A rendering of The Deco, a new apartment complex planned for downtown Sparks.

Courtesy Silverwing Development/ARCäDESMA |

SPARKS, Nev. — Silverwing Development, headed by J. Carter Witt III, has unveiled plans to convert the C Street Parking Garage near Victorian Square in downtown Sparks into a 10-story, luxury apartment complex.

The 209-unit complex, dubbed “Deco,” would feature “modern studios” with the bedroom separating the rest of the unit, Witt said. It will have one- and two-bedroom units, as well as penthouse suites, all equipped with balconies.

The first four floors will be used for secured parking for residents, guests and staff.

Other amenities include a dog grooming station, pool, gym and clubhouse, and each floor will include trash chutes for tenants to dispose of waste. Sound mitigation tactics and a heating exchange system, which that should lower tenants’ utility bills, also are planned.

According to Silverwing, which also is acting as general contractor, the project is expected to begin in May and take nearly two years to complete.

Witt estimated the cost of the project is at least $40 million.

The building’s steel structure is going to be pre-fabricated by a company in Denver and will be transported to the jobsite. The innovation means Silverwing needs less manpower on-site, Witt said, which is key considering Northern Nevada’s stressed construction labor market.

Deco, named for its art deco design, is considered the first residential high-rise project in the Reno-Sparks region in several years, next to The Palladio and The Montage in downtown Reno.

The project is part of full-scale redevelopment of the Victorian Square area of Sparks next to the Sparks Nugget, with a mix of retail and new multi-family construction including Silverwing’s other communities, Fountainhouse Apartments and The Bridges Victorian Square Apartments.

Witt unveiled the project’s details at a public meeting March 6 at 325 Harbor Cove at Sparks Marina; the meeting was put on by 39 North Downtown, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to revitalize downtown Sparks.

“I hope people will find (Deco) will be a convenient residential location within walking distance of dining and retail and special events,” Witt said in a follow-up phone interview with the NNBW.

Visit http://www.39northdowntown.com to learn more about 39 North Downtown.