Revitalization efforts begin for Las Vegas' Historic Westside
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Several initiatives are underway to revitalize the historically underserved and impoverished community of the Historic Westside of Las Vegas.
The Historic Westside has played a vital role in shaping Las Vegas' history and culture. Councilwoman Summers-Armstrong for Las Vegas City Council Ward 5 is advocating for the transformation of the community into a thriving destination for both residents and tourists alike.
'There's so much to share, so I would like to see a rebirth where we have commerce on Jackson Avenue,' Summers-Armstrong said. 'We have restaurants, we have social places for people to go and enjoy. But most of all, a place for people to live.'
The Historic Westside serves as a hub for learning and higher education opportunities within the community.
'It's really, really important that we have a foundation for education and jobs right here so that people can find growth in themselves here in this community,' Summers-Armstrong said.
Currently under construction, the Westside Education and Training Center is a 15,000-square-foot facility next to the Historic Westside School. A collaboration between CSN and the city of Las Vegas, the center aims to offer educational resources and workforce training to support the historically underserved community.
The center will be a hub for credentialed job training in high-demand, high-paying industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and construction trade.
Behind the center will be apartments for workforce housing.
'We are doing things collaboratively, thoughtfully, but also strategically so that we have a foundation for this community to grow in a manner that is going to be sustainable,' Summers-Armstrong said.
The Historic Westside Education and Training Center is partly funded by a multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The center is set to open this summer.
'We are part of the history of Southern Nevada, of Las Vegas,' Summers-Armstrong said. 'Black people, African American people have been here for generations. Even before there was a westside, black people lived in this community.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
City moves forward with second plan for Central Park makeover; businesses, officials still split
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A somewhat symbolic sidewalk dividing a grassy lawn space has been added to the proposed design for a remade Johnstown Central Park. The original tentative idea, created by New York City-based Scape Landscape Architecture, included a spacious green area with an accessible path in the center of the grounds. The first plan was never formally adopted by Johnstown City Council. Scape's relationship with the city eventually ended. Then, in May, City Council voted 6-1 to approve a revised plan with more concrete, including a walkway and circle area near where the current fountain is located. Mayor Frank Janakovic, Deputy Mayor the Rev. Sylvia King, Ricky Britt, Marie Mock, Charles Arnone and Taylor Clark voted in favor. Councilwoman Laura Huchel was the lone 'no' vote, as she supported Scape's original design that was created after months of ideas and feedback from the community. Other divided opinions exist, too. Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership President Melissa Radovanic supports 'paramount' upgrades to aspects such as electricity, infrastructure, sidewalks and data that will help her organization put on the annual holiday display with a 36-foot-tall animated Christmas tree as the focal point. But she is 'highly disappointed' that the annual Christmas village will be mostly located in the new Park Place walkway, as opposed to being spread throughout the entire property as in the past. NEW CENTRAL PARK NO CHRISTMAS VILLAGE In contrast, Mike Messina, owner of Chameleon Bookstore, said the planned placement of the village buildings is 'wonderful for me' since it will bring visitors right to the front door of his business after the Gazebo Park street is closed and converted into a pedestrian zone. Overall, though, he thinks there 'could have been a lot more grass' in the final design. Numerous city residents, businesses and nonprofits have offered support for the project, believing it will help make the downtown a more inviting place for people to live, work and recreate. But one business located next to the town square, The Write Cup Coffee Shop, is relocating out of downtown, with the owner citing 'park-nado' among the reasons why in a recent Facebook post. State Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, and Republican Party mayoral nominee John DeBartola are among the loudest critics, opposing doing the work at all and expressing that the money could be better spent in other ways. Central Park | Downtown Johnstown View of Central Park and Main Street in downtown Johnstown on Thursday, June 12, 2025. Photo taken from the fifth floor of the AmeriServ corporate office building. Representatives from The Sweet Spot and Roots Kitchen + Juicery, two restaurants located near Central Park, made a video of themselves chained to a tree and questioning why money was being spent on changing the park in a city with a high poverty rate and other needs. They also noted that the time the park is closed for construction with no events taking place will affect their businesses. 