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Successful Realtor: John McCleary, Long Realty (Central Office, Tucson AZ). Voice: (520) 326-1122 Fax: (520) 325-8784. Long Dist.: (800) 279-2211.

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[Photo of patio]

Attractive, single-story, territorial-style 3-(or 4-) bedroom home, block with stucco-exterior, Mexican floor-tile throughout, 2,500 sq. feet, encloses patio. Large mature shade and fruit trees are adjacent to house. Located in the "Thermal Belt" south of Orange Grove Road, the secluded home (on end of new cul-de-sac) is near medical facilities, just 3 miles from 2 regional malls, and a convenient 15-min. drive from downtown Tucson. Built in 1959, with architecturally-matching 1979 addition, the house features a beamed ceiling (living room and dining room), a sunken tile tub in the master bath, two fireplaces, and large built-in bookcases. The house is set back on 2 acres of high ground, with native Sonoran desert vegetation. It has a circular drive as well as a private driveway to the carport. There are excellent mountain views toward the Catalina, Tortolita, and Tucson Mountains and city lights to the south.

Expansive windows on the inside perimenter of the U-shaped home look out from 3 sides into a large partly-covered, walled-in patio, which seems to be "part of the home." The floor-plan provides excellent privacy and sound-barriers for activities at opposite ends of the home. The estate is one of the nicest residential properties within walking distance (or short drive) to extensive medical facilities near Orange Grove/La Cholla. The original homestead in the area, it would be a wonderful, secluded home for a doctor's family, within walking distance from work.

ABOUT THE HOUSE:

This is a 7-room house (including 3 bedrooms). Master bedroom and second bedroom in the east wing share an unusual Jack 'n' Jill bathroom complex (separate toilets, counters, and wash-basins, but shared sunken shower/tub). Large living room (with beautiful fireplace, beamed ceiling) is separated from dining room by wrought-iron grill-work; the dining room is separated from the foyer by a planter with grill-work. Separate third bedroom on west wing (remodelled 1979), with attached full-bath and walk-in closet, can serve as private guest quarters. Large kitchen has abundant cabinet space, breakfast bar, and pass-through window to family room/library/den, and new skylight. Utility nook is by the rear doorway to the carport and garden. The family room has a bee-hive fireplace, built-in cabinets, stereo compartments, and bookshelves; it has a small half-bath attached and thus could serve as a fourth bedroom. (Overall, the house is said to have 2 full bathrooms, plus 2 half bathrooms). Either the guest room or the library/den could serve as a family room. There is a lot of closet space.

[house floorplan and surrounding trees]

Full-height glass windows with 6 sliding glass doors provide patio access from the master bedroom, east-wing hallway, living room, dining room, kitchen, and family room. In keeping with Southwest tradition, little sun enters the home directly (most south- and west-facing windows are protected from direct sun by the patio overhang and shade trees).

The two-car carport has a built-in storage room. A basketball backboard and hoop is erected at the edge of the private driveway. The large, walled-in patio (surrounding three sides of the house) is under a broad overhang, which covers over 600 sq. feet of tile adjacent to the house, providing a shady place to sit in the summer under a large mesquite and fruitless mulberry. Roses and crepe myrtle bring seasonal color. A built-in watering system sustains ground cover and potted plants. A wooden gate provides outside access.

The septic tank (recertified by Pima County in 1996) has been problem-free; a new leaching field is a decade old. Most of the roof is new (2-years old). The new central gas-heat and electric refrigeration unit (Carrier) was installed in late 1994 at which time the electrical service was upgraded.

ABOUT THE PROPERTY AND HISTORY OF THE HOUSE:

The home sits on gently rolling, Sonoran Upland Desert terrain 3.5 miles southwest of the SW corner of Coronado National Forest (Santa Catalina Mountains). Vegetation is of the Palo Verde/Saguaro Upland series plus some Sonoran Riparian Scrubland in the northwest corner of the property. At an elevation of 2,370 feet, it is 15 miles (as the crow flies; 75-minute drive) to 9,200 ft. Mt. Lemmon. Drainage in the neighborhood is via a series of NE/SW-trending washes that empty into the

[photo of foyer]

usually-dry Rillito River 1-mile to the southwest. Since the house is on the top of a small hill, there is zero danger of flooding. The Casas Adobes Wash several hundred feet south of the property may impede automobile access for a few hours per year after a summer downpour. The probability of earthquakes is low in Tucson; no other natural or manmade hazards are known.

The climate is characteristic of Tucson's "Thermal Belt" (which permitted commercial orange groves along Orange Grove Road several decades ago): slightly cooler summer days, slightly milder winter nights than typical for the Tucson basin, so the climate is more comfortable than in most of Tucson and is excellent for gardening.

