Herb and Paddy Simonson insist they’re not lonely in their 25th-floor condo in downtown
The couple moved into the 44
The Simonsons live in the tallest and one of the most luxurious condo towers in the state, but they don’t have much company. Only 10 of the 196 units are occupied.
Herb, a former emergency-room doctor who still works part time at age 78, says he and Paddy paid about $1 million for their 1,900-square-foot unit. They know it’s not worth anything close to that today.
“I’m sure this has crashed in value just like everything else,” he says.
The Simonsons have no desire to sell, but there are deals to be had at 44
A two-bed, two-bath condo of roughly 1,400 square feet is listed for $355,470. One-bed units are available for less.
Ryan Zeleznak is overseeing sales at 44
“We’re starting to see more ‘real’ buyers coming through instead of curious shoppers who just want to see a unit,” Zeleznak says.
44
The Simonsons were an exception — sort of. They still own their previous residence a few blocks away at Roosevelt Square II because they haven’t found a buyer. That three-story, 2,500-square-foot condo is listed for $549,000. With a hint of worry in her voice, Paddy says, “We’d really like to get rid of that place.” Herb adds, “no one’s even looking.”
But the two have no regrets about buying at 44
“We get a free fireworks show every time the D-backs shoot them off,” Paddy says.
The Simonsons are exactly the type of urbanites city leaders and real estate developers are so desperate to bring downtown. The interior of their unit is straight out of the Copenhagen Furniture catalog: sleek, modern and spotless. Herb says they have season tickets to four local theaters, and they take the light rail to
“It was a dream of ours for years to be in a high-rise,” Herb says. “We still marvel at the view and love to watch the world go by.”
But living in a near-vacant high-rise does have a few drawbacks. The two say their key fobs have had to be replaced because of a few thefts in the building. Herb says he expected a few more neighbors when they moved in. They don’t have any friends in the building.
Considering the condition of the real estate market, it’s likely to be quite a while before the Simonsons have to wait for an elevator to get to their condo. But Dave Roderique, president of the
“Everything in the Valley got overbuilt, and the developers went crazy,” he says. “It’s not just downtown condos, it was retail, tract homes … everything.”
When asked about the possibility of 44
“We’re doing everything we can to fight through this,” he says. “We’re taking it day by day and hoping the market gets better.”
Paddy and Herb also are hopeful that the bustling downtown they hoped for will take shape.
“There’s so much potential here,” Paddy says. “But I don’t know if we’re going to see it all come to fruition.”
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