Big year ahead for Summerlin

It is an exciting time in Summerlin, where construction of parks, homes and commercial properties takes center stage, just as it has for nearly 11 years.

"The future looks as bright today for America's best-selling master-planned community as it did a year ago," Stew Gibbons, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., overseer of Summerlin development, said. "As Summerlin expands westward and southward, the community remains as committed to quality development and quality of life as it did in its early years.

"Summerlin is currently offering new homes within approximately 50 active neighborhoods. While a number of those neighborhoods will sell out this year, the 20 or so new neighborhoods will keep home inventory within Summerlin somewhat constant throughout the year. Despite recent economic and world events, we are anticipating yet another strong sales year for the community."

Construction is planned to start on three major parks, a public elementary school, a Catholic church and elementary school, and landscaping and infrastructure in the four newest villages. Construction of office and retail centers in The Gardens and Summerlin Centre villages will continue.

Most home construction will take place in The Vistas village, where two parks will be built. A 7-acre park will feature playgrounds, picnic areas, restrooms and an open play field, while a 25-acre park will provide a community center, playgrounds, picnic areas, football and baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, and a dedicated area for dogs. In addition, the village's first 48-foot clock tower and entry monument will be built.

The Ridges, a luxury golf village, will see the debut of a custom neighborhood offering half-acre lots, and the start of construction on Club Ridges. The exclusive club is expected to open in mid-2003 with tennis courts, pools, a fitness center and community center.

Within Ridgebrook, a mini-village located northwest of The Ridges, construction is scheduled to start on the Judy and John L. Goolsby Elementary School, which will open for the 2003-2004 school year.

As residential development nears completion in The Gardens village, construction is set to start for The Gardens Village Center, a 14.5-acre grocery store-anchored retail center with a gas station.

In Summerlin Centre, infrastructure construction will include streetscapes and landscaping along Pavilion Center Drive and Park Center Drive, the village's two major arteries. The streets will be lined with palm trees that will define and delineate the village's commercial core and planned central park.

"A 90-foot-wide park nestled within the median of Park Center Drive is being designed similarly to Commonwealth Avenue in Boston," Gibbons said. "Ongoing residential development in the village will also feature homes featuring traditional neighborhood design elements, such as front porches, garages set off the street, and curb-separated sidewalks."

Summerlin is developing along the western edge of the Las Vegas Valley, and has more than 60,000 residents in more than a dozen villages.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. More than 100 models are open.

Custom lots from one-quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $3 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartment homes offer monthly rents from the $700s.

Summerlin has nearly 100 parks, more than 90 miles of trails, houses of worship, 16 schools, cultural facilities, business parks, shopping centers and medical centers. Eight golf courses are open.

To visit the community's home finding center, take Sahara Avenue west, past Hualapai Way, to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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