The property is a remnant of Suburban Ranch horse property (nominally 4-acre minimum lot size) along the low bluffs above the Rillito River valley. The main house was built in 1959 on a 10-acre parcel with an Orange Grove Road address. The parcel was subdivided by the original owner (the widow of a University music professor) shortly before we purchased it in 1972, creating a 1-house-per acre subdivision to the south and east of the house, accessed by the Angelo Place cul-de-sac. That left the substandard-size (2.01 acres) rectangular lot 307 x 293 feet, (deeded as two separate parcels) on which the house sits.

In 1973, Montebella Rd. was paved north from Rudasill Road, terminating at the northwest corner of the property (where a paved cul-de-sac has recently been built), although the original dirt access road to Orange Grove along the Montebella alignment remained open until last year. The large neighboring homes to the east and southwest were built in late 1973.

Also, in 1973, availability of natural gas replaced bottled gas. Refrigeration was extended to the entire house in the mid-1970's. In 1979, the original carport was converted into a guest bedroom and full bath; a new carport, storage room, and new rear entrance were built -- architectural integrity was maintained and electrical service was upgraded.

ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Properties on all four sides have been developed with single-family, detached homes. The houses in the immediate neighborhood include 1970's homes on CR-1 (1 acre) lots to the east, south, and west, and the new Genesee subdivision of large, stylish homes on CR-2 (half-acre) lots to the north.

A vacant 15-acre parcel to the northwest was rezoned 3 years ago. Closest to our house, 2 new single-family detached homes have been built. Beyond, toward Orange Grove Rd., new apartments associated with the medical facilities have been constructed. Separating the nearby single-family homes from the more distant apartments is a new section of Montebella, which will curve from Orange Grove Road southwestward toward the hospital and will not link up with our portion of Montebella, which now ends in the new cul-de-sac at our NW corner, so there will be no through traffic passing our house. The former alignment of Montebella to the north is, however, proposed to be part of an equestrian trail in the Pima County Trail System Master Plan.

La Cima Middle School (Amphitheater School District) is a 1 mile walk southeast. Emergency services are nearby (1 mile drive to Northwest Fire District station, less than 2 miles to Northwest Hospital); sheriff's station and public library are 4 miles away on Ina Road. Though we are in the middle of a residential area with no commercial encroachment, a vast array of shopping is within 2.5 to 3.5 miles (Tucson Mall, Foothills Mall, Oracle Road). You can walk to a convenience mart and a bus stop 0.8 miles from the house.

The property is located in the unincorporated part of Pima County. The City of Tucson has, from time to time, expressed interest in annexing this area, but it has never been able to get the support of residents (required for annexation). Oro Valley, an incorporated town several miles north, may try to annex this region. The town of Marana has annexed regions as close as 3 miles away (near Orange Grove and Thornydale) but is not expected to try to annex regions this far east.

[map of neighborhood location in NW Tucson]

[map of location of house in neighborhood]

LOCATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND DRIVING DISTANCES

[photo of Catalina mountains from the property]

Transportation access is excellent. An 8-minute drive south to the Miracle Mile interchange with Interstate 10 provides immediate access to down- town (5 more minutes) or the airport (18 more minutes). A 7-minute drive west to the Orange Grove Rd. I-10 interchange provides a straight shot to Phoenix (Sky Harbor Airport is about 100 min. drive). Orange Grove Rd. east provides rapid access to the mountains and to Tucson's East Side, via Skyline/Sunrise Drives. Nearby Catalina Mountain recreation sites, like Pima Canyon and Finger Rock Canyon trails and Catalina State Park, are only 10 minutes away. Public bus stops are available in an 0.8 mile walk to La Cholla as well as along Oracle Rd.

Driving distances to commercial outlets and other establishments of interest are:

EMERGENCY SERVICES

1.1 mile (or walk 0.3 mi.) -- Northwest Fire District Station
1.5 miles (or walk 0.4 mi.) -- numerous medical facilities (cancer clinic, doctor's offices, nursing homes, etc.)
1.6 miles -- Pet Clinic (on La Canada)
2.1 miles (or walk 0.5 mi.) -- Northwest Hospital
2.1 miles -- Drug Store (Walgreen's)
4.0 miles -- Pima County Sheriff's Station

OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES

1.0 miles -- Friends Church
1.2 miles -- La Cima Middle School (Amphi School District)
1.9 miles (or walk 0.8 mi.) -- Suntran Express bus stop
2.2 miles -- Rillito River Linear Park (County park)
2.5 miles -- U.S. Post Office (Casas Adobes Station)
3.1 miles -- Baptist Church; Tohono Chul Park
4.0 miles -- Tucson Public Library (Nanini Branch); also Motor Vehicle registration office
5.5 miles -- Pima Canyon hiking trailhead (Coronado National Forest)

