James Gaulin has joined Richmond American Homes in Tucson as Director of Land Acquisition and Development. Gaulin replaces Michael Del Castillo who was promoted to Richmond American’s Seattle office, where Del Castillo grew up and still has family.

Gaulin is well-known and respected in the industry and came to Richmond American’s Tucson branch from Denver, where he was working with Lennar Homes in land development.

Gaulin’s extensive experience in land acquisition and planning began with Meritage Homes in Tucson and continued at Forest City Land Group from 2006-2012. During that time he managed all aspects of acquisition, entitlement, planning, development and construction for several master-planned communities in Arizona and Washington.

Prior to that, Gaulin was with Rick Engineering in Tucson where he worked as a Civil Engineering Designer, assisting subdivision and commercial planners with architectural designs, working closely with municipal and utility employees to ensure project success.

Gaulin says he’s very happy to be back in Tucson and could not resist the call to return when it came to him in Denver.

Richmond American is a wholly-owned subsidiary of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., (NYSE:MDC) a Delaware Corporation based in Colorado since 1972. Richmond plans to maintain its market share in Pima County and ranked 11th in the top 100 Southwestern and National homebuilders for 25012, with 3,740 closings for the year.

Gaulin is at the Richmond American administrative office at 3091 West Ina Road, Tucson, AZ 85741 and can be reached at (520) 544-2700.

(API-August 22, 2013) Struggling retailer J.C. Penney is adopting a plan to prevent a takeover attempt just two days after reporting its sixth straight quarter of big losses and steep revenue declines. This is the second time in recent years that the company has put into place a so-called “poison pill” plan.

In October 2010 J.C. Penney enacted the defense after activist investor William Ackman of Pershing Square and Vornado Square Management, chaired by Steve Roth, snapped up large stakes. The company eventually put both men on its board, a decision that ended badly last week when Ackman resigned from the board after lashing out at other directors publicly. The two sides hammered out an agreement that will allow Ackman to unload his J.C. Penney stake. Roth is still on the board.

J.C. Penney said there is no current attempt to take over the company. However, the plan announced Thursday can be put into effect if an individual or an entity acquires 10 percent or more of the company’s outstanding stock. The corporate defense strategy allows existing shareholders to buy more shares at a very low price if that occurs.

J.C. Penney said that the plan does not include “certain affiliates of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. or certain affiliates of Vornado Realty Trust so long as such party’s beneficial ownership is permitted under such party’s letter of agreements with the company.”

The retailer is trying to survive a botched turnaround strategy by former CEO Ron Johnson. It brought Mike Ullman to the top post in April, after he had occupied the post from 2004 to 2011. Ullman has been bringing back coupons, frequent sales events and basic merchandise like khakis and jeans that Johnson eliminated in a failed attempt to attract hipper, more affluent shoppers.

J.C. Penney amassed nearly a billion dollars in losses and its revenue dropped 25 percent for the fiscal year that ended Feb. 2 in the first year of Johnson’s turnaround strategy.

Under Ullman’s leadership, J.C. Penney is bringing back store label brands like St. John’s Bay that were eliminated by Johnson. The company also is working to restage the home departments in the stores where new designers like Jonathan Adler and Michael Graves were added.

J.C. Penney said that its “poison pill” will be effective until Aug. 20, 2014, unless rights are redeemed or exchanged for shares of its common stock on an earlier date.

The retailer’s stock dropped 13 cents to close at $13.20 Thursday.

Sunbelt Holdings, a privately-held Scottsdale developer involved in some of metro Phoenix’s largest master-planned communities, purchased 480-acres at the northwest corner of Kolb and I-10 for La Estancia, a new master-planned community with a complimentary mix of uses planned for development within the Tucson metro area. Sunbelt paid $17.1 million for the 480-acre master-planned community, block platted for residential, commercial, light industrial, public facilities, recreational and open space.

When fully developed La Estancia will consist of 1,500 – 2,000 homes, 51 acres commercial use and 24 acres of light industrial space, plus parks and open spaces; there’s even 10-acres reserved for a ‘possible elementary school’. The community sold with 664 platted lots of varied sizes, ranging from 40’ x 110’ to 65’ x 110’.

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Sean Walters, Chief Operating Officer of Sunbelt told us that Bob Bambauer, Vice-President at Sunbelt Holdings, was integral to the decision to buy La Estancia. Bambauer, prior to joining Sunbelt Holdings in January 2007, lived in Tucson and knows the community, having worked with homebuilders such as Pulte Home Corp, Robson Communities and KB Homes Tucson, Inc. Bambauer will be overseeing development of La Estancia, as well as continue involvement in Sunbelt’s Vistancia master- planned community in Peoria, AZ.

Sunbelt has a long term business strategy for its projects that depends on the right management: “A real estate project cannot flourish without dedicated and close supervision. From the time a project is born, Sunbelt strategically manages it to maximize long-term viability and yield, regardless of size, value or market sector. Whether managing commercial or residential projects, every aspect of the project is actively managed including pre-construction, land development and vertical construction and promotion, tenant and builder relations, financial management, and marketing,” according to the company’s profile.

Sunbelt is a recognized leader in real estate development, management and investment throughout the Southwest since 1979. Over the years, the firm has gained an understanding of the area’s unique characteristics that only time and experience can teach. Early projects like the Phoenix Gateway Center remain successful icons. Recent acquisitions of turn-around assets have provided unique opportunities to add value in the ‘class A’ office market with the Hayden Ferry Lakeside project in Tempe, and the PV|303 industrial project in the West Valley of Phoenix.

It is Sunbelt Holdings along with Ryan Companies US, Inc. developing The Marina Heights project, the largest office development in Arizona history, with more than 2-million-square-feet to be constructed on more than 20 acres, adjacent to Tempe Town Lake, in conjunction with ASU in Tempe.

Sunbelt also developed some of the Phoenix Valley’s most beloved residential communities including award winning communities such as McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, Power Ranch in the East Valley and Vistancia in the Northwest Valley.

In all, Sunbelt has developed over 50,000 acres of land over the past 30 years.

Sendero Pass, a 770-acre master- planned community in the Southwest submarket of Tucson Arizona, located at Valencia and Ajo Highway, was Sunbelt’s first entry into Tucson last year. La Estancia is Sunbelt’s second project. Work at La Estancia is expected to start later this year or early next.

Will White with Land Advisors Organization of Tucson handled the transaction for buyer and seller, La Estancia 525, LLC (Richard Price, managing member). Land Advisors Organization will also be handling the marketing and disposition of lots to homebuilders.

Bambauer can be reached at (623) 243-6307. White can be contacted at (520) 514-7454. For more information on Sunbelt Holdings and other projects, please visit https://sunbeltholdings.com . [/mepr-show]

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[ismember] Sale date was 8/16/2013. Escrow time was 4 months. Market time – 18 months. Buyer put $3,260,000 down and financed the balance of $17,080,500 with conventional financing from Alliance Bank and a seller carryback.  Recorded seller was Landmark Title Trust #18,352-T, La Estancia 525, LLC (beneficiary).[/ismember]