Paradise Palms is a
Mid-Century Modern
Mid-century modern (MCM) is a movement in interior design, product design, graphic design, architecture and urban development that was present in all the world, but more popular in North America, Brazil and Europe from roughly 1945 to 197 ...
housing community in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
located between downtown and the city's University District.
It was designated as a historic overlay district in 2021, the first such recognition in Clark County.
The planned community, Las Vegas' first,
was the brain child of
Irwin Molasky in 1960 who hired the architectural firm of
Palmer & Krisel to build a community within walking distance to his
Boulevard Mall and when completed drew entertainers, mobsters and other members of the city's social scene.
A house originally owned by Fred Glusman subsequently featured stays by Cher, Don Rickles, Diana Ross and other Vegas entertainers.
The original homes off Cayuga Parkway debuted in 1960 and were developed by Molasky and Adelson's Paradise Homes. In 1963, other builders were added to the community, including California-based Americana Homes, Tropical Estates by Vallee Development, Stellar Greens by D.L Bradley, Miranti Homes and Fontainebleau Estates by Eastern Enterprises.
The inspiration for Paradise Palms was
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
, which exhibited a similar post-World War II population boom.
The land on which the houses were built was originally part of the Stardust Golf Course, now known as Las Vegas National.
The neighborhood and construction thereof were featured in a 2011 exhibit, ''A Place in Paradise...the Quintessential Las Vegas Neighborhood''.
Notable people
Residents of Paradise Palms throughout the decades have included celebrities Dean Martin,
Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
,
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( – December 30, 1970), nicknamed "the Big Bear", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1962 after k ...
,
Debbie Reynolds,
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...
' protégé
Robert Maheu,
Bobby Darrin,
Dionne Warwick
Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...
,
Foster Brooks,
Phyllis Diller,
Buddy Hackett,
Pat Cooper,
Shecky Greene,
Rip Taylor, and mobster Sam "Baby Shoes" Prezant. Other former residents include politicians
Jack Vergiels, Melvin D. Close, Jr, Imogene Ford and various casino strip entertainment executives such as
Ash Resnick,
Jimmy Newman and
Jerry Gordon.
References
External links
*
{{Las Vegas Valley
Buildings and structures in Las Vegas
Planned communities in Clark County, Nevada