Developing downtown Las Vegas

A mural brightens the former Woolworth’s at the corner of 6th and Fremont in downtown Las Vegas. Murals were painted as part of the redevelopment efforts led by Zappos.com founder Tony Hsieh.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

A 3-D mural painted for the Breast Cancer Awareness cause is one of many recently painted as part of the downtown Las Vegas redevelopment effort.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

New murals face a parking lot on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Lou Filardo takes his daily walk around downtown Las Vegas. Filardo believes low-income and elderly residents are being squeezed out by redevelopment.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Lou Filardo stands in an empty lot across the street from the Ogden, a luxury apartment complex home to Zappos.com Chief Executive Tony Hsieh.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Workers put the finishing touches on Container Park, an outlet mall built from shipping containers that’s part of Tony Hsieh’s redevelopment plan in Las Vegas.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Artist Julio Pisaco paints holiday scenes on the window of Uncle Joe’s Pizza on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. Many small businesses have been pushed out by downtown redevelopment; Uncle Joe’s, in business more than 17 years, is holding on.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Lights from the El Cortez Hotel reflect in the window of a business on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.   (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Refurbished neon signs brighten Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)