Redondo Tower, a 96-unit downtown Tucson apartment complex, is the latest Tucson apartment building to transform into condominiums. 

The building was acquired last year by Vertical Street Ventures, a California-based real estate investment firm. According to a news release, the company secured $26 million in financing for the conversion, which will upgrade the interiors of all units and common areas to attract buyers. 

Management notified tenants last year that leases would not be renewed. Instead, units would be listed for sale, with prices ranging from nearly $285,000 for a studio to as high as $500,000 for a two-bedroom condo.

“I’ll tell you right now, this place is going to be empty,” said Cathy Qurioz, who has lived in Redondo Tower for more than 15 years with her husband, Pete Qurioz. “They want nearly $400,000 for my unit. That’s impossible on my income. It feels like we’re being forced out.” 

Noah Secrest, who works in the Redondo sales office, said that the transition has been kind of hard. All the units have been renovated with new kitchens, bathrooms, floors and paint, he added. The lobby and gym were also upgraded to attract buyers. 

“All interior for each unit has been completely redone the past year,” Secrest said. 

Some residents said the building has had its share of issues, from broken elevators to leaks and crumbling. 

“They tried to make it look fancy, but it’s really not,” said Qurioz.

Durnaz Dashti, who has lived in the complex for about two years, said she once had to carry her 15-year-old dog down eight flights of stairs when the elevators broke.

”It’s dangerous,” she said, adding that after a major storm last year, the ninth-floor roof was blown off and residents could not return for six months. “I love the apartment but it was clearly hard to maintain since it’s so old.” 

Despite the problems, Dashti said she has stayed because of the neighborhood and the people she has met.

“I was very happy living here and its location is very excellent for the price and the community of people are very kind and easy going,” Dashti said.

Quiroz’s husband Pete said the complex also piled on fees for trash collection ($20) and a dumpster fee ($50) that never existed before. 

“We used to pay one check, $1,100 rent,” said Pete Quiroz, who has lived there for 15 years. “Now it’s $70 for common charges. We never paid for water before and now we do.”

Secrest said that tenants have the option to buy their units when their leases expire or will have to move.  

 “Current tenants only have one choice when their lease ends,” he said. “They can purchase it if they want. If they’re not looking for a purchase, then they will need to find another place.”

Toni Montijo, who works with Redondo Tower listing agent United Real Estate Specialists, said she can help residents get qualified to buy their apartments. She also can help find them another rental outside of the towers, she added. 

“They are more than welcome to purchase their unit,” Montijo said. “Unfortunately once their lease ends, they need to look for another rental or can talk to me. I’ll be more than happy to help them get qualified or get a new place.” 

For renters like University of Arizona student Zainab AlSultan, the transition has created uncertainty. 

“I pay max $1,100 a month to rent, but to buy my condo would be $150,000. It’s out of my price range,” she said. “This is making life very difficult for people like me who just want to rent.”

The Quriozes plan to leave Redondo Tower once their lease expires on Dec. 31. 

“We really don’t know where we are going,” Qurioz said. “This was one of the last places near downtown where regular people could live. Now it’s just another property for people with money.”

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.