'A lot of this is obviously in the eye of the beholder,' Johnstown City Manager Art Martynuska said. 'It's interesting. It's one of those darned-if-you-do, darned-if-you-don't kind of things. 'There are still folks out there that don't want anything done, still folks out there that wanted the Scape concept, and other folks who are in agreement with the plans that we put forth. Hopefully the compromise will lie somewhere in the middle of all three of those.' Construction is expected to begin around Labor Day. 'Move a project forward' The approved plan includes a redesigned pavilion on a concrete surface, trees and flowers, lawn space, benches, a monuments display and a water feature. A sidewalk dividing the lawn is one of the most noticeable design changes. Clark preferred the 'very spacious grassy area' and 'disagreed' with adding the cement walkway, but said he understood it was put into place under the assumption that people would cut across and make a path anyway. 'I still don't like it, but here we are,' Clark said. 'Sometimes there's compromise that has to go on to move a project forward.' Converting Gazebo Park into a pedestrian walkway is one of the biggest transformations. Messina enthusiastically supports the change that will create a place for people to stroll, sit and spend time together. But, in a Facebook post, The Write Cup's owner viewed it as a potential negative, writing, 'So by closing down our little street more parking will be eliminated and people won't even have the ability to circle the block to look for parking.' All monuments currently in the park will remain, except the historic firemen's bell that will be displayed at the Johnstown Firefighters Memorial Park that is being developed near the Franklin Street Bridge. Central Park | Downtown Johnstown Downtown visitors stop to view the fountain at Central Park in Johnstown on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The bust of founder Joseph Johns, who included the town square in his original design in 1800, is staying, but the faux cannons on either side of the monument will be taken out. The gazebo will be removed, officials said. The Pasquerilla Fountain, which was installed in the 1990s, is going to be transported to Sandyvale Memorial Gardens and Conservancy in the city's Hornerstown neighborhood. The plan is to use it as a statuary, not a functioning fountain. 'We kind of have to wait until it gets here to see what shape it's in and make sure that we can host it appropriately on site,' Diana Kabo, president of the conservancy, said. '… We're more than happy to host this beautiful fountain or sculpture here at Sandyvale.' Central Park | Downtown Johnstown Joseph Johns statue at Central Park in downtown Johnstown on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The Christmas tree will be put on a teardrop-shaped cement space close to the center of the park, as opposed to the original redesign that placed it near the current intersection of Main Street and Gazebo Park. Village houses, which are synched up with the tree as part of a music and light display, will be placed along the new Park Place and in a patio area where the gazebo currently stands. No Christmas display will be in the park this year due to the pending construction that will get underway after the work is put out to bid and contracts are awarded. 'This year's going to be tough,' Radovanic said. Messina added: 'It's going to be brutal. It will be hard. I'm going to lose Christmas (this year). We all are here. It's a shame, but it can't be helped. It can't be helped.' Radovanic said the partnership is 'pursuing all of our options' in an effort to find a temporary home for the Christmas display in 2025. All of the Central Park work is expected to be completed in time for the 2026 Christmas season. NEW CENTRAL PARK WITH CHRISTMAS 'Change in the plan' The projected total cost is between $6 million and $8 million. Johnstown City Council decided to put that money toward the park from the $30.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding it received for COVID-19 pandemic relief. Martynuska said he expects a savings of between $800,000 and $1.2 million from the original design to the new one approved by council, mostly by removing proposed rock features that would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even with the changes, Martynuska said the goal remains the same – to have the remaking of Central Park, combined with other projects, such as a Main Street streetscape, create a 'rejuvenation of downtown.' 