Square Feet

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Real estate agent Erika O’Dowd has square feet and a nose for a great property. Here she brings us her pick of what’s for sale in Tucson. Photos by Cayupe

Where it is: Grant Road near Swan

Listed by: Realpros

The damage:  $285,000

How many square feet?  3287

More info here

You’ll love it because: This is the real deal. Back in the 1930s this hacienda was on at least 10 acres out in (at the time) the middle of the desert, with a sweeping view of the Catalinas framed – literally – in a “picture” window designed to look like a giant framed portrait hanging from the ceiling. Apparently Clark Gable was good friends with the couple who owned the hacienda in the 1940s and actually spent about a year there after Carole Lombard died. 

The giant property was subdivided in the 1950s and so now this hacienda is surrounded by mid-century burnt adobe ranch homes, but it still sits on over a half acre in the center of Madelyn Circle, standing tall like the grande dame of the neighborhood with all the houses oriented to face her. The dark wood beams and vigas, dark Saltillo floors, farmhouse kitchen and wrought iron details all speak the Spanish colonial revival idiom, but the giant picture window, formal dining room and butler’s pantry tell you that this house was meant for fine entertaining . If I were a Hollywood star who wanted to play cowboy, this is where I would hang my hat.

Here comes the but: Time marches on and Tucson has grown around this property. There is some traffic noise from nearby Grant Road, and the once majestic view from the picture window is partially obscured now by nearby buildings. It also needs updating – not quite a fixer-upper, but let’s just say there’s a trash compactor in the kitchen.

* Erika O’Dowd is a real estate agent with Tierra Antigua Realty. Find out more about her here.

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