County greenlights plans for towering apartment complex east of Las Vegas Strip

By Eli Segall Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 years ago

One of the many shady courtyards of The Palms apartment complex where developers plan to build four 45-story apartment towers with over 1,400 units at the 700 block of Shara Avenue on Friday, July 28, 2017. Michael Quine Las Vegas Review-Journal @Vegas88s

A model apartment is shown with vintage furnishings at The Palms apartment complex where developers plan to build four 45-story apartment towers with over 1,400 units at the 700 block of Sahara Avenue on Friday, July 28, 2017. Michael Quine Las Vegas Review-Journal @Vegas88s

Clark County commissioners have approved plans for a towering apartment complex east of the Strip.

Florida East Coast Realty, owner of The Palms, a 200-unit apartment complex at 713 E. Sahara Ave., laid out plans to demolish it and build a four-tower, 1,480-unit rental project with nearly 135,000 square feet of retail, county documents show.

Commissioners on Wednesday voted 7-0 to approve project plans, according to county spokesman Dan Kulin.

The Palms was built in 1962 and spans 13 acres. When future mayors Oscar and Carolyn Goodman moved to Las Vegas in the 1960s, they rented an apartment there. Oscar later wrote that they were living in a complex with showgirls, casino workers and probably some prostitutes.

Florida East Coast Realty executive vice president Wayne Hollo said in July that he did not have a construction timeline but guessed a groundbreaking was at least a year away.

Contact Eli Segall at esegall@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0342. Follow @eli_segall on Twitter.