'Hopefully, in the end, everybody will benefit,' Britt said. Britt addressed the concerns expressed by some residents and business owners, saying, 'I think that quite naturally nobody likes change. People become accustomed to seeing things certain ways. In my opinion, when you're doing something over or building something new, there's always a change in the plan somewhere. … You're going to have different opinions about different things, but hopefully it turns out that everyone will enjoy it.' Central Park | Downtown Johnstown Downtown visitors sit to talk near the Union Veterans of the Civil War statue at Central Park in Johnstown on Thursday, June 12, 2025. All ARPA money needed to be allocated by Dec. 31, 2024; therefore, any funds set aside for the Central Park work must now be spent on that project. ARPA dollars need to be spent by Sept. 30, 2026, a date that was recently moved up from Dec. 31, 2026. DeBartola suggested the city should just return the money set aside for the park to the federal government. Clark considered the idea, too. 'That would just hurt the city so much,' Clark said. 'It would be very difficult to get funding moving forward because we would have proven that we can't even get a project done once we get the money for it. At the point that we're at now, even though I believe from the get-go there was too much money to spend on Central Park and all that, we're past that point. 'We've got to move forward with the project that we have, get something good done for the people even if I disagree with some aspects of it, and move this project forward.' Clark also emphasized that the project needs to remain within budget, regardless of what unexpected situations might be encountered when construction is taking place, 'because the council will not allocate any more money for the park. This is it.' 'Changes in leadership' Scape displayed the general proposed design for the park in August 2023. Since then, City Manager Ethan Imhoff resigned, then Melissa Komar and Robert Statler served as co-interim city managers, before Martynuska took on the position full-time. There have also been three Department of Community and Economic Development directors over the same period. That coincided with what publicly appeared to be a period of inactivity on the project. 'Those changes in leadership just created disruptions,' Huchel said. Messina said he has been 'disturbed' at the pace of the remodel and how the process has been handled. 'It's been a long process,' he said. 'I was on the original Main Street project team (appointed by City Council). We had a big meeting. There was like 25, 30 of us there. We were all excited about it. That was years ago. And nothing happened. We heard nothing for a couple of years. I was very disappointed. Essentially, that was disbanded.' Thaddeus Pawlowski, an urban designer who is originally from the Johnstown region, helped Scape in the early part of the process by soliciting local involvement and keeping the public aware of what was occurring. 'I probably should have been like, 'You know what, I should just stay involved the whole time,' ' Pawlowski said. 'That's on me. I have other things to do with my life, but obviously I care deeply about this project being successful.' Pawlowski added: 'I think, in retrospect, there were some lessons learned. One is you gotta just keep the public engaged the whole time through this.' Overall, Pawlowski thinks the redesigned park will be 'hugely impactful' and provide a 'positive long-term economic benefit.' PHOTO GALLERY | Central Park | Downtown Johnstown 'Differences of opinion' Scape, which was paid $1.6 million for its work, has left the Central Park and Main Street projects. 'A lot of the conversations had stopped because of change in leadership (in the city), change in personnel,' Martynuska said. 'We reinvigorated that conversation with Scape, started the process, obviously not anew, but reignited, if you will. … None of those conversations were contentious. There were definitely differences of opinion, professional differences of opinion.' Scape founding principal Kate Orff said the turnover in City Hall leadership affected the project and that 'the plan changes were so dramatic as to kind of change the community's vision. Again, it's not our vision. We were like channeling the community's vision.' Orff said the 'better plan was to just separate and let this new process – because it is a new process – play out.' Regarding how the process went, Orff said, 'Scape has delivered signature, beloved public parks for cities around the United States, and we really tried to do that for Johnstown. 'Right now, our park, Tom Lee Park (in Memphis, Tennessee), is on the cover of Landscape Architecture Magazine. We just also won an ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) award for a park in San Francisco. 