SPECIAL REPORT 2022
THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
EXECUTIVE LIVING:
MOONLIGHT CANYON at
SAGUARO RANCH
AN EXCLUSIVE ENCLAVE BY MIRAMONTE HOMES
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a National Park The Sonoran Desert is the Backyard By Romi Carrell Wittman Set amid the rocky yet lush desert landscape of the Tortolita Mountains, Saguaro Ranch offers residents and their guests the spacious skies and purple mountain majesties immortalized in our nation’s unofficial anthem. Here, 1,200 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert sit virtually untouched, except for the footsteps of mule deer, javelina, desert tortoises and other native creatures. Located on Tucson’s northwest side at the north end of Thornydale Road, Saguaro Ranch is a hidden treasure 20 years in the making. While generous acre and multiacre lots and luxury homes dot the area, an 80/20 building restriction – that is, no more than 20 percent of the land can be developed – maintains the wild and natural character of the land. Mike Conlin, an associate broker with Miramonte Homes and ranch manager of the property, has been part of the Saguaro Ranch project from the very beginning. “It was the late 1990s and I thought I was going to retire,” he chuckled. But requests from friends seeking a retreat of sorts in the Sonoran Desert put him on a search for an ideal location for year-round outdoor living. He looked all over Pima County and southern Arizona to find the right place. “The goal was to find a place that felt remote, but was close to amenities like a university, shopping and an airport,” Conlin said. That’s when he discovered the Tortolita
Mountains north of Tucson and just east of the Dove Mountain residential development. “It’s an exceptionally beautiful area. The giant boulder formations and the topography are really unique,” he said. They are so unique, in fact, that some foreign visitors assumed the rocks were fakes brought in to “dress up” the area. Conlin assured them they are very much real. Conlin feels the area is the most striking piece of real estate in Southern Arizona, if not the entire state. “It’s a gorgeous, unique area with the look of a national park,” he said. “It has the privacy and the views – and it will stay that way. With protected peaks and ridges, there won’t be any castles on top of the hill or anything like that. Development must recede into the desert and appear like it’s always been there.” The property got its start in the late 1990s. A dramatic 700-foot tunnel was constructed to serve as the property’s main entry and exit point. McClintock’s Restaurant opened to the public and sales volume was strong with 47 of 50 lots sold at an average price of $1 million. Then came the 2008 economic collapse. “The housing collapse took us out at the knees,” Conlin said. Development stalled and, as Saguaro Ranch’s financial backers went into distress, the property was foreclosed. The property continued on page 80 >>>
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PHOTO BY BRENT G. MATHIS
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BRIAN PESCHEL
SCOTT LUNDBERG
continued from page 79 changed ownership several times before being purchased in 2019 by Saguaro Property Development, a firm owned by partners Scott Lundberg and Brian Peschel. Living at Canyon Pass near Dove 80 BizTucson
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Mountain at the time, Lundberg discovered Saguaro Ranch while out running one day. He was struck by the sheer majesty of the area and the feeling of remoteness. Soon Lundberg purchased land in Saguaro Ranch and worked with local architect Ron Robi-
nette of Robinette Architects on the design. Robinette had history in the area and knew it well. Lundberg began attending Saguaro Ranch property-owners’ meetings and learned the property investment firm that owned the land wanted to liquidate www.BizTucson.com
“
It’s kind of a hidden secret. It’s a very special place and it’s always going to remain special because it isn’t going to be very dense with development.
