Water Street District (Henderson, Nevada)

The Henderson Redevelopment Agency was formed in 1995 to revitalize older areas of the city, with Water Street as the primary focus.

[3][4][5][6] Downtown revitalization efforts go as far back as 1962, when Henderson's Urban Renewal Agency unsuccessfully proposed the demolition of "substandard" houses and businesses on Water Street.

[8] Water Street evolved to feature different businesses such as banks and legal offices, while retail gradually dwindled.

The property consisted of commercial and residential space, and the city planned to redevelop the land as part of its beautification efforts.

[17][18] By the late 1990s, Henderson mayor James B. Gibson and business owners on Water Street were frustrated by the slow pace of redevelopment.

[20][21] By 2000, the city had introduced a homeowner assistance program to fund renovations in downtown residences, hoping to improve the area.

A storm drainage system was also added to prevent the flooding of businesses, a common problem on Water Street.

[26][27] Henderson sought to remove businesses such as pawn shops and bail bond agents by 2003, as part of its redevelopment efforts.

[28] A significant shopping demographic for the Water Street District would be the 8,000 workers in the nearby area, including city employees and those working at St. Rose Dominican Hospital.

[35] Two high-rise condominium projects – City Tower and Water Street Commons – were postponed due to poor economic conditions,[36][37] ultimately going unbuilt.

[38] In 2013, city officials hoped to bring several lounges to Water Street in an effort to add nightlife to the area.

[53] Interest among developers had been renewed following the announcement that the Henderson Silver Knights hockey team would open an arena on Water Street.

[77][78][79] In 1999, Water Street began hosting regular art festivals and farmers' markets to help revitalize the downtown area.

Water Street South, an office and retail project, opened in 2005, on land that was occupied years earlier by houses.

[87][88][89] A multi-phase project, Southend on Water, was among new businesses opened in the late 2010s, providing additional office space and residential units.

[49][90] A motel, the Henderson Town House Motor Lodge, had opened on Water Street in 1962,[91][92] and was demolished in 2019 to make way for additional mixed-use development.

[72] In 2021, Strada Development Group began construction on The Watermark,[93] a $50 million project that would include retailers, office space, and 151 apartments.

[97][98] In 2022, Strada announced separate plans for The Waterfalls, a 22-story mixed-use project that would include hotel rooms and apartment units.

It would be built on the site previously planned for City Tower, at the north end of the Water Street District.