'We wish that the park in Johnstown had a different result and that we could see the community's vision through toward implementation. 'However, this is not the direction that the city wants to go in and we wish everyone the best. Many generations to come will be modifying and changing this park to suit their needs, and that is the beauty of parks and public space.' CJL Engineering, a local company that was originally a subcontractor, has taken over completion of the plan, working with UpStreet Architects. CJL did not respond to an interview request. UpStreet deferred to city officials for comment. Huchel, who is involved with two organizations that border the park – Gallery on Gazebo and Alma Hall – still emphatically supports the original plan. 'I'm really disheartened that people are no longer talking about the Scape design,' Huchel said. 'They're only talking about superimposing that design CJL and UpStreet did over Scape's design. I think it's really disheartening that Scape has had to distance themselves from this project. 'I've said numerous times that we paid $1.6 million for a plan and many of those dollars came back locally to CJL, who was always a subcontractor. But we paid $1.6 million for this plan and now we're using it as toilet paper. I think that's a really irresponsible way for us to use our federal grant dollars.' She said it was 'atrocious' and an 'incredible overreach' to override a 'robust community engagement process and a team of professionals who do award-winning parks all over the U.S.' City officials have recently stepped up messaging about the park, including discussing it during the annual State of the City Address, council meetings, personal interactions with nonprofits and governmental agencies, and a gathering in the park last Saturday.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
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Developer asks court to intervene over proposed development near Greeneville airport
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — A land developer is asking a court to reverse actions by the Greeneville Municipal Planning Commission regarding a proposed residential development near the Greeneville Municipal Airport. Land Star Development claims the commission improperly halted the project after multiple prior approvals over the past few years. The company purchased 106 acres with plans to build a 200-plus home development there, known as the Bohannan development. According to Land Star, the company closed on the property in July 2022 after the Planning Commission and City Council approved rezoning the property to allow for the proposed high-density residential development. Land Star contends that since then, the Planning Commission and City Council have allowed the project to move forward at several stages, including approving the annexation of the property, reviewing a conceptual site plan, and vacating a right-of-way. But according to Land Star's complaint, the Planning Commission denied a grading plan and permit request on March 11, 2025, after several neighbors spoke against the project. The company argues that the commission lacked the authority to deny the permit and that the project met all requirements, regulations and ordinances. 'The planning commission's decision was based on the placating negative public sentiment about the proposed development, which in turn was based on unfounded speculation concerning potential noise complaints and safety concerns of airplane failures, and lawsuits that could cause the airport to shut down,' Land Star's court filing states. The company said the town's planning director had previously discussed the proposed development with an airport official and reported that there were no concerns about the development affecting the airport. Land Star is also asking the court to reverse an April 8 vote by the Planning Commission to 'wholly deny the planned unit development project at the Bohannon property.' 'When the Bohannon development plan was rejected on April 8, 2025, the proposed plan complied with all applicable zoning requirements, ordinances, and regulations,' Land Star said. According to the company, it has spent $2.4 million to date on developing the property, including $1.4 million for its purchase. 'The expenses incurred by Land Star would not have been incurred if the Planning Commission had previously indicated that the proposed development would not be approved,' the legal filing states. News Channel 11 reached out to the town for a response to Land Star's filing. 'The Town does not comment on an active lawsuit the Town is a party to,' City Manager Todd Smith said in an email. 'The Town's attorney will respond to the petition filed in Chancery Court.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business of Fashion
8 hours ago
- Business of Fashion
Five Years After George Floyd: Can Fashion Still Stand for Something?
