Traffic counts key for new retail

Dean Smith and Frank Lepori, owners of the South McCarran Square Shopping Center, hope high traffic counts on McCarran

Boulevard near Greg Street spell success for the center, which is under construction.

Smith says information provided by the University of Nevada, Reno cites 68,500 cars each day that pass in both directions. In addition, more than 18,000 people work within one mile of the center at Kresge Lane and McCarran Boulevard.

The center, built by Lepori Construction, already houses a First Independent Bank branch, and Subway leased 1,344 square feet of retail space.

Lepori Construction is nearing completion of an additional 8,100 square feet of retail space at the site, but Smith doesn't expect tenant improvements to be completed until fall.

"We have two prominent potential tenants, and if everything goes well most all of that building will be leased," Smith says. Both potential tenants have worked with the owners in the past.