Clark County puts off New Orleans Square decision again as tenants wait on demolition, rehab and relocation plans

What happened

Businesses at New Orleans Square, an aging shopping center just east of the Strip off Liberace, still do not know whether the complex will be torn down or fixed up, KTNV reported. Clark County bought the property in 2024, and commissioners have been weighing demolition against rehabilitation.

At the Clark County Redevelopment Agency meeting on Oct. 21, commissioners reviewed Nevada laws covering relocation and redevelopment. According to KTNV, the discussion produced many questions and much confusion, and commissioners agreed to continue it in November so they would have more time to understand the statutes.

Staff was also directed to start crafting a relocation proposal to be presented. The county has not settled on a course of action or on how it would accommodate businesses during construction work.

Updated cost estimates

Commissioners received updated figures at the meeting. KTNV reported that the estimates have grown after additional deficiencies were discovered.

Demolition versus repair

• Demolishing the four buildings: estimated at $3.8 million.
• Bringing the buildings up to code: estimated at $21.4 million.
• Making the buildings leasable, including replacing storefront glass and HVAC: estimated at $25.3 million.

For more on county and private projects around the valley, see our development coverage and recent real estate news.

What tenants are saying

A longtime business worries about delay

Sabrina Saffel manages Violin Outlet, which has called the complex home for decades. She told KTNV she fears that rapidly rising construction costs could lead commissioners to do nothing at all if they do not act soon, and she hopes the county chooses renovation.

Saffel said tenants do not know whether they will have 6 months or a year, or whether they would be asked to come back. "It's nerve-wracking, to say the least," she told KTNV. She and many other tenants want the center renovated while keeping its old charm and sense of community.

A neighborhood survey favors rehab

Monica Gresser of Brazen Architecture, located a few steps away, said they did a community survey in September. She shared the results, and according to the analysis, a majority of neighbors and stakeholders want the complex rehabilitated rather than torn down.

Gresser recalled a time when the courtyard hosted small markets, music and art functions, with artists upstairs and downstairs. Both she and Saffel fear the lack of action has driven some businesses away in recent years, contributing to the emptiness seen now. "It is a little frustrating that nothing is still happening," Gresser told KTNV.

What commissioners said

Signs of frustration on the dais

Saffel said she was encouraged that some commissioners also seem to be feeling the frustration of inaction. "We've got to make some decisions for people," Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said at the Oct. 21 meeting, according to KTNV. "That's our job."

Gresser said she wished the county had taken action sooner, telling KTNV that New Orleans Square could be the catalyst for the renovation of all of Commercial Center.

What to watch next

• Clark County commissioners are expected to revisit New Orleans Square in November.
• County staff was directed to start crafting a relocation proposal to be presented.
• Commissioners have yet to decide between demolition and rehabilitation, and how businesses would be accommodated during construction.