In June, a new nonprofit, The Jewelry Edit Foundation, convened a group of industry leaders — including executives from Coach, Tiffany & Co. and Hermès — for a 'Lunch With Purpose.' The agenda: support underrepresented designers through year-round programming with a heavy focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as sustainability. The Jewelry Edit Foundation has its roots in a retail platform of the same name (with a similar values-driven emphasis) founded by the designer Rosena Sammi in 2020, when fashion's promise to stand for something was at its loudest and most urgent. But in the second Trump administration, organisations that put DEI front and centre are increasingly rare, and groups with public backing from major corporations are even rarer. Sammi says the need to plow ahead now is more critical than it has ever been. ADVERTISEMENT 'I want to be surrounded by people brave enough to take action — not stand by on the sidelines,' she said. The Jewelry Edit founder Rosena Sammi hosts a "Lunch With Purpose," attended by high-profile leaders in the fashion and jewellery industry. (Courtesy/Courtesy) Many companies that founded DEI departments and backed organisations that support minority designers and entrepreneurs have quietly – and not so quietly – dismantled those efforts in the face of a conservative backlash. Dozens of Black-owned fashion and beauty brands that benefitted from increased attention after 2020 have shuttered, starved of capital and lacking the resources to weather economic headwinds. The pressure to keep silent was on display last week, as protests erupted in California after immigration enforcement agents arrested dozens of day labourers, including garment workers. While a handful of celebrities, including singer and rapper Doechii and Kim Kardashian spoke out, few large brands did. There was certainly nothing resembling the black square campaign of 2020 — a highly visible, if much-criticised, show of solidarity that saw brands from Chanel and Gucci to Levi's and Gap participate. Still, some of the energy sparked in 2020 hasn't disappeared. In a few cases, it's intensified. Felita Harris, a former Donna Karan executive who co-founded RAISEFashion in 2020 to support independent BIPOC designers, says there's upside in staying the course. The nonprofit in May hosted its latest 'master class' for emerging Black designers, this time on profitable growth, and partnered with Ferrara Manufacturing on a June 12 fundraiser to help underrepresented founders scale. Its latest grants are helping several Black-owned labels stay afloat, and alumni have landed roles at Louis Vuitton, Bloomingdale's and other major companies. 'I see the potential every day in [our master] classes — being able to make introductions, to stop the gatekeeping,' Harris said. Felita Harris, a former Donna Karan executive, co-founded RAISEFashion in 2020 and is doubling down on its mission to support BIPOC designers. (Courtesy/Courtesy) A few companies have kept up their pre-2024 approach to politics. Outdoor retailer REI and beauty brand Lush Cosmetics have recently doubled down on their DEI commitments — with Lush even using the acronym in product names and marketing. Designer Willy Chavarria in April partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union to launch Creatives for Freedom, which takes on issues like immigrant rights. So why have some brands and creatives continued to press forward when so many others have pulled back? ADVERTISEMENT The motivation is a combination of mission and margin — rooted in the belief that fashion can be a cultural force on issues like race, gender, and immigration, and that marginalised creatives drive the innovation and relevance the industry needs to grow with a new generation of consumers. 'Our business has always been rooted in mission and values. To stray from that now — or ever — would be antithetical to who we are,' said Nicole Lacasse, senior manager of brand and customer REDI (or racial equity, diversity and inclusion) at REI. 'We have seen firsthand the business results. This is right for our business.' For companies caught in the middle — eager to engage but wary of political blowback from a divided customer base — the path forward can feel murky. But it's not impossible. And some brands say the rewards for staying the course are becoming apparent. Backlash to the Backlash The surge in anti-DEI sentiment — from Trump's vow to 'end the tyranny' of DEI to a wave of executive orders earlier this year — has introduced real, or at least perceived, risks for fashion and beauty brands. Earlier this year, many brands determined that staying quiet was the most prudent course of action. But the anti-DEI backlash is generating its own backlash. Target — once praised for its swift response in the wake of Floyd's murder in its home city of Minneapolis — backed off its diversity commitments within hours of Donald Trump's inauguration. The URL that once led to a 2020 statement by chief executive Brian Cornell about 'a community in pain' now returns a 404 error. Foot traffic has declined in each of the four months since Target changed its policies, according to In May, Cornell told investors that year-over-year sales were down partly due to the fallout. Meanwhile, plenty of retailers have plowed ahead with their existing DEI policies, sometimes under new names, without facing a backlash from Trump or consumers. The key is to move past the 2020-era reflex to turn everything into a marketing play, experts say. ADVERTISEMENT Lush keeps its internal DEI work mostly under the radar, even as it renamed three of its bestselling bath bombs 'diversity,' 'equity' and 'inclusion' in January. That's because, while the brand is known for its activist campaigns, when it comes to its culture and workforce, 'you should take care of your own house before talking about it externally,' said Amanda Lee Sipenock Fisher, the company's head of DEI and belonging. Lush's cheekily named soaps are a natural way 'to enter the conversation with our products,' Sipenock Fisher said. But it works best when paired with substantive work behind the scenes. 