18b The Las Vegas Arts District
The district includes art galleries, clothing and antique stores, restaurants, bars, and breweries.
According to the city, the district is officially bounded by Hoover Avenue to the north and Commerce Street to the west.
[6][7][8] Located at 107 East Charleston Boulevard, in what used to be an office supply warehouse,[9] the Arts Factory housed several galleries.
A year after opening, Myles partnered with the city to throw a street festival in the immediate area known as the Gateway Music & Arts Experience.
[13] With a $100,000 loan from the city council, S2 co-owner Jack Solomon moved his company's headquarters to the area to help spur additional development.
[19][20] In 2006, artists voiced opposition to new high-rise condominium projects in the area, including Newport Lofts, expressing concern that real-estate prices would rise as a result.
Proponents such as Solomon argued that the projects would bring foot traffic to the Arts District, while the artists believed that most units would be used as vacation homes rather than full-time residences.
[23] In 2009, a sign was installed on Casino Center Boulevard for the newly named 18b Arts District, a reference to the original number of city blocks in the area.
[24] In 2010, RTC Transit established a bus route through the Arts District, a project accompanied by new trees and wider sidewalks.
[34] As growth continued, the Arts District began to struggle with an inadequate number of parking spaces.
The city purchased several parcels in order to build a parking garage for the district, with completion expected by late 2025.
[36][37] The city also partnered with Artspace Projects, hoping to eventually develop affordable living and commercial spaces for artists in the district.
It was also noted that the area is largely unknown to tourists, who typically spend most of their time on the nearby Las Vegas Strip.
The monthly event was conceived by Cindy Funkhouser, who owned the antique store Funk House.
[45][48] Life Is Beautiful, an annual festival held in downtown Las Vegas, announced that a scaled-back side event would take place at the Arts District in September 2024.
[49] The Arts District is home to various galleries,[33] clothing and antique stores,[50][51] restaurants, bars,[31][52][53] and breweries.
[72][73] Agam's project was eventually canceled as a result of disagreement between local business owners, who were at odds with each other on what material to use for the columns.
Colorful LED lights beam from the tops of the paintbrushes at night, referencing the city's history with neon signage.
Oppenheim's initial vision for this proposal consisted of four paintbrushes, but this too was scaled back because of budget constraints.
[79] In 2022, the Arts District added two neon signs in the form of 25-foot-tall showgirls, moved from an earlier location near the Strat observation tower.
