projects in the Historic Westside that are part of the HUNDRED Plan in Action, including:
- $1.7 million to the city of Las Vegas to expand wireless connectivity to economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Westside area, known as Advanced Connectivity for Community and Economic Development (ACCED)
- $1.8 million to support the Culinary Training and Leadership Academy in partnership with the Chef Jeff Project
- $6.9 million to develop the CSN Workforce and Education Training Center, adjacent to the Historic Westside School
B.O.S.S. Program
The Business, Opportunity, Success & Sustainability (B.O.S.S) Program provides counseling, training and mentorship to small businesses located in the Historic Westside, or to those who wish to conduct business in the Historic Westside. The program is designed to help small businesses close the capabilities and capacity skills gap to help their companies grow and establish a solid sustainability plan.
Workshops will be held at the Historic Westside School, 330 W. Washington Ave. beginning at 8 a.m. with breakfast and networking followed by the work sessions from 9 a.m. to noon. To attend please register by email at smitchell@lasvegasnevada.gov or calling 702.229.4075. Upcoming events include:
- April 1 - The 12 steps of marketing
- April 5 - Welcome to the zone
- April 8 - Finance for funding opportunities
- April 15 - Building people to build the business
B.O.S.S improves business planning, strategy, operations, financial management, personnel administration, marketing, other areas necessary for small business expansion. For more information please email bossclv@lasvegasnevada.gov.
2023 Black History Month (February) in Review
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