HENDERSON (KTNV) — A high-rise apartment complex in downtown Henderson has sat in total darkness for a year and the building isn’t the only thing being left in the dark. Business owners and nearby residents tell Channel 13 they are frustrated and want answers about what’s going there.
“There's nothing there now. It's just a big dark empty building that’s a plight on Water Street,” said Jeremy Day, owner of Freak’s Tattoo Emporium.
Hear from another business owner we spoke to about the empty Watermark building:
The mixed-use complex was first announced in 2021 and promised to inject new life and foot traffic into the area, but Day will tell you it’s been anything but that since December of 2023 when construction came to a halt.
“One day everybody just pulled out. They started moving equipment and a couple days later they came back, loaded up everything and were just gone,” Day said.
The seven-story high-rise was almost complete, but now it’s nearly $16 million in debt due to liens filed against the property.
The legal battle between the project’s developer, Strada Development Group, and the contractor, Gillett Construction, has only added to the uncertainty.
“We thought they would get it worked out. Somebody would write some checks, they’d get paid and they’d be back on it,” Day said.
The development company filed for bankruptcy over the summer. Meanwhile, the city of Henderson says they’re hopeful for a resolution.
City officials told Channel 13 in a statement Monday:
“Any actions regarding the Watermark project are subject to the ongoing U.S. bankruptcy court matter. The city remains hopeful for an agreement between the many stakeholders in the bankruptcy action and remains ready to help the project move forward to completion once allowed by the bankruptcy court.”
As of right now, there’s no timeline for when construction will start up again.
Channel 13 has reached out to Strada Development Group but has not received a comment.
