Building and remodeling in Midtown Tucson
Midtown is where a lot of Tucson's character lives. Sam Hughes, just east of the University of Arizona, was developed from the 1920s into the 1950s. It sits in the 85716 and 85719 ZIP codes and is a National Register historic district with bungalow, Craftsman, Spanish and Mission Revival, and Pueblo-style homes. Colonia Solana was laid out in 1928 by landscape architect Stephen Child around the Arroyo Chico, and Winterhaven was built between 1949 and 1961 with its park-like Midwestern streets.
Older homes mean projects that are rarely as simple as they look on paper: brick and block walls, flat roofs with parapets, wood beams and decades of past repairs. That's where an experienced general contractor earns their keep.
City of Tucson permits and casita rules
Midtown is inside City of Tucson limits, so permits come from the city's Planning and Development Services. Because Tucson has more than 75,000 people, Arizona's 2024 ADU law applies. Since November 21, 2024, single-family lots in Tucson can have at least one attached and one detached casita, up to 75% of the main home's floor area or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is smaller, with side and rear setbacks no greater than 5 feet and no extra parking required. New ADUs need a cool roof. See the City of Tucson ADU page for details.
For many Midtown owners this is the big opportunity: a backyard casita for family, a home office or a long-term rental on a lot that couldn't have had one a few years ago. Long-term rental of a casita is allowed under the state law. If a casita built after the law is used as a short-term rental, the owner has to live on the property. The city also chose nine pre-approved designs for its Casita Model Plan Library in late 2024, which can save design time, though on an older lot with mature trees, alleys and old sewer lines, a custom layout often fits better. Our Tucson casita rules guide explains the full process.
Historic districts and design review
Not every historic neighborhood has the same rules. The City of Tucson has six Historic Preservation Zones, including Fort Lowell, West University, Armory Park, El Presidio and Barrio Historico. Inside an HPZ, exterior changes to existing buildings and new construction go through design review, even some work that doesn't need a building permit, with input from the neighborhood advisory board and the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission.
Many other Midtown neighborhoods are National Register districts without a city HPZ overlay, which usually means fewer design hoops for private work. The answer depends on your exact parcel, so we confirm it before any drawings, and we design casitas and additions to fit the neighborhood either way.
Tip: in an older neighborhood, ask about the house's past permits before you plan. Unpermitted additions and enclosed porches are common, and they're far easier to deal with before a new project than in the middle of one.
What older Midtown homes need
- Structural repair. Sagging beams, cracked headers, termite-damaged framing and old porch enclosures. See structural repair and beam repair and replacement.
- Opening floor plans. Removing walls in an older house means confirming what is load-bearing first. See load-bearing wall removal.
- Flat roofs and parapets. Many Midtown homes have flat roofs where coatings, scuppers and parapet caps wear out. See flat roof repair.
- Kitchens and baths. Small original kitchens and single bathrooms are often the first things owners change. See home remodeling and bathroom remodels.
Careful work on older houses
When a wall or ceiling opens in a 70-year-old house, something unexpected usually turns up. Our own crew does the framing and structural work, so it gets fixed properly instead of covered back up. We're a family-owned, licensed general contractor (AZ ROC #344537) based in Tucson. We walk the house, give you a written estimate and handle the city permit and inspections.