TUCSON, ARIZONA (July 1, 2026) — ARTO Brick, a Southern California-based manufacturer of handmade ceramic, porcelain, concrete tile, pavers, brick veneers, and architectural surfaces, is relocating and expanding part of its California manufacturing operation to Tucson with the acquisition of the former Sam Levitz warehouse at 3430 E. 36th St. This move marks a pivotal moment as ARTO relocates to enhance its production capabilities.
Arto 3430 LLC purchased the 123,394-square-foot building from 36th & Palo Verde Investors, LLC for $8,635,920 ($70 PSF). The building will become ARTO’s new Tucson production facility, marking a significant manufacturing expansion for the nearly 60-year-old family-owned company.
Stephen D. Cohen and Paul Hooker, SIOR, Principals and Industrial Specialists with Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, represented the seller. Rick Borane with Volk Company represented the buyer.
Founded in 1966 by Arto Alajian, ARTO is a second-generation, family-run company with nearly 60 years of history in handcrafted tile, brick, and architectural elements. The company says Arto Alajian, a classically trained artist born in Alexandria, Egypt, passed the business to his sons, Armen and Vod Alajian, who continue the company’s legacy of handmade ceramic and concrete products.
In a 2024 interview, Armen said ARTO manufactures in California and sells online, through Los Angeles showrooms, nationwide, and internationally.
The Tucson acquisition marks a significant expansion for the company and brings new life to a property long associated with another family-owned business. Sam Levitz announced liquidation sales at its East 36th Street and West Orange Grove Road stores in October 2024, closing a 71-year run for one of Tucson’s best-known homegrown retailers. At the time, second-generation owner Sam R. Levitz described the decision as “incredibly bittersweet,” saying the family was proud of the legacy it left behind in Tucson.
While the sale marks the end of a long chapter for a Tucson institution, the property is now in the hands of a company with a similar spirit: family-owned, craft-driven, and committed to quality over convenience.
Armen first walked into the building in the summer of 2024, while it was still operating as a furniture store, and the visit stayed with him. He returned that December while spending Christmas in Tucson and arranged a Sunday walkthrough with Cohen to take a closer look at the property. As the deal progressed, he credited Cohen and Hooker for consistently making the site available for architects, consultants, and inspectors, which was especially important as an out-of-town owner evaluating a long-term manufacturing expansion.
The building’s mix of warehouse, distribution, showroom, and manufacturing areas was well-suited to ARTO’s needs. The acquisition also comes as federal tax policy is creating new incentives for domestic manufacturers to invest in production capacity. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, certain qualified production property and production-related improvements may be eligible for accelerated first-year expensing, subject to detailed eligibility rules. For an owner-user investing in long-term operations rather than a buyer looking to flip the asset, those incentives could make future manufacturing improvements more attractive as ARTO evaluates how best to adapt the Tucson property for production.
“It’s like the dog that finally caught the UPS truck,” Armen Alajian said of the move. “You spend so long chasing something that you never really stop to think about what you do if you actually catch it. We caught it. Now we figure out what’s next. It is a big step for us, but like the saying goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
ARTO manufactures concrete tile, ceramic tile, glazed brick veneer, clay, artazzo, porcelain, and natural stone products. The company serves architects, designers, distributors, and dealers across residential and commercial projects, from kitchens and bathrooms to large-scale commercial and exterior applications. Its products are sold across the United States and internationally.
Arto Alajian passed away in 2014, but his sons, Armen and Vod, continue to operate the company from the Southern California factory their father started after selling handmade clay brick veneers along his milk delivery route in Venice, California.
With the Tucson acquisition, ARTO is planting roots in a new market and bringing nearly 60 years of craftsmanship to Southern Arizona.
Source: RED Comp #12545.