”
Scott Lundberg Owner Saguaro Property Development
PHOTOS: COURTESY SAGUARO RANCH
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some of its assets, including Saguaro Ranch. “I basically raised my hand and said ‘We might be interested in exploring the purchase,’ ” Lundberg said. After a lengthy due-diligence process, Saguaro Property Development officially purchased the land and began www.BizTucson.com
work to prepare for residential development. The prep included talks with the Town of Marana as well as assurances that the 80/20 restriction, which had been part of the original covenant, was upheld. Of the 1,200 total acres, only about
240 acres will be developed as homesites. The homesites in the Moonlight Canyon subdivision are a minimum of one acre. Lots elsewhere in the development are greater than four acres. “It’s kind of a hidden secret,” said continued on page 82 >>> Winter 2022 > > > BizTucson 81
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BizDEVELOPMENT continued from page 81 Lundberg. “It’s a very special place and it’s always going to remain special because it isn’t going to be very dense with development.” Moonlight Canyon is the second phase of Saguaro Ranch, and it brings together three best-in-class experts to assist homebuyers. Buyers may choose from one of four Ron Robinette-designed floorplans, ranging in size from 2,934 to 3,800-square feet. Miramonte Homes is the exclusive homebuilder in the community, and each homebuyer is provided 10 hours of design consultation time with ASID award-winning interior designer Lori Carroll. Since the homes are semi-custom, the construction timeline is shorter than that of a traditional luxury home, averaging 12 to 18 months, versus 24-plus months for a custom home. The homes feature several high-end design elements, including contemporary chef ’s kitchens, great rooms with modern fireplaces, large windows that blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors, and comfortable outdoor living spaces to embrace yearround outdoor living. Conlin said they’ve gone a step beyond at Moonlight Canyon with large lots to ensure the natural beauty of the area is preserved. “It’s not a standard production subdivision by any stretch,” he said. “We do every lot individually. We don’t clear it or blade it down. We move boulders and replant plants to minimize disturbance.” Chris Kemmerly, owner and CEO of Miramonte Homes concurs. “It’s a one-of-a-kind property,” Kemmerly said. “You have the 80/20 restriction in place and it’s near the Saguaro Ranch Club.” The developers have repurposed the former McClintock’s Restaurant into a members-only amenity with a 25-yard lap pool, two pickleball courts, a state-of-the-art gym, wine lockers, a catering kitchen, as well as gathering spaces members can reserve for parties and other special events. With two renowned golf courses nearby – The Gallery Golf Club and The Golf Club at Dove Mountain – there are no plans to build a golf course. Lundberg said the club also serves as an anchor of sorts for the development. “It provides a center and a focus on health and wellbeing.” Conlin said that since the pandemic, interest in the area has increased dramatically. “With the lockdown, open space and privacy became a hot item,” he said. “That’s what you have at Saguaro Ranch.” With other luxury properties nearby, namely Canyon Pass just to the west in Dove Mountain and Stone Canyon to the east in Oro Valley, Conlin admits that potential buyers tend to check out all three neighborhoods. He said several things make Saguaro Ranch stand out. “First, there’s the tunnel,” he said, which makes a dramatic and long-lasting first impression. “Then there is the climb in elevation, from 2,700 feet to 4,000 feet. You’re tucked inside so you don’t see any other development. It’s very natural, very much a national park feel.” While it may feel tucked away and remote, amenities like shopping, arts and cultural events, libraries and medical offices are just minutes away. For those commuting to the city, a short drive down Twin Peaks Road easily connects to Interstate 10. “It’s a wonderful place to be,” Conlin said.
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Moonlight anyon
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at Saguaro Ranch ‘Its Own World’
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The ambitious new community, Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch by Miramonte Homes, radiates outward from aBy luxurious Tara stone clubhouse in the nature preserve-like Saguaro Ranch. And, as its developers say, the unspoiled vistas and canyons that serve as the majestic backdrop for these homes make Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch perhaps the last project of its quality in the region. “This is its own world,” said John Angelini, VP of sales for Miramonte Homes and a designated broker. “We are taking this piece of Tucson and building quality, beautiful homes. You just don’t see this anymore. I don’t think anything compares to Saguaro Ranch.” Located in northwest Tucson, the 1,200acre Saguaro Ranch development is singularly accessed through a magnificent tunnel burrowed into a mountain. It’s unique to any other community in the region. “It really piques your curiosity,” Angelini said. “Once you go
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through that tunnel, it’s like you are not in Kansas anymore. It’s a dream location.” Through a gated reception center, beautiKirkpatrick ful custom homes begin to line a roadway that ultimately winds back to Moonlight Canyon and the new Saguaro Ranch Club, the former home of the popular McClintock’s Restaurant. Now, the refurbished yet glamorously rustic digs serve as the heart of Saguaro Ranch – along with an expansive lap pool, jetted spa, fire pits, custom pickle ball and bocce ball courts and a rooftop fitness facility that offers unrivaled views of scenic Southern Arizona. “This is the last project of this quality left in Southern Arizona,” said Miramonte Homes founder and CEO Chris Kemmerly. “It’s like Saguaro National Park.” That’s taking into consideration the numerous other high-end neighborhoods throughout Tucson, including Dove Mountain, Pima Canyon, Stone Canyon, La Paloma and Ventana Canyon. continued on page 86 >>>
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By Tara Kirkpatrick
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BizDEVELOPMENT continued from page 84 “This is really the last of these,” he said. As one of the larger, private local homebuilders here since he launched Miramonte Homes in 1992, Kemmerly clearly has the vantage point to know. Miramonte announced its partnership with the Saguaro Ranch developers in August. “Saguaro Ranch and the Moonlight Canyon community offer a unique opportunity for homebuyers to live in an environment with 80% open space,” Kemmerly said. “The infrastructure improvements that have been made in the community are so extensive that it is unlikely this would be repeated in any other location in Tucson. “It is truly a one-time opportunity for homebuyers to live this close to natural open space while still enjoying the benefits of the infrastructure that has been invested in Saguaro Ranch.”
Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch offers 43 one- to two-acre lots with a choice of four, single-story models, ranging from 2,934 to 3,800 square feet, each thoughtfully designed by Robinette Architects, the firm instrumental in the design of the newly renovated Saguaro Ranch Club. Each home offers base pricing for contemporary, modern territorial or modern ranch styles and there are two options for adding casitas. “I was fortunate to have been asked to be involved in the design and conceptualization of the Moonlight Canyon lots, street layouts, clubhouse and model homes,” said Ron Robinette, a distinguished Tucson architect whose award-winning footprint here has spanned almost 40 years. “During the land planning of the lots in Moonlight Canyon, I grew to appreciate and understand the beauty and ruggedness of the setting. Moonlight
Canyon offers lots that are rich in character,” he said. “The lots include hilltop lots with seemingly endless views – lots that are hillside settings to overlook the canyon and still other lots that allow a homeowner to enjoy the privacy of the canyon. All of the lots are characterized by dense vegetation and rugged boulders and cacti.” Because these are semi-custom homes, the construction timeline is shorter than that of a traditional custom home − on average 12 to 18 months – compared to more than two years for a fully custom home. “We are really doing the heavy lifting for the buyers,” said Angelini. “We are trying to make the whole building process more efficient for them.” That’s especially helpful for out-of-state buyers unable to travel to oversee a complex, custom build.”
SOME OF THE ELEVATIONS OF HOMES AVAILABLE AT MOONLIGHT CANYON
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her new book, “Circle Square Balance Hue.” Describing the environment as “absolutely incredible,” Carroll said she is looking forward to working with each new buyer. “For me and for our team, this makes a wonderful setting to be creative with rustic and contemporary design elements. With 43 homes, each of the interiors needs to have its own special reflection of the homeowner.” The combination of Kemmerly, Robinette and Carroll is truly Moonlight Canyon’s “dream team” with the trio’s breadth of experience and years of respect across the region. “I think that Ron is incredibly talented and creative. What he has accomplished during his career in Tucson is remarkable.” Carroll said. “And Chris − the knowledge, professionalism and leadership he brings to the table is energizing. As I have moved through my
career, it’s special to be working with such talented individuals. “There are so many new and amazing products that have been introduced during COVID that aid in creating dramatic ambience so each residence is a true reflection of the each homeowner. They are smaller homes requiring delicate balance that is daringly different and infinitely beautiful which provides endless creativity.” “Having worked with both Lori Carroll and Ron Robinette for over 30 years on a variety of projects, it is exciting to be partnering with them again on such a unique project as Moonlight Canyon,” Kemmerly said. “Lori, Ron and their respective teams have many years of experience and expertise in designing luxury custom homes. They understand what features are important to the luxury homebuyer and design homes to fit that lifestyle.”