'When you have a DEI programme that first and foremost serves your people, you are tuning in directly to employee engagement,' Sipenock Fisher. 'And we know that employee engagement is an incredible KPI. It is a driver of successful businesses.' Lush's "diversity" bath bomb. (Courtesy/Courtesy) That dual track approach is getting more challenging as the Trump administration puts corporate DEI initiatives under the microscope. 'I've never seen this much external interest in our work,' she said. 'Seeing [DEI] being threatened, rolled back, quieted — that was a moment for employees, consumers and companies to say, 'Wait, there is backlash to the silence.'' Retailers with the most successful DEI programmes today tend to be the ones that were thinking about the topic before 2020. REI formally embedded inclusion into its business strategy nearly two decades ago, Lacasse said. Its partnerships with groups like Outdoor Afro, Black Girls RUN!, and Latino Outdoors are part of a broader strategy that includes investing in inclusive sizing, colour palettes and gender-neutral designs — products that have become some of the company's top performers, Lacasse said. 'This is really about continuity of our brand commitment, our purpose and trust building,' she said. 'We do really believe that when we show up consistently over time, when we centre the voices of our communities and we make equity a shared responsibility, we can really strengthen our position as a brand.' Fashion as a Cultural Force Even as brands face pressure to retreat, fashion's most public-facing moments — red carpets, runways, and campaigns — remain powerful, if inconsistent, signals of inclusion. But 'visibility doesn't equal viability,' Harris pointed out. In other words, fashion has become known for splashy displays of support — like buzzy shows or red-carpet moments featuring BIPOC designers — that often fail to translate into lasting commercial success, like shelf space, wholesale deals or infrastructure investment, Harris said. The Met Gala in May offered mainstream exposure to Black creatives, with LaQuan Smith, Grace Wales Bonner, Ozwald Boateng and Sergio Hudson delivering standout red carpet moments. The spotlight on the Black dandy — a fluid term celebrating expressive, often ostentatious style — landed like a quiet protest in a politically fraught climate. Teyana Taylor, Colman Domingo and Lewis Hamilton at the 2025 Met Gala. (Getty Images) 'The Met Gala shows fashion's power to inspire the masses,' Chavarria said in an email. 'However, that must live beyond the one event and we should use that momentum to elevate voices.' The industry has repeatedly failed to turn these cultural flashes into lasting structural change — whether through sustained investment, leadership opportunities, or shelf space. With a few high-profile exceptions, including Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton and Olivier Rousteing at Balmain, designers of colour remain rare in top creative roles. These designers not only continue to be locked out of these top roles — they're also expected to lead the charge for change, often while navigating the very systemic barriers that hinder their progress. Designer Willy Chavarria walks the runway during his Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2025 fashion show. (Getty Images) 'I don't want Willie [Chavarria] to be the only one who's doing this work, and I also don't want it to always be the person who is in the marginalised community who feels that they have to be the one doing this work,' said Jessica Weitz, national director of artist and entertainment engagement at ACLU. 'There's no question that this industry could not exist without a diverse workplace ... and a diverse group of people who are in the business of buying fashion.' Fashion's influence — its soft power to shape culture and drive progress — has dulled, insiders say, not for lack of rhetoric, but for lack of follow-through. 'Maybe the world is looking at fashion in the same way we [experience it], which is, can fashion be trusted?' said Harris. 'Can it really deliver what it promises? Because how can fashion call for democracy when designers are going out of business? When there's such a lack of Black leadership at the top?' Still, designers like Chavarria say there's power in holding the industry accountable to the ideals it promotes. 'Fashion has always been political, and now it's becoming urgent,' Chavarria said. 'It is a way to resist. Now more than ever, fashion must stand with the communities that have always used it to speak out and be heard.'
