Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire…

Mountain Cove: Tucson’s Hidden Treasure

....We agree that Mountain Cove is Tucson’s hidden treasure, but we also think it's a private paradise. And paradise—with privacy— is our favorite location.

Andy and Nan Arena welcomed us at the Arena Building on Kolb and Sunrise. It's been their new headquarters for a year now, and the facility has the Arena touch with black and white marble floors in the foyer, interior glass walls and all the other bells and whistles bespeaking good design. In fact, they even have a beautiful, little, outdoor tile table for two set up on their second floor balcony overlooking the Catalinas. Since they've been one of Tucson's great homebuilder teams for so many years now, we had visions of them sitting out there at day's end feeling very good about what they do and what they've accomplished together.

"What we're proudest of at the moment, is our project at Mountain Cove," Nan begins.

It's a limited collection of 18 luxury homes in a gated setting on generous lots of at least an acre plus. Each site has a glorious view of the city, yet sits on pristine desert, nestled in the Catalina foothills. These settings satisfy people who love mountain views and people who get off on twinkling lights."

After the interview, we went off to see Mountain Cove, as we were curious what lies East beyond Sabino Canyon via River Road. What seclusion and beautiful vistas—only minutes away from life's necessities—awaits anyone who wends their way in! A huge waterfall greets the visitor just beyond the gates, and due to monsoon rains, a riot of flowers are thriving in the landscaped garden at the entry.

It's our guess that five or six families are already enjoying life there, and several other homes are under construction. Since we know our labels, we can assure you that all building elements are top-of-the-line/ state-of-the-art. A11 roof lines consider the neighbors and their views, and one gets the feeling of community, security and privacy, as well as variety. It's just a wonderful collection.

Back at the offices, we got on the subject of Tucson and what drew Nan and Andy to the City. Nan arrived with her family in the fifties, as her dad's health was delicate, and this climate enabled him to enjoy the out-of-doors. At that time, Nan says, Tucson was strictly Three C: Climate, Cattle and Copper. She got her B.A. from the U. of A. and is an ongoing student of design, architecture and marketing.

Tucson’s Hidden Treasure

Andy got his B. S. in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, but his early years of training in the construction trades and influences from his grandfather, an Italian master architect, led him to the profession of home construction, and in 1962 he and Mel Zuckerman started a homebuilding company in Tucson.

Today, the building and real estate team, headed by Andy, Nan and Bruno Arena, a great staff, and some of the best subs and craftspeople in the profession, feel that they are more than equipped to work - with any ideas to ensure that the house of your dreams can become a reality.

Continuing our visit, the subject turned to upcoming elections and the state of Tucson politics in general. Andy and Nan Arena are concerned about leadership in the Old Pueblo.

"It's impossible to stop people from coming to this area of the country," Andy states, "and, where once we had a small city with unsophisticated problems, there is now the need to find visionaries who know best the ways to deal with the problems that attend smart, well-planned, growth."

"And let's face it," Nan adds, "we need to recruit dynamic industries to Tucson. And that probably won't happen until we are able to provide direct flights in and out of Tucson Airport for their corporate managers and CEOs. It's too bad, because everyone who visits this city is awed by its beauty, but the same problems prevail year after year. Legislators have been talking about a revitalized downtown since I came here as a girl. If they tackled the heart of the matter, then the rest might take care of itself We could probably use some visionaries on the Greater Tucson Economic Council and the Tucson Airport Authority too."

Eat Your Heart Out, Martha Stewart

We held a mock election of people we'd like to see running Tucson, and the Tobin family won our straw vote hands down.

"Saul has done so much for this city," Andy and Nan said in unison, and has raised a small fortune for such charities as the Arthritis Fund. He and his son would be a good team to whip the City into shape.

The conversation turned back to Mountain Cove. "We have always been adamant to preserve the beauty of our desert, and in this collection of homes it's evident. We've preserved a common area at the back so that a breathtaking view of the Catalinas is forever protected. The flow of the land ensures that a view of the city will also be there for its occupants. As much natural desert as possible has also been retained.

"After more than three decades of custom homebuilding," Andy concludes, "we feel we are masters of Southwest Architecture. We can deliver the best in contemporary, Santa Fe, Spanish, Colonial, Ranch and Territorial styling, and any combination can be tastefully executed. We're associated with some of the finest craftspeople, suppliers, financial, service and support businesses in Southern Arizona. Our real estate staff is on hand to serve you when you're buying or even for your resale needs. It's a full-service home corporation that should answer any homeowner's needs."

And all we can add is, please, Arenas, save lot #5 for us. That site is ground zero for zing.