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The Moonlight Canyon semi-custom homes certainly offer the elegant finishes of a full custom home – such as oil-rubbed bronze hardware, brushed nickel ceiling fans, gas fireplaces in the master bedroom and great room, Kichler light fixtures and Emser tile in the entry, kitchen, baths and laundry, granite countertops and more. They are also energy efficient, have tankless water heaters, zoned AC and include smart home compatible features. Award-winning designer Lori Carroll, who has established herself as the region’s preeminent purveyor of luxury desert living over the past three decades, provides 10 hours of design consultation. She has won more than 100 local, national and international awards for her work, has been the focus of more than 200 features in 50-plus publications, appeared on regional and national design shows, and just released
Elegant Amenities, Semi-Custom Designs
LORI CARROLL & ASSOCIATES
Luxury is no longer the darling of the large custom-built home. Buyers in Moonlight Canyon at Saguaro Ranch are proving that living large is more than possible in a smaller space. From stateof-the-art office spaces with hyper-efficient tech and high-end cabinetry to fully equipped outdoor kitchens, they are spending big on luxury finishes. “People are changing their MO,” said Chris Kemmerly, owner of Miramonte Homes, the builders of Moonlight Canyon. “They want smaller, more manageable luxury.” As part of the Moonlight Canyon design process, designer Lori Carroll provides buyers with 10 hours of design team meeting time and Carroll is already impressed with the forethought she is seeing. Clients come prepared with their Pinterest picks and lay out distinctive wants for these homes. In fact, on a recent Zoom call, one buyer told Carroll she wanted to invest heavily in the kitchen, master bedroom and powder room. “These 43 homes we are working with are not 10,000-squarefoot homes,” she said. “They are smaller, concise and there is a lot of beauty wrapped up into a smaller footprint. It allows us to do amazing things.”
LORI CARROLL
Some of the early choices have included heated floors in the bathrooms, a personal driving range and, significant investment in home-office design including stunning custom cabinetry. Potentially driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, functional and high-tech home offices to accommodate virtual work are easily becoming an emerging niche industry. “People in the various business fields can live anywhere today.” Kemmerly emphasized. He also noted that the high-speed internet inside Saguaro Ranch is the best in the area. The Moonlight Canyon home plans also allow for many options for customization, including pre-designed room extensions, central vacuums and audio, video and smart technology upgrades. “There are so many beautiful new products that have come to life during COVID so we can keep pushing to do something different and craft each one so it’s a true reflection of what the client wants,” Carroll said.
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ROBINETTE ARCHITECTS
RON ROBINETTE
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The Saguaro
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Ranch Club Focus on Health, Mindfulness & Well-Being By Romi Carrell Wittman At the heart of the expansive and rugged Saguaro Ranch development north of Tucson lies a repurposed and redesigned facility focused on wellness in body, mind and spirit. The Saguaro Ranch Club is a members-only retreat offering residents of Saguaro Ranch a central gathering space to meet and socialize with friends and neighbors, as well as a space to focus on health, mindfulness and well-being. In its former life, the club was McClintock’s Restaurant, a popular restaurant nestled in the Tortolita Mountains. When the sprawling Saguaro Ranch property was purchased by new owners, the development team decided to repurpose the restaurant into a club that would serve as an anchor for the re-conceptualized residential development. It officially opened in October 2021. “We’ve made it into a private club that offers residents a gathering space
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as well as health and wellness facilities,” said Scott Lundberg, owner of Saguaro Property Development and a resident of Saguaro Ranch. After a head-to-toe renovation by the award-winning local firm Robinette Architects, the newly renamed Saguaro Ranch Club offers residents luxurious athletic facilities, recreational and social activities. Aqua Design International, a Tucson-based landscape architecture firm, designed the pool and spa complex, which includes a 25-yard lap pool, a jetted spa and a swim-up bar. Aqua Design International’s work is world renowned, having built pools at resorts such as the Four Seasons Punta Mita resort in Mexico, the Amangiri, a five-star resort in Canyon Point, Utah, and the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. The club also features two pickle ball courts, a bocce ball court and a rooftop athletic center with state-of-the-art fit-
ness equipment and a panoramic view of Pusch Ridge to the east and the city of Tucson to the south. Gathering spaces are located throughout, both indoors and outdoors, with comfortable seating, and fire features. Residents can use the facility’s wine lockers and attendants are on-hand to assist with snacks and beverages. Outdoor barbeque facilities lend to the festive atmosphere. “Residents can host birthday parties, graduations and anniversary parties, too,” said Mike Conlin, associate broker for Miramonte Homes and Saguaro Ranch Manager. A catering kitchen makes it the perfect venue for wedding receptions, company parties and other special events. “It’s a relaxing space to meet with friends or work out,” Conlin said. “We hope it serves as a gathering spot for residents, their friends and families.”
