Tucson Property Pick

Michelle Hotchkiss, real estate agent and mid-century fiend, has square feet and a nose for great property. Each issue she brings us her pick of Tucson properties for sale. Property photos by Rob Horgan.

Michelle Hotchkiss. Photo by Casey Sapio

Where it is: Downtown Tucson

Listed by: Tierra Antigua Realty

The damage: Studio and one-bedroom units start at $105,000-$147,000

How many square feet? 414 to 625

You'll love it because: If you want low maintenance, urban style living close to everything going on in the heart of the Downtown renaissance, the Flats at Julian Drew Block are well worth considering. Formerly the Tiburon apartments, these studio and one-bedroom 'flats' were built in 1964, renovated in 1980, and completely updated and modernized in 2008. Finishing touches have just been completed and they've 'gone condo'.

I have been hanging around downtown since 1987 when I worked at a store called La Bamba right across from Hotel Congress - about where Diablo Burger is now. I've seen Downtown evolve into what we are finally seeing today: getting the best and highest use out of the available spaces in probably decades.

Here comes the but: They’re trying to get certification for FHA financing so that would mean 30% or less of the units can be sold to non-occupant investors and used as rentals. And boo: no rooftop garden.

For more on Michelle read her Atomic Tucson Facebook page or contact Michelle Hotchkiss, a RE/MAX Catalina Foothills Realty agent, here.