Summerlin Master Planned Community

Posted on November 9th, 2008 by Bret Jenkins

West of the Las Vegas Strip, at the edge of Red Rock Canyon, sits an area that fewer than 20 years ago, was nothing but empty desert. The area is now known as Summerlin, a very popular Las Vegas suburb, and one of fastest growing master-planned communities in the U.S.

Since the first family moved into Summerlin in 1991, the 22,500-acre community has become home to more than 97,500 residents, The original 25,000-acre land mass was purchased by billionaire and aviation mogul Howard Hughes Jr. in 1952 as one of his many ventures in Las Vegas. The area, first known as Husite, encompassed land from the western rim of Las Vegas and extended into Red Rock Canyon.

When Hughes died in 1976, his heirs were left with the empty land but saw the potential for a master-planned community. The name was then changed from Husite to Summerlin after Hughes’ paternal grandmother, Jean Amelia Summerlin.

After deciding it would be inappropriate to build within Red Rock Canyon, the early planners of Summerlin traded the 5,000 acres adjacent to the Canyon for 3,000 acres south, which is now known as Summerlin South. Red Rock Canyon later became a National Conservation Area in 1990. The once considered worthless desert land in the middle of nowhere would become a community of malls, business parks and million dollar homes.

Howard Hughe’s Vision Becomes Reality

To facilitate growth in 1990, The Howard Hughes Corporation began construction on Summerlin Parkway, a road that would connect Summerlin to the rest of Las Vegas. 1993 marked the opening of Summerlin’s first public school, Lummis Elementary.

Along with other projects, construction began on The Tournament Players Club at The Canyons in 1994 - where a young Tiger Woods won his first PGA Tour in 1996. Adding to the Red Rock Canyon experience, the Red Rock Resort opened in Summerlin in 2006.

A lot of people move to Summerlin to be close to Red Rock Canyon who are outdoor enthusiasts; i.e. mountain bikers, hikers, rock climbers and/or people who just love the beautiful desert vistas and wildlife.


Summerlin offers Diverse Communities

Today, Summerlin is broken down by 400-some acre neighborhoods of homes and apartments with names like “The Garden” or “The Mesa.” The Ridges, which opened in 2000, is nestled in the mountainside adjacent to Red Rock Canyon. It is the most expensive neighborhood in Summerlin, with custom homes ranging from $500,000 to over $9 million.

The Ridges was named the third most exclusive gated community in America by Forbes Magazine in 2003. Sun City, Summerlin’s retirement community, was also finished in 2000. The adult village currently has close to 8,000 homes.

Summerlin’s neighborhoods include more than 100 village parks, a trail system throughout town, nine golf courses, over a dozen houses of worship, medical facilities, and 22 public and private schools. The latest development plans include building a downtown Summerlin area in the 4,000 acres surrounding the Red Rock Resort. There are over 9,000 acres that have yet to be developed.

The Howard Hughes Corporation expects that Summerlin will reach its build-out by 2030, with a projected 200,000 residents and 80,000 homes - a far cry from the aircraft manufacturing facility and landing strip that Howard Hughes envisioned back in the mid 1990’s.

Rescue Plan to Help Beleagured Howeowners In Works

Posted on November 3, 2008 by Bret Jenkins
The Federal Government is apparently preparing to announce a rescue plan that would provide some assistance to approximately 3 Million homeowners around the US who may be facing Foreclosure.

No specific plan has been formalized yet but negotiations are underway between a number of Federal Regulatory Agencies. The brief outline announced today maps out a plan that would modifying existing loans by lowering interest rates for a five year period. More details have not been announced.

Approximately $50 Billion would be pulled from the recent Federal Bailout Plan to help homeowners and the “rescue plan” would be administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, commonly known as the FDIC.

Consumers across the US are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Federal Government’s focus on large corporations, while ignoring the American Homewowner - as are we!

Stay tuned - we believe this would/will be a great thing for the US as a whole and the local Las Vegas Real Estate Market!!