Summerlin stays beautiful during construction

Framing the western valley from Russell Road on the south to Cheyenne Avenue on the north, the Summerlin master-planned community is one of Las Vegas' largest ongoing construction projects. In its nearly 13 years of development, the community has become home to more than 30,000 homes, 16 schools, 13 houses of worship, 12 retail centers, 10 office parks, more than 100 parks and other amenities.

Despite its ongoing construction, the developer, The Howard Hughes Corp., has strived to keep the community clean and beautiful through a dust control program and orderly construction practices, according to Larry Brocato, executive vice president of Hughes Corp.

"While the health and comfort of our residents is a primary concern for The Howard Hughes Corp., we are also committed to ensuring Summerlin construction unfolds in an orderly and organized manner. With an average of more than 35 individual construction projects simultaneously under way in Summerlin on any given day, construction management is not only a priority but a necessity," Brocato said.

"Each year, we spend more than $60 million on new infrastructure, including power, water, phone and sewer lines, streets, sidewalks, and landscaping. That is no small investment, but it sets the image of the community and keeps construction and development as orderly as possible," he said.

"We employ precautionary measures to reduce the impact of construction-related dust to avoid interfering with the lifestyle of our residents."

Its dust control program is managed by Soil-Tech, a licensed dust and erosion control contractor. Hughes has also designated a full-time employee to oversee dust control on all projects within the community.

"Helping maintain air quality in our valley is a top priority for Hughes," Brocato said. "Dust control is a necessary and significant contribution to community wellness, and we are committed to keeping our air quality within guidelines recently established by the local development industry."

Representatives of Hughes Corp. have played an integral role in establishing these guidelines. Daniel Van Epp, president of Hughes Corp., served as chairman of the Environmental Advisory Committee, a group appointed by the Clark County Commission to help develop and coordinate air quality control efforts. Tom Warden, Hughes' vice president of community and government relations, also served on the committee.

Other Hughes representatives were involved in the process, serving as members of an industry coalition organized by the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association in early 2000 to create a self-imposed system of dust control enforcement and to determine acceptable dust standards.

Summerlin has ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community 10 of the past 11 years, according to independent surveys. Unfolding in villages along the western rim of the valley, it is home to eight golf courses, more than 100 miles of trails, medical facilities, cultural facilities and nearly 150 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom-home sites in The Ridges are priced from the high $500,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $2.1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

For more information, visit www.reviewjournal.com/realestate and click on the Summerlin link.

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