The buzz of activity has attracted some residents living on the outskirts of Tucson to relocate or get a weekend home downtown.
And, developers have taken note with hundreds of living units planned over the next two years.
鈥淚 love that there are so many interesting things to do within easy walking distance,鈥 said Christine Baines, who rents a two-bedroom apartment. 鈥淚n addition to all the restaurants, galleries, theaters, museums and shops, it seems like there are several special events each weekend and often during the week.鈥
She moved from Oracle, first to the Blenman Elm Neighborhood before moving downtown.
Although views are disappearing by new construction around her, Baines said that is a tradeoff of living in a downtown setting, where she is in about half of the space of her previous home.
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鈥淚f you live in a vital urban area, empty lots will be built on,鈥 she said. 鈥淚f it is an exciting place to be then more people will want to be there. It isn鈥檛 for everyone but it suits me perfectly.鈥
There are currently more than 30 development projects underway downtown including hotels, apartments and commercial space. More than 1,400 new homes are proposed or under construction in the downtown area by 2019, data from the Downtown Tucson Partnership shows.
The majority of new apartments will be market-rate with some low-income senior and veterans units. The occupancy rate for downtown rentals is 95.6 percent and landlords command rents over $1,100 a month on average, making the 85701 zip code the priciest in Tucson. The median home prices for buyers is over $350,000.
Relocated from Oro Valley, Darrell and Donna Sabers gave up their home for an apartment about half the size.
鈥淲e were going downtown for events or weren鈥檛 getting home until 1 a.m. from UA games,鈥 Donna Sabers said. 鈥淭his is a way of life we had never experienced.鈥
Her favorite part of downtown living?
鈥淭he people watching,鈥 Sabers said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just fantastic. What鈥檚 amazing to me is the number of drivers that go the wrong way.鈥
She said their vehicle only gets used about three times a week.
鈥淔or a couple who don鈥檛 want to be encumbered by owning a home or spending time in the car, it鈥檚 perfect.鈥
Daryl and Edy Alderson still own their home in Sahuarita and rent a weekend apartment downtown.
鈥淲e took a six-month lease as a way to experiment to see if we would enjoy living downtown,鈥 said Daryl Alderson, who relocated to Sahuarita from the Chicago area.
The streetcar was a big draw.
鈥淚t makes it convenient to reach educational presentations, the library, dining and entertainment venues,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e walk more and drive less and were able to downsize from two cars to one.鈥
Although accustomed to the noise of urban living, the Aldersons were surprised by the noise downtown and turned to ear plugs, sound machines and noise-canceling headphones to adjust.
Daryl Alderson hopes the city will be able to get pass-through traffic out of downtown and encourage more pedestrians and open spaces.
鈥淲hen that happens,鈥 he said, 鈥渨e鈥檒l sell our suburban home and live downtown permanently.鈥
The desire for urban living is growing across the country as people look for walkability and downsizing, saving on car expenses and upkeep of large homes.
Developers are building everything from luxury apartments to affordable housing and even dorm-style living units.
In 2014, average urban home values overtook suburban home values nationwide and have been appreciating quickly year-over-year, according to a report by Zillow Research.
鈥淭he suburban home 鈥 long a symbol of success, stability and the American Dream 鈥 appears to be losing some of its luster as the appeal of city living gains steam and urban homes grow in value more quickly,鈥 Zillow says. 鈥淔or decades, homes in suburban areas were worth more overall than their urban counterparts, a reflection of the value Americans have traditionally placed on the space, serenity and safety of the suburbs.鈥
