Why a Tucson real estate family pivoted to Phoenix

January 31, 2026 - 21:10

A prominent real estate family, long-established in Tucson, is making a strategic pivot toward the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Ashland Group, known for its decades of development in southern Arizona, is now channeling its primary efforts and investments into projects in the Valley of the Sun.

Company leadership cites Phoenix's more robust and business-friendly atmosphere as a key driver behind this significant shift. They point to the region's faster-growing economy, larger pool of potential tenants and buyers, and generally more streamlined regulatory environment as compelling reasons for the move.

However, this transition is not solely motivated by opportunity. The firm also expresses a deeper mission tied to its new focus. By entering the Phoenix market, the group aims to actively combat what it describes as the negative impacts of out-of-state and institutional investors on local communities. Their stated goal is to provide an alternative, community-oriented approach to development, focusing on projects that they believe will benefit Arizona residents directly, rather than distant shareholders.

This move underscores the ongoing magnetic pull of Phoenix's booming economy, even for established businesses in other Arizona cities. It also highlights a growing narrative within the state's real estate sector, where local firms are positioning themselves in contrast to large, impersonal investment entities. The Ashland Group's expansion represents both a practical business decision and a philosophical stand in Arizona's competitive property landscape.