Uptown Rises at the Old Foothills Mall: The Northwest Tucson Jobs It's Bringing
Published: June 22, 2026 | By TucsonHIRED Team
TUCSON, AZ — The old Foothills Mall is becoming something new, and it's going to need a lot of workers. At La Cholla Boulevard and Ina Road, developer Bourn Companies is transforming the 51-acre site into Uptown, a walkable "urban resort village" of apartments, shops, restaurants, a lifestyle hotel, and public gathering spaces. For northwest-side job seekers, this is one of the biggest hiring stories on the horizon, with hospitality, retail, and food service roles set to roll out as the district fills in.
🏗️ What Uptown is becoming
Bourn's vision for the former mall spans roughly 2 million square feet of residential, retail, restaurant, hotel, office, and entertainment space, arranged around pedestrian streets, an event lawn, a splash pad, and a public market. More than 350,000 square feet of the old enclosed mall has already been cleared to make room. The first apartments, The Astrie, are leasing now, and longtime tenants like Barnes & Noble and AMC Theatres continue to operate on the property as the new district grows around them.
See current job openings in our live Retail Career Guide and Restaurant Career Guide
🏨 The hotel anchor
A centerpiece of the project is the five-story, 144-room Tempo by Hilton Tucson Uptown at 7400 N. Uptown Dr. The hotel topped out in March 2026 and is now targeting a January 2027 opening, operated by Valencia Hotel Group. It will include a rooftop-style pool deck, a fitness center, meeting space, and Moonsong Bar + Café, a restaurant and bar aimed at guests, residents, and the broader community. Hotels of this size hire across the board, from front desk and housekeeping to culinary and management.
For current job openings in the Tucson area see our live Hospitality Career Guide
🧰 The jobs Uptown is bringing
Construction and skilled-trades work is active on site right now. As the district opens in phases, watch for hiring across:
- Hotel and hospitality roles (front desk, housekeeping, guest services)
- Restaurant and food service across the planned dining concepts
- Retail sales and store management
- Property management and leasing for the residential side
- Maintenance and facilities
What it means for job seekers
Because Uptown opens in phases rather than all at once, this is a "get ready and watch for openings" situation more than a single grand-opening rush. The smart move is to set your job alerts now, keep an eye on the hotel and its restaurant as the 2027 opening approaches, and target the retail and dining tenants as they announce. If you live near Oro Valley, Casas Adobes, or the northwest side, this could be a commute-friendly hub for years to come.
🔎 Search and get ready
Explore hospitality and retail paths in our Tucson career center, then start your search:
- Search Uptown and northwest Tucson jobs
- Browse hospitality jobs in Tucson
- Create a free account for job alerts
Staffing up for Uptown or anywhere on the northwest side? Post your jobs on TucsonHIRED and reach local candidates today.
For years the old Foothills Mall sat half-empty. Now it's turning into one of the northwest side's busiest corners, and the jobs are coming with it.
