ORO VALLEY, AZ (February 6, 2026) — The Town of Oro Valley’s February 2026 Economic Development Update reports steady business activity and continued momentum on several high-visibility projects as the community heads into the new year. Economic Development staff continued Business Retention & Expansion outreach through targeted business visits in January, meeting with local operators including Wren Hair Studio (LuxSpace Studios), Casa de la Luz Hospice, Urban Wellness Center, and Oro Valley Hospital to strengthen communication, identify collaboration opportunities, and connect businesses with Town resources.

The update also points to ongoing business growth, highlighted by ribbon cuttings for several new openings: The Motive AZ (Jan. 20) at 2530 E. Vistoso Commerce Loop, Oro Valley Coffee Roasters (Jan. 28) at 1551 E. Tangerine Rd., and Pink’s Window (Jan. 30) at 10371 N. Oracle Rd., Suite 106. In support of entrepreneurs and small businesses, the Town hosted a Startup Tucson client growth workshop at Town Hall on Jan. 23 focused on practical sales strategies, with a second session scheduled for Feb. 19.

New business formation remained active, with 22 new business licenses issued in January 2026 across storefronts, shared workspaces, an “intelligent office” category, and home occupations. The report cites new and expanding businesses such as Solana Pilates, Code Ninjas Oro Valley, My DR NOW, Intuit, Inc., HealthySkin Dermatology, Eden Salon, and Sonora Well Care, as well as a range of home-based professional services. Certificates of Occupancy were also issued for Solana Pilates (10355 N. La Cañada Dr., Suite 117), Kinghorn Law | Financial (2506 E. Vistoso Commerce Loop Rd., Suite 150), Smashburger 1801 (7625 N. Oracle Rd., Unit 145), and the Sun City Oro Valley Community Association’s Copper Center (1119 E. Rancho Vistoso Blvd.).

On the development and investment side, the update notes active tenant improvement and investigative permit activity for recognizable projects including Bath & Body Works (Rooney Ranch), QuikTrip (Steam Pump Village remodel), and Walmart (Oro Valley Marketplace), along with Ooroo Automotive (Suffolk Center), Tee Box (Oro Valley Marketplace), and The Wealth Consulting Group Financial Services (San Jose Plaza).

Construction continues at the Oro Valley Marketplace Apartments and the adjacent park area, with an Extended Construction Hours Work Permit issued for concrete activities; extended hours are anticipated for approximately 10 months, with advance notice to nearby residents.

Parallel to those economic development efforts, the Oro Valley Water Utility is advancing a major regional infrastructure investment tied directly to long-term growth capacity: a new water transmission main as part of the Northwest Recharge, Recovery and Delivery System (NWRRDS). The Town has contracted with KE&G Contracting to install several miles of 20-inch-diameter waterline that will expand access to renewable water supplies for areas that currently rely solely on groundwater. By reducing groundwater pumping to more sustainable levels, the project is intended to strengthen regional sustainability and improve water supply reliability. The anticipated schedule runs from September 2025 through August 2026, with additional notification if the timeline extends.

Construction work will include clearing and grubbing, installation of the 20-inch pipeline with required fittings, valves, and connections per project specifications, and backfilling excavated areas to the existing grade with proper compaction and drainage slopes. Disturbed areas will be stabilized with erosion-control measures, including hydroseeding with an approved seed mix and tackifier. Project contacts are Hanna Krause, KE&G Contracting at (520) 633-6990 or [email protected], and Lee Jacobs, P.E., Town of Oro Valley at (520) 229-5023 or [email protected].

The Water Utility Engineering Division oversees new development reviews and capital improvement projects throughout Oro Valley’s water service areas, including plan review, contract administration for designing and building new or upgraded facilities, and maintaining the utility’s GIS in coordination with the Town’s IT Department. Within the division, the New Development Section reviews Water Improvement Plans for new development, supports long-range system expansion planning, and inspects developer-built water facilities prior to final acceptance and operation. The section also prepares and administers Line Extension Agreements and coordinates approvals as needed with the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality before new facilities are placed into service, working closely with Planning and Zoning, Public Works, and Building Safety to ensure consistent standards and quality construction as Oro Valley grows.

