LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Several palm trees along Casino Center and Coolidge Avenue in the Las Vegas Arts District have been cut down to accommodate a new apartment complex, leaving stumps and reducing tree canopy in an area residents and arborists say depends on shade.
Midtown Development says they are responsible for the removals. The company said the palms were taken down to accommodate necessary utility and infrastructure work for the development, that the work was done with city approvals, and that it plans to replace the trees at a later date. The City of Las Vegas confirmed it did not remove the trees.
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‘A waste of a resource’
Downtown Las Vegas is considered an urban heat island, where dense asphalt and concrete trap heat and raise local temperatures. The Arts District sits within that zone, and the removed trees stood along a corridor with high pedestrian traffic, including a public transit stop across the street.
Lisa Ortega, a master arborist and executive director of Nevada Plants, said the loss affects both the appearance of the neighborhood and its function.
“It’s quite a waste of a resource, these beautiful trees,” Ortega said.
She said palm trees of the type removed can grow large canopies that provide meaningful shade.
“Of these kind, you see the heads get really big,” Ortega said. “And they actually do quite a bit of shading.”
Arborist: Trees could have been relocated
Ortega said cutting the trees was not the only option available to the developer. She said palms can be extracted and stored during construction, then replanted once work is complete.
“You can pick them up with a spade,” she said. “Sometimes it takes a crane.”
She said the trees can survive temporary displacement.
“You just can move it out for a while,” Ortega said. “I mean, I’ve even seen them stored on asphalt for a week. I couldn’t believe it.”
Ortega said she hopes tree preservation becomes standard practice for future development in the downtown area.
“I would like them to give us some sustainability in what we’ve got,” she said. “In a way, it’s about taking care of what we have.”
The Midtown Las Vegas provided this statement:
“The palm trees have been temporarily removed to accommodate necessary utility and infrastructure work associated with the Midtown development. This work is part of the approved construction process, and the trees will be replaced as the project progresses. The removal is temporary, and the City of Las Vegas has coordinated with and approved the work.
We’re incredibly excited about what Midtown will bring to downtown Las Vegas and the Arts District. This project represents a significant investment in the area and will enhance connectivity and walkability while creating a vibrant new destination for residents, businesses and visitors.”
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