The groundbreaking ceremony signals the beginning of construction, starting with a 20-foot excavation for the underground parking area and laying of utilities.

"When we talk about milestones for construction projects, groundbreakings are the events that truly fuel excitement," said Kenneth Smith, founder, principal and managing partner of Glen, Smith & Glen Development, the developer of the southwest neighborhood. "As part of the ceremony, we will launch eight hot air balloons to represent each of the main buildings of Sullivan Square. As invited guests rise into the morning sky, they will reach the height of our tallest building and then rise higher for a bird's-eye view of our 16.5 acres."

"We're celebrating more than the beginning of a new project," Smith said. "We're heralding the arrival of a new way to live in Las Vegas with one of the first true mixed-use communities. And we are proud to be part of the suburban urban core that will be the West Village."

Steven Parker, senior vice president of UPA Group, the general contractor for Sullivan Square, shares Smith's enthusiasm.

"This groundbreaking means we're ready to bring this vision of Sullivan Square to life," said Parker. "This is the first of many exciting steps toward delivering a truly remarkable community."

Parker said the excavation and utility work will take between 60 and 90 days to complete, and then they will begin pouring the foundation for Sullivan Square's first two high-rise condominium towers, Live/Work spaces and brownstones.

The foundation will take about 30 days to pour and set. During this time, two tower cranes will be erected for the vertical construction and the concrete super structure will be seen coming out of the ground. This portion of the project is scheduled to take between eight and 10 months.

Parker estimates 25,000 truckloads of concrete will be used for the foundation and super structure, more than 5,000 tons of reinforced steel for the building, 2,000 windows and 15 miles worth of drywall partitions.

At completion, Sullivan Square will feature 1,300 residential units with six options for urban living. Currently, condominiums in Sullivan Square's first high-rise tower, Madison I, along with brownstones and Live/Work spaces are available for sale. The community will soon offer mid-rise terraced condominiums, Chicago-style lofts and townhomes.

Sullivan Square is a mixed-use community in Southwest Las Vegas, combining residential, business and retail elements in a pedestrian-friendly setting. Sullivan Square will meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standards, promoting a healthier environment and cost savings to its residents. The community is expected to save approximately 45 million gallons of water per year with an on-site treatment facility.

Sullivan Square is being co-developed by Glen, Smith & Glen Development and Harcourt Developments. Glen, Smith & Glen Development is a Las Vegas-based commercial and residential development firm and Harcourt Developments is a Dublin, Ireland-based international property development, investment and management company. Sullivan Square marks Harcourt Developments' first venture in the United States. Harcourt Developments has financed 100 percent of the project's building costs.