Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Midtown Modern makes preservation a priority
New community embraces past and present designs
Exit west onto Charleston Blvd from Interstate 15, just minutes from downtown, and you’ll be surrounded on both sides by the residential neighborhoods that constitute the central heart of historic Las Vegas community living.
Many of Las Vegas’ most prominent founding members have called these neighborhoods home.
Howard Hughes, Jerry Lewis, former Mayor Oscar Goodman and, pioneer of the downtown revitalization project, Tony Hsieh, are just a few of the many movers and shakers whose personalities have left a mark on the visual landscape. It’s not unusual to find sprawling ranch-style homes nestled comfortably next to colonial revival estates, shaded by climate conscious midcentury modern roof lines.
While the theme of architectural diversity and eclectic allure cannot be ignored, the spirit of preservation and local connectedness serve as the backbone of this historic epicenter.
Located off Charleston Boulevard, off Campbell Drive, lies the road leading to the latest contribution to the love and spirit of our local past and present. It is here that Blue Heron has chosen to erect its latest custom-home community.
“We are committed to maintaining the architectural integrity of these neighborhoods and preserving the historic character of the downtown aesthetic,” said Blue Heron founder Tyler Jones. Progress is often at the expense of preservation, and this new community pays a genuine architectural homage to a midcentury modern look that not only agrees with, but also celebrates the history of the surrounding structures, he said.
Midtown Modern Estates are characterized by a the company’s Vegas Modern aesthetic, combined with midcentury modern design elements to ensure a coherent placement among the historic backdrop of the surrounding landscape.
Homeowners often live in fear of new development in these historic communities. Surrounding neighborhoods such as Spanish Oakes, Scotch Eighties and Rancho circle, are under threat from builders quick to cash in on the latest trends.
It’s no surprise Blue Heron has a different take.
“I grew up on Bannie Avenue in Scotch Eighties. It would be a shame to see the neighborhood where I formed some of my earliest memories scarred by a cookie-cutter approach to new development in this area,” said Jones’ father and Blue Heron co-founder, Steve Jones.
The interior spaces featured in the Midtown Modern Estates will include the indoor-outdoor connectivity many have come to love from Blue Heron. Contemporary finishes will be integrated with some vintage appeal, while midcentury-planned roof lines merge seamlessly with climate-conscious construction.
This project is set to raise the bar on green living, with a heightened design commitment to the organic placement of structural elements, resulting in increased energy-efficiency with reduced environmental dependency on fossil fuel consumption. “New development doesn’t have to be at the expense of what makes a neighborhood historically relevant, or uniquely Las Vegas,” Tyler Jones said.
Technology can help to foster in a new era of design efficiency, meeting the lifestyle and cultural expectations of the present, while still celebrating an aesthetic record of our beloved past, he added.