The Town notes that construction start dates for utility projects are estimates and may shift due to right-of-way acquisition, federal permit clearance, utility relocations, and funding. Other current Water Utility projects and developments include Countryside Wheeling Station upgrades; design of a redundancy water line and interconnection for the Catalina Shadows and Palisades areas; La Cañada southbound crossing main and valve replacement near the Oro Valley Community Center; the La Cañada Two-Zone Booster at Moore Road; Nakoma Sky Production Well civil and control panel design updates; NWRRDS independent forebay work; Rancho Vistoso booster upgrades; Steam Pump well site design and equipping; Sun City booster station evaluation and design; and well rehabilitation projects.

The full report can be found here.

TUCSON, AZ (Feb. 5, 2026) — A single-tenant Native Grill & Wings property at 10255 E. Old Vail Road in Tucson has traded hands for $3,100,000 ($605.11 PSF).

The 5,123-square-foot freestanding restaurant (built 2015) sits on 0.31 acres in the Old Vail Plaza subdivision in Pima County in this Southeast submarket.

The seller was The Andrew & Pilar Glassman 2025 CRT, and the buyer was 10255 East Vail, LLC, c/o Brian Emma.

The property was marketed as an absolute triple-net leased with a 17-year lease term and two 5-year options.

Walt Harder of Harder Real Estate and Development, and Jim Mitchell of Retail Advisors SW represented the investor. Brenna Lacey with VOLK Company was the listing broker and can be contacted at 520-326-3200.

Source: RED Comp #12325

TUCSON, AZ (Feb. 3, 2026) — Starbucks is mapping out its most ambitious domestic growth push in years, targeting as many as 5,000 potential new U.S. stores—with much of the “white space” concentrated in the South, Midwest/Central U.S., and parts of the Northeast, where the brand’s footprint is still comparatively light.

The plan was outlined during the company’s January 29, 2026 Investor Day in New York, the first major long-range strategy event under CEO Brian Niccol. Niccol framed the opportunity as obvious: Starbucks, he said, sees “crystal clear” evidence of untapped coffee demand in markets where it is underrepresented.

White space even where rivals are already planted

While Starbucks has expanded steadily in recent years, executives signaled the next wave is about geography as much as raw unit count. The company said it has identified thousands of trade areas where it can grow share—sometimes even where drive-thru competitors are already entrenched, including Dutch Bros., 7 Brew and Scooter’s Coffee.

Reporting tied to the investor day notes that more than 1,000 of the potential new sites are in markets where Starbucks does not have a store within a mile—an indicator the company views its brand demand as “underserved” even with strong competitive presence.

Stores still matter: “third place” strategy gets a refresh

Even as the industry leans hard into drive-thru and mobile, Starbucks is doubling down on cafés as a differentiator. The company said more than 60% of transactions still occur in-store, and its “Back to Starbucks” strategy includes increasing seating and improving the in-café experience.

To support growth while controlling development costs, Starbucks is also introducing smaller-format store designs that are about 20% cheaper to build while retaining seating alongside omnichannel features like drive-thru and mobile pickup.

Remodeling accelerates as staffing becomes the gating factor

Starbucks is pairing new builds with a significant reinvestment in the existing fleet. A GlobeSt.com report tied to the investor day said Starbucks had completed 70 upgrades by last November, with about 1,000 more planned for fiscal 2026, typically completed overnight to keep stores open.

But the bigger constraint may be labor and leadership development. Starbucks currently opens roughly 400 U.S. stores a year, and management has acknowledged it will need to accelerate development and staffing to reach its longer-term domestic target. As part of that pipeline, the company is rolling out a “coffee house coach” role intended to accelerate store readiness by grooming future managers earlier.

Financial targets: higher margins, stronger EPS by 2028

Starbucks told investors it is working toward a return to stronger profitability and expects earnings power to grow alongside unit expansion, store redesigns, and operational savings. Reuters and other outlets reported that Starbucks is targeting improvements in operating margin and a broader earnings framework by fiscal 2028.

CRE lens: great corners get tighter

Commercial real estate observers say the competitive context is different than Starbucks’ prior growth eras. Adam Siegel of Crexi told GlobeSt.com that the turnaround-and-growth plan is playing out in a tougher landscape—one where store closures, consumer price sensitivity, and landlord confidence may factor into deal velocity and lease negotiations.

For landlords and developers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: if Starbucks follows through, competition for drive-thru-capable pads, high-traffic corners, and efficient second-generation restaurant boxes could intensify—especially in the white-space regions Starbucks is explicitly prioritizing.