LOFT LIVING

BizTUCSONSeptember 30, 2026

3 minutes read

Downtown Lures Professionals for Urban Life

By Dave Perry

Every work day, Brendan Will goes against the stereotypical flow of Tucson.

He lives in Downtown Tucson. And he commutes to an office in the Foothills.

“Everything to do for younger people is downtown,” Will said. “The buzz is good. It’s the closest you can get to a big-city experience in Tucson.”

Will, 26, is a two-year resident of RendezVous Flats, one of several striking new urban apartment communities attracting people and their energy to Downtown Tucson. Others new urban spaces include The Flin, The Marist on Cathedral Square, 1 West Broadway and more.

Young professionals, engineers, empty nesters, healthcare workers and University of Arizona faculty and students live downtown because they like walking to night spots, sporting events, restaurants and entertainment. And, with its quick access to the Modern Streetcar and I-10, downtown is “20 minutes from everything,” Will said.

“Young people want an energetic, urban environment,” said Phil Swaim, principal in the architectural firm Swaim Associates, which partnered with Davis Architecture on the RendezVous Flats project.

“From a live / work balance and lifestyle, people love it,” said Jim Tofel, managing member of Tofel Dent Construction, which built The Flin, HSL Properties’ downtown apartment community.

The six-story, 245-unit Flin, located at 110 S. Church, is described as downtown’s “most luxurious apartment community,” with 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units, high-end appliances, a rooftop lounge, an on-site movie theater, an area for pets, a 2-story fitness center, and an onsite Savaya Coffee House.

Tofel said building The Flin was “probably the most difficult project we’ve done. It’s hard to articulate all the challenges.” Now that it’s thriving, “I’m very proud of it,” he said. “It’s an incredibly successful project for HSL now.”

The 100-unit, six-story, contemporary RendezVous Flats at 20 S. Stone features floor-to-ceiling glass, oversized balconies, exceptional storage and the full complement of amenities.

“These aren’t your typical three-story walk-ups or garden-style apartments,” said Tom Rathbun, VP of operations with Aerie Development, which built RendezVous Flats. “They’re larger, with higher-end finishes, nicer appliances, taller ceilings, better views, and a unique, concierge-style management.”

Downtown occupancy rates are strong, Rathbun said, “with continued leasing momentum. Downtown is coming back.”

Initial market research suggested the RendezVous Flats would appeal to empty nesters and retirees, Rathbun said. Then the pandemic struck, disrupting the momentum.

Yet, something else happened too. Raytheon engineers, UA educators, and medical professionals from the nearby Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Banner-University Medical Center Tucson discovered downtown living, Aerie’s Rathbun said. “Downtown Tucson appeals to a much broader range of residents than people might initially assume.”

“When I leave or come home, I see a lot of people in scrubs, doctors and residents,” Will said. “There is a good contingent of U of A athletes, football and basketball players,” as well as upperclassmen and graduate students who “want to be a little away from the college scene.”

Larger employers like Tucson Electric Power and Caterpillar are also “getting their people to come back downtown and into the office,” Swaim said. “Business owners and even employees are realizing they miss that collaboration, they miss that environment. It’s returning.” And their activity is stimulating small businesses, investors, and apartment communities.

Among those investors is Rio Nuevo, which continues to power downtown activity. Rio Nuevo “has done a great job in helping to incentivize businesses to move down there,” Tofel said.

Its board consists of “successful people who realize a good city needs a good downtown,” Will added. “Someone needs to take a risk, and Rio Nuevo support lets an ecosystem be built.”

“There’s so many questions that come up when you try to revitalize a downtown,” Swaim said. “It’s not just chickens and eggs, it takes the farmer, and a little bit of everybody along the way.”

Rathbun said the RendezVous Flats project “has reinforced our belief that there has been demand for thoughtfully designed urban housing in Tucson.” Thoughtful design continues; Aerie is expanding the property’s dog park and installing a dog wash. “Tastes change, and you’ve got to keep up with the times.”

Will works as an analyst with Iridius Capital, one of the developers of RendezVous Flats. He acknowledges being “a little bit biased.” But, he added, “even if I didn’t work for the company, I’d live here.”