Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Tucson’s Mercado District

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX

A pair of affordable multifamily apartment developments are under consideration for the Mercado District in Tucson.

The City of Tucson’s Infill Incentive District’s Design Review Committee met May 5 in a discussion session to consider plans and designs for the proposed Linda Avenue Apartments at 115 S. Linda Ave. and Congress Street Apartments across the street at 701 W. Congress St.

While the apartments will be priced in the affordable rent range, they will not have an official affordable housing designation.

Owner OZ Development specializes in building multifamily communities in designated Opportunity Zones and currently has one project under construction in Phoenix and another in the planning stages in Mesa.

According to the company website, “We build modern, efficiently scaled apartment communities with attractive rents and convenient access to public transit. Our thoughtfully designed developments deliver new housing options in growing markets, helping to address the local affordability crisis.

“By leveraging Opportunity Zones, we enhance already strong projects with additional impact and tax efficiency. For investors, our developments offer significant tax advantages, including the potential for tax-free long-term gains, while the communities we invest in benefit from high quality, attainable housing designed for real people.”

Linda Apartments is planned for 77 units, while Congress Apartments will provide 49. Most units are designed as studios or one-bedroom. Linda will also offer five two-bedroom units. According to the DRC and neighborhood meeting presentation materials, “The Congress Apartments will be 45 feet tall at the tallest point. The Linda Apartments will be 36 feet tall. Both projects are in the Tucson vernacular architecture typical of the Menlo Park neighborhood, with Spanish Colonial, Craftsman, and mid-century modern details.”

Because most of the surrounding buildings are shorter, heights will be maximized on the corners and step down as they get closer to existing structures, according to the presentation.

To maximize the unit count, the developers have requested a significant reduction in the amount of required parking spaces. Additional street-facing parking had originally been planned, but developers shifted the design following a meeting with representatives of City Council Ward 1. Representatives said the neighborhood needed more affordable housing so people who grew up in the neighborhood could continue to live there.

After all the allowances and relief requests are considered, 17 spaces would be provided for Congress Apartments, and 29 would be provided for Linda Apartments, compared to base requirements of 84 and 96, respectively. Project representatives justified the reductions by saying the area is not one where most residents want or need personal vehicles, and touting the projects’ designs and proximity to several transit and alternative transportation options.

The owner is OZ Development. Lizard Rock Designs is the design firm. Rick Engineering Company is the surveyor and landscape architect. The geotechnical engineer is Pattison Engineering.