MAJOR LANDMARKS

4.1 miles -- Interstate 10 (Orange Grove Rd. interchange, west toward Phoenix)
5.0 miles -- Interstate 10 (Miracle Mile interchange, south toward downtown Tucson)
5.2 miles -- Amphi High School
8.6 miles -- Tucson Community Center; Pima County/Tucson/Federal office buildings; Historic District
8.8 miles -- Downtown Tucson (Congress at Stone): Arts District; bus and train terminals
8.8 miles -- Univ. of Arizona; University Medical Center

MAJOR SHOPPING AREAS

3.0 miles -- Foothills Mall (regional mall, nearest movie theaters)
3.5 miles -- Tucson Mall (largest mall in Tucson metro area; also Auto Mall)
5.0 miles -- Ina/Thornydale strip mall (includes Target, K-Mart Super Center)

SUPERMARKETS

2.5 - 3.4 miles -- ABCO, Albertsons, Safeway, Reay's Ranch Market, Basha's
4.0 - 5.0 miles -- Smith's, Fry's, another ABCO

OTHER IMPORTANT STORES

1.9 miles (or walk 0.8 mile) -- Texaco/convenience deli (nearest gas station, nearest store)
2.5 miles -- Orange Grove/Oracle (nearest mini-mall area, with banks, drug stores, restaurants, gas station, etc.)
2.8 miles -- For Visitors: Best Western Inn Suites, Cliff Manor Inn, Budget Car Rental, Amer. Auto. Assn.
3.5 - 4.2 miles -- Home Depot, Sam's Club, Price Costco

[photo of house exterior]

TREES, VEGETATION, WILDLIFE

[photo of cactus flowers on property]

There is abundant vegetation on the property. Mature fruit trees near the house include mission fig (2 crops in summer), lemon, tangelo, grapefruit, sour orange, and navel orange (all citrus produce fine fruit in the early winter). The patio is an oasis for wildlife, shaded by a 50-foot Aleppo pine, fruitless mulberry, large mesquite, privet, plus other trees. Close to the home there are also cactus gardens, wildflowers (e.g. penstamon), vines, and other landscaping plants. The trees and plants include ocotillo, organ pipe cactus, bird-of-paradise, Arizona cypress, privet, Aleppo pines, rhus lancia, pyrocanthus, Mexican palo verde, Texas ranger, agaves, Christmas cactus, jasmine, aloes, etc.

Away from the house, the vegetation is native palo verde/saguaro association Upper Sonoran desert, with saguaro cacti (one with arms), barrel cactus, abundant foothills palo verde (covered with yellow flowers in May), mesquite, catclaw and whitethorn acacia, several types of prickly pear, night-blooming cereus, creosote, triangle bursage, Mormon tea, cholla, echinocereus, etc. A small wash crosses the lower part of the property northwest of the house. A mature oleander hedge shields views of a neighbor's house from the sitting area.

Wildlife is abundant. Cottontails and jack rabbits abound, as well as smaller mammals and reptiles; coyotes live nearby and occasionally howl at night. More than 50 species of birds have been seen on the property; abundant species include: cardinal, cactus wren, various hummingbirds, thrasher, several types of dove, ruby-crowned kinglet, phainopepla, pyrrhuloxia, Gila woodpecker, flicker, house finch, several types of sparrow, verdin, gnatcatcher, quail, roadrunner, owls, mockingbird, ash-throated flycatcher, Wilson's warbler, etc., with vultures, hawks, swallows, and nighthawks overhead. Rarer types include orioles, Western tanager, grackle, towhee, warblers, goldfinches, and escaped parrots.

UTILITIES AND SERVICES

[photo of new AC/heating unit on roof]

There is a new (2.5-year-old) central combination gas heater and electric air conditioner (Carrier) to provide year-round comfort; also electric oven, gas range, dishwasher, disposal, and other appliances. Two gas water heaters separately serve east and west wings of the house (your shower won't get cold due to kitchen hot-water use!). A septic tank serves well (no sewer fee!), but sewer is available adjacent to the property both to the west and the southeast.

We are in the Metropolitan Water District, the largest of the districts/companies that are independent of Tucson Water. The District's mined water is excellent; it is committed to avoid using problematic Central Arizona Project water from the Colorado River. Cable is available at the property boundary; the roof antenna provides line-of-sight to Phoenix TV and radio station antennas on South Mountain. We are located in the Northwest Fire District, which has a fire station 0.3 miles to the northeast. The house is in the Amphitheater School District, the second largest school district in metropolitan Tucson. Walker Elementary School is about 2 miles away. The La Cima Middle School is just over 1 mile away. Amphi High School (about 5 miles away) serves this area. Garbage service is NOT provided by the government; the region is served by several private garbage companies.

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