As Rancho Sahuarita managing partner, Jeremy Sharpe was driving through his family’s master-planned community one day, he said he took notice of various common occurrences — a woman who was teaching her son how to ride a bike, a senior couple holding hands, kids on the playground and others having a picnic. These sights, Sharpe said, embody the life and culture of Rancho Sahuarita. 

“Events show one thing, but it’s the passive experiences when nobody else is watching that, to me, show how our residents live in our community,” he said. “It’s a way of living that ultimately, we are there to try to help make people’s lives easier and give them a space to live their life.

“That is the culture of Rancho Sahuarita is — it’s connection.”

Rancho Sahuarita will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with a free, community-wide event. Residents will have the opportunity to enjoy live music, various food trucks and family-friendly games. The day of anniversary-commemorating activities will conclude with a fireworks finale as well. 

Though he is currently the managing partner of the community, Sharpe grew up in Rancho Sahuarita as well. He accepted the torch from his late father, founder Bob Sharpe — who had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, which is known to be an aggressive form of brain cancer. Jeremy said that doctors determined that Bob had nine months left to live, but despite the limited time the founder had left and the gravity of his condition, Bob always had a positive attitude. 

“When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, I would call him every day and say, ‘Dad, how are you doing today,’ and he’d say, ‘Today is a good day,’” Jeremy said. “Over time, that became his mantra and a rallying cry for our family and companies.” 

Featured on strikers and hats distributed throughout the community, Jeremy said that his father’s personal motto served as a reminder to residents that despite the challenges they were facing in life, each day was a good one. 

Development for the master planned community began in the early 1990s. The late founder purchased 3,000 acres of land, integrating parks and trails, tree-lined streets, schools and other amenities — and the first home closed in 2002.  

Since its founding in 2001, Rancho Sahuarita has grown to consist of over 7,000 homes, serving roughly 25,000 residents. The master plan features over 25 miles of trails, 15 parks, three clubhouses and offers 350 annual community events and 40 weekly health and wellness classes.

Rancho Sahuarita has received various awards and honors for being one of the best master planned communities in the state. Two of the accolades the managing partner said he is proud of include “Best place to work” and “Project of the decade.

“We can’t do what we do without our team, so that meant a lot,” Sharpe said, reflecting on the significance of the awards. “The recognition is something we’re incredibly grateful for and we continue to try to elevate our game and deliver a great experience for our residents.”

As the team moves forward, Sharpe said the goal is to continue to build on the vision of developing a safe and affordable community with potential for connection and growth. To that end, he said he is working to expand the economic impact — offering different housing types and extending connectivity throughout the region. 

With the 25th anniversary celebration around the corner, Sharpe said he would like to express gratitude to all of the residents — especially the seasoned ones.    

“The early residents — we call them the pioneers — believed in our vision and I am so grateful for their partnership over the years and being a part of that vision,” he said. “My mom ran the clubhouse, my dad was down there and I would spend every weekend as a teenager lifeguarding and then I came back after grad school. Those early residents got to know our family — and there’s something really special about that. 

“I do not take lightly the decision of where to live and where to raise your family and so I’m grateful for the faith that our residents have in Rancho    Sahuarita.” 

Rancho Sahuarita 25th Anniversary Celebration
WHEN: 3 to 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31
WHERE: Sahuarita Lake Amphitheater, 15466 S. Rancho Sahuarita Boulevard, Sahuarita
COST: Free admission
INFO: ranchosahuarita.com