The Estate was the Home of Donald Diamond, a Prominent Philanthropist and Land Developer Behind Projects Across Arizona including the Tucson Airport Commerce Center
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, Arizona’s leader in luxury real estate, is proud to announce the sale of Donald R. Diamond and Joan B. Diamond’s Spanish Colonial Tucson estate. The estate closed for $3,723,000 and is the highest residential sale in the Santa Catalina Foothills since 2007.
Diamond, born in New York, moved to Arizona in 1965 and attended the University of Arizona and was one of Arizona’s most notable philanthropists and land developers.
His notable projects include The Canyons, Tucson Airport Commerce Center, the Riverside Plaza, Paloma Village, and Scottsdale Crossing at Calendar Stick Office Park with many philanthropic donations including $15 million to build the Diamond Children’s Medical Center.
Global Real Estate Advisor Bryan Durkin of The Durkin Group at Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty represented the Diamond family in the sale. Durkin has been a real estate agent in Tucson for 21 years.
It was a great honor being selected as the agent to list the Diamond Estate as this home had never been on the market before. We marketed this home around the globe and were so pleased to find the perfect buyer locally in Tucson who appreciated the value of such a unique property and understands the Foothills. This is a trophy property that proves the old saying, ‘location, location, location’ when talking about price.
Bryan Durkin
The sophisticated estate was completed in 1982 and was designed by highly renowned Southern Arizona Architect Lewis Hall, specifically for Diamond. The home was intelligently designed to unify comfort and luxury to create an unforgettable resort experience.
The 10,618 square foot estate is located in Tucson’s most premier and coveted neighborhood, The Canyons, a community that Diamond himself developed. The sprawling 7.3-acre estate is perched above the city on the best ridgetop lot in the Foothills that borders the Coronado National Forest, offering forever views of city lights and the Santa Catalina Mountains.
The Diamond Estate features a 7,632 square foot main house that boasts 2 luxurious bedroom suites. The grand master bedroom is a personal oasis home to a fireplace and a reading nook that opens to a beautiful private patio with a spa with unobstructed views of Finger Rock. Imported hand-painted tiles, a jacuzzi tub, and a steam shower bring luxury and refinement to the master bathroom.
The main house also features a private office and adjoining library that overlooks the grand living room with solid hardwood floors, a stunning fireplace, beamed ceilings, and soaring window walls that offer unmatched dramatic views. In addition, the estate boasts an astonishing chef’s kitchen with a hand-painted mural by Andrew Rush, a media room, 2 full-sized bars, and a walk-in temperature-controlled wine cellar.
The 2,589 square foot guest house features 3 bedrooms, 3 fireplaces, Saltillo floors, a full kitchen, and private patios.
A striking pool and grotto incorporate boulders and the surrounding desert environment to create an unrivaled ambiance while reflecting the Santa Catalina Mountains. The adjacent pool house features 2 changing rooms, a bathroom, a sauna, and a lower-level exercise room.
My father’s legacy lives on through his developments, philanthropic endeavors, and this house. He put his heart and soul into creating it and succeeded in making this large estate our home. I am excited for the new owners to create memories in this amazing estate, it is truly the most remarkable house I have seen in Tucson.
Helaine Levy, Diamond’s daughter