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PHOTO BY WILLIAM LESCHE
PHOTO: COURTESY SAGUARO RANCH
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Tunnel Vision Unique Entrance to Saguaro Ranch By Jay Gonzales
When the developers of Saguaro Ranch envisioned an entrance to the exclusive property tucked up against the Tortolita Mountains, they knew exactly what they wanted. Most of the investor group was from Colorado, said Mike Conlin, who was among the investors that first began developing Saguaro Ranch 20 years ago. Conlin is now manager of the 1,200-acre development at the end of Thornydale Road. “We sat around with some of the other investors and talked about what the entrance should be,” Conlin said. “What we wanted was a dramatic sense of entry.” Safe to say they got it with a 700-foot tunnel through a mountain that opens up to a northern view of the Tortolitas on a road that continues on a winding path through the property. “There were several resort developers at the time in the U.S. and in Ha92 BizTucson
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waii that were picking up on (the idea of tunnels) and we decided to follow that,” Conlin said. “We had options. We could have gone around the ridge but going right through it seemed the most dramatic – especially when you come out the other side on the north.” Twenty years later, the experience of building the tunnel is mainly a memory for Conlin, now 79 years old and still working the property as it continues to develop. It’s such a distant memory, Conlin said he doesn’t recall the name of the firm that designed the tunnel. He does know that the man who led the project by happenstance was living in nearby Dove Mountain at the time and had experience with big-city projects like subways and sewer lines. “Through some mutual friends, we got hold of him and sat him down and talked to him about our concept, and he said, ‘No problem – that’s what I do for a living,’ ” Conlin recalled.
What is firm in Conlin’s memory is the blasting through the mountain, the day they broke through and could see daylight from both ends for the first time, and the precision needed during construction to make the tunnel work. For example, the north end of the tunnel is higher than the south end to give water a place to drain. The drilling and blasting started at the top of the tunnel and worked its way down to the base, not unlike the drilling that takes place in a mine, Conlin said. In fact, he added, most of the workers on the project were hard-rock miners from Kentucky and Ohio. The price tag was about $3 million, and it took about a year and half to complete. “It was just what we wanted,” Conlin said. “Because of the slight uphill, it’s sort of a light at the end of the tunnel as you get closer and closer. It’s become our signature symbol.” Biz www.BizTucson.com
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Let the Buyer
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Be Awed
Saguaro Ranch Offers Unparalleled Executive Living By Jay Gonzales Saguaro Ranch is seeing a distinctive shift in the buyer profile for the luxury, multimillion-dollar homes in the development. “Number one, they’re younger,” said Mike Conlin, ranch manager at Saguaro Ranch. “Traditionally we see, (buyers in their) 60s and 70s who are second homeowners. Now, it’s more like 50s and 60s. A lot of them are still working. “They’re from the West Coast. And the No. 1 state on the West Coast is Washington − Washington state, California, Oregon.” Not coincidentally, those are places populated with high tech employers who, since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, are allowing their employees to work from anywhere. John Angelini, VP of sales for Miramonte Homes, which is building the semi-custom Moonlight Canyon at Sa17
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guaro Ranch, said the amenities available, including the best WiFi in the area, are attractive to buyers who want to work from home. “The workspace is changed forever,” Angelini said, because of COVID-19. “If people are working, technology allows them to work anywhere, so you are seeing more money put into these home offices because they want to be comfortable.” If residents have to travel, they have easy access to Interstate-10, the main artery connecting Tucson east to New Mexico and Texas and west to Phoenix and California, via Twin Peaks Road and an improved and widened Tangerine Road. Executives also have their choice of Tucson International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport because of Saguaro Ranch’s location on the far northwest side. COVID-19 has had a number of other impacts
on who’s buying at Saguaro Ranch. The seclusion of the development, which can only be entered through its signature tunnel through a mountain, gives buyers a feeling of security and open space. “The pandemic actually helped with that tunnel,” Conlin said. “You have a sense of isolation and being protected. “It’s little things like the popularity of detached casitas as an add-on. That’s an office now for these folks. It’s not for the in-laws.” When the buyers are coming from places like Washington, California and Oregon, the developers say, they have plenty of equity and money to spend whether it’s a second home or a primary residence. Saguaro Ranch homes “are for people with good jobs and professions,” Conlin said. “They’re coming here with equity. It’s a drop in the bucket to spend $2.5 million on a home.”
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