However, Stiteler and his business partner, Rudy Dabdoub, who have built several downtown developments, are not giving up.

“Our love of Tucson and downtown is hopefully apparent in all of our projects,” Stiteler said. “We are not, in any way, walking away from the block. We will invest for generations.”

Stiteler and Dabdoub traveled the country to see other coworking office developments and incorporate concepts into Connect.

“We gave it our all but there wasn’t enough demand for a large coworking space,” Stiteler said.

More than 200 businesses rotated in and out of Connect in the five years it was open.

Some business owners went under, some grew bigger and others cut corners by saving on rent and working out of their homes.

Averaging about 80 percent occupancy, the strategy of raising rents was contrary to Connect’s vision of providing Class A office space to the “little guy,” Stiteler said.

“Members would say, ‘We would pay more but we can’t,’” he said. “That would not have been the right direction.”

LOOKING AHEAD





