Trevor Hayes and Erin Russell-Hayes have made careers of being at the heart of the action.  Trevor is an attorney with Cooper Levenson and Erin is a lobbyist for Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer and Fiorentino.   This young power couple recently purchased their dream home in Rancho Nevada Estates in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. Living close to great dining and shopping spots truly makes them feel their neighborhood is indeed at the heart of the action.

Married just two years ago,  Trevor and Erin  wanted to live some place that felt more like a true neighborhood. “We love the big trees in our new neighborhood. There is a nearly 50-year-old mulberry tree in our backyard that shades the entire lawn,” said Trevor.  “The houses are set back farther from the street so our neighbors actually use their front yards. There are always kids playing out front and neighbors frequently walk their dogs. We love that our neighbors actually talk to each other and don’t shut the garage after they pull into the driveway. We received holiday gifts from many neighbors less than one month after moving in, and we’ve attended many neighborhood barbecues.  Our experience here is markedly different from what we experienced living in the suburbs.”

Both Trevor and Erin enjoy the convenience of nearby locally owned restaurants that have been around for decades, such as the Egg and I, where they have breakfast most Sunday mornings, Broadway Pizzeria, El Sombrero (Las Vegas' oldest Mexican restaurant), Luv-it Frozen Custard and newer places such as Firefly in the Plaza and Lola's in Holsum Lofts. “In the suburbs, most of the restaurants are national chains and we love the experience, the ambiance and the food of locally owned restaurants,” said Erin. “We can get to most any place in the Las Vegas Valley in less than 15 minutes, and we’re just minutes from our offices, shopping on the Strip, the Meadows Mall, or the Las Vegas Premium Outlets. Our central location also makes our home a great meeting place for friends who live throughout the valley.”

With the opening of The Smith Center and other downtown developments in Symphony Park, plus the existing Springs Preserve, neither Trevor or Erin have looked back after moving to central Las Vegas. “In the next few years, there will be even more to do just down the street,” said Trevor. “The people who choose to live downtown are different from those we met in the suburbs. They want to connect with their neighbors and enjoy their community. Erin fondly refers to our neighborhood as ‘Pleasantville,’ after the movie of that name. She says it’s like walking through the television screen into a different era when neighbors were friends, rather than just the people who happen to sleep ten feet away.”

All in all Trevor and Erin could not be happier in their new found home in downtown Las Vegas. They are true urban-dwellers who will be living downtown for many years to come.

Photo: Trevor, Erin and their dog, Riley