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.”
