TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A year after demolition at the Foothills Mall on the Northwest side, the next chapter for what the site will look like is starting to take shape.
Tucson-based developer Bourn Companies is laying the foundation for a project called “Uptown.” Bourn acquired the land and began planning the project six years ago.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- What's next for Foothills Mall building
- New space with 'urban feel' coming to former Foothills Mall location
- Foothills Mall demolition complete
“We’re kind of re-imagining the entirety of what was there before,” said Dillon Walker, director of marketing for Bourn Companies.
The plan is to build roughly 500,000 square feet of ground floor retail and one million square feet of residential space above.
“Malls in general are having a tough time,” said Walker. “We believe retail is very robust now. But the format of a mall is something that is kind of evolving.
“Across the U.S., things are getting denser,” he added. “Things are getting more urban. We want walkable communities. We want things on-site. And so that’s what’s really happening here…which we don’t see a lot of in Tucson, or in Arizona, for that matter.”
The first building is going up now. It will feature 157 luxury apartments.
“These will be at the upper end of the market,” Walker explained. “We’re gonna have some premium amenities. And there’ll be beautiful views of the Catalinas from pool decks and rooftop decks and balconies.”
The site will also feature a new promenade entrance to the AMC movie theatre, a parking structure and a hotel.
Tenants around the construction site will remain open. One of them is the cowboy bar and restaurant Whiskey Roads.
“A good change. I mean, the mall was kind of dead already,” owner Fernando Gomez told KGUN. “Tucson needed something like this.”
Gomez says the nuisance of the construction next door will be well worth it when new neighbors move in.
“We got a lot of foot traffic which is gonna be great, good for business of course,” he said. “We’re lucky to stay here. We weren’t in the picture at first. Luckily, we were able to stay which is good for us and it’s gonna be good for the mall.”
Construction is expected to last for the next several years, with the first residential building set to open in early 2026.
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Ryan Fish is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9 and comes to the Sonoran Desert from California’s Central Coast after working as a reporter, sports anchor and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs, frequently visiting family in Tucson. Share your story ideas and important issues with Ryan by emailing ryan.fish@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
