TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The renovation for the 15th floor of Tucson House is complete. The project, which took 10 months to reach this milestone, has delivered fully refurbished apartments on the 15th floor as part of the city's affordable housing voucher program for seniors 55 and older who require ADA accommodations.
The newly renovated 15th floor is now complete and includes new air conditioning units, remodeled kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms, along with balconies that offer views across the city.
City of Tucson Housing & Community Development Director Anne Chenecka and Gormany & Company Arizona Market President Sally Schwenn, the departments behind the Tucson House Renovation project, said the speed of the first phase turnaround was notable.
"Just 10 short months later, we're able to turn the first floor for new residents into everything being brand new, and people start moving in this weekend," Schwenn said
Originally built in 1963, the building will be transformed into 358 modern, affordable apartments for residents ages 55 and older, with upgraded systems, improved accessibility and new community spaces.
Plans to renovate began in 2018, raising over $200 million to fix up Tucson House over the next 2.5 years.
Chenecka said access to the newly renovated units will be prioritized for residents with specific accommodation needs, and funded through the housing choice voucher program, keeping the apartments affordable for low-income tenants and only asking for around 30% of their income.
"The folks who have priority to move in are folks who have reasonable accommodations and need some of the units on the 15th floor and the re-occupancy plan," Chenecka said.
Resident Mike Edmonds, who has lived in Tucson House since 2019, got a walkthrough of the finished apartments. His reaction on seeing the completed floor was immediate.
"It's like, hey, this is nice! It was all really impressive," Edmonds said.
Edmonds said the months of construction were not without their challenges for residents still living in the building, but that seeing the finished product changed his perspective.
"We all had concerns in the beginning, like, how's this going to work out, and is this going to be right," Edmonds said. "But now that a floor is completely done and we've seen the final product, now we know how the finished project will look like."
The project has not been without criticism. Residents raised concerns about asbestos exposure during construction.
The situation got to the point where drivers with the United States Postal Service temporarily stopped delivering mail out of safety concerns for their tenants.
Read More: Tucson House tenants raise asbestos concerns as affordable housing complex renovations continue
Project officials said testing is conducted throughout the building to ensure it is safe.
"We get monitored by the Department of Environmental Quality," Chanecka said. "It is going to continue to be hard as we get through this construction. But today is a reminder of how important it is and how exciting it's going to be when this is completed."
The first residents are set to begin moving into the renovated 15th-floor units this weekend. Construction on the remainder of Tucson House is expected to continue through 2028.
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
