Tucson's iconic Arizona Inn to add rental homes to its property

The project will include 25 1- and 2-story townhome-style casitas, with a height of up to 25 feet, and three single-family casitas with one and two bedrooms, paperwork filed with the city indicates.

Arizona Inn sits on 14 acres at 2200 E. Elm St., between North Campbell Avenue and North Tucson Boulevard. It opened in 1930.

Neighbors were sent notice of the plan earlier this month, which said it will “be developed in character with and complementary to the existing Arizona Inn.”

The homes will be owned, managed and rented by the hotel.

“The ownership team is deeply committed to preserving the quality, character and historic hospitality that have made the Arizona Inn such a beloved Tucson landmark for generations,” Brian Underwood, principal with The Planning Center, wrote in the note to neighbors.

“The proposed residences are intended to complement that vision by creating new opportunities for high-quality housing in the neighborhood, allowing residents to enjoy the Inn’s amenities and unique setting.

“Just as important, the additional income will help support the Inn’s long-term viability and financial strength so it can continue as a treasured part of Tucson for years to come,” Underwood’s note says.

According to a map submitted to city officials, the townhome casitas will be built on the lot on the southwest corner of the inn’s property, along Olsen Street.

The three single-family-style casitas will go up on the east side of the Inn’s parking lot on Elm Street and match the existing rental home there on the parking lot’s west side — known as House Six — which is secluded by hedges.

Rental prices will be determined by market conditions when the project is completed by early 2028.

The Planning Center, an architecture firm working with the Arizona Inn, said there are no renderings yet of the proposed project because work on site design is just underway.

“The intent is for these to reflect the style and character of the Inn, so the new residences blend seamlessly,” Linda Morales, CEO of The Planning Center, told the Star.

The proposed plan meets all the requirements of new state and city laws enacted to encourage more housing in urban areas.

Tucson City Council member Miranda Schubert, who represents Ward 6, addressed the project in her constituent newsletter.

She noted the Arizona Inn’s property is eligible to use the Community Corridors Tool zoning option which eases the path for developers to add density and height to vacant city parcels or parking lots.

“We recognize that not everyone will be enthusiastic about changes to such a beloved historic property and its surrounding neighborhood,” Schubert wrote. “Encouragingly, the Inn's ownership has explicitly committed to respecting its historic character and ensuring that new housing complements the property.”

The Star sent a message to the Blenman Elm Neighborhood Association, seeking comment, but did not receive a reply by deadline.

The Arizona Inn was put up for sale last spring by the family of its founder, Isabella Greenway, and was owned by her family until its sale.

A group of Tucson investors came forward and bought the property in the fall.

The new ownership group includes Steve and Margot Kerr, Greg and Marla Amado, Philip and Mimi Amos, Kirk Saunders and Ann Peterson, Brian and Shamra Strange and Jim and Kerrin Berwick.

One of the owners, Philip Amos, told the Star that when the ownership team took over the property, they looked for ways to generate income to provide financial stability.

“Tenants will get proximity to the Inn and will likely frequent the bar, library and restaurant,” he said.

He imagines University of Arizona professors, doctors and parents of UA students interested in the rental units.

Arizona Inn’s land on Wilson Avenue and Elm Street will be sold as three parcels for development into single-family homes, Amos said.

“The thinking is the buyers will build really nice homes that will enhance the overall image and aesthetic of the Inn,” Amos said.

The proceeds will be used for improvements and upgrades at the hotel.

The future rentals will match Arizona Inn with pink stucco, blue awnings and shutters, he said.

A representative from the ownership team, along with representatives from The Planning Center, will meet with neighbors next month to explain the plans as a courtesy since the new laws no longer require public hearings.

Already the new owners have upgraded the resort’s lobby, Audubon Bar, added a Jacuzzi and private cabanas to the pool area, added a spa, renovated the majority of the rooms and created a tennis membership for non-guests to play on the clay courts, Amos said.

The former Greenway House, which sits on the west end of the Inn, will become a larger spa.

The owners will offer membership plans to the Arizona Inn, which will allow access to all the hotel facilities.

Earlier this year it was one of three local hotels to be added to the Historic Hotels of America, recognized by the group for maintaining its historic integrity.

The Arizona Inn was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.