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One of the interesting things about this home is that the area it is in
uses a different addressing system then the rest of Tucson.
I suspect that was done intentionally to keep tourists from
finding the home.
The home is just east of Campbell between Speedway and Grant. But if you used the address based on the address system the rest of Tucson uses, it would be a mile south of it's actual location near Broadway. Tucson Citizen Morgue, Part 2 (1993-2009) Want Bonanno’s home? Make ‘em an offer by David Pittman on Jan. 28, 2005, under City/State Citizen Staff Writer By DAVID PITTMAN dpittman@tucsoncitizen.com Looking for a house fit for a mob kingpin? A place with a secret room to escape from intruders, a basement converted from a concrete bomb shelter, a boccie ball court and a couple of hidden safes to stash valuable stuff? If so, your dream house – the longtime Tucson getaway of Mafia boss Joe Bonanno – is on the block. The Bonanno property, near the Arizona Inn at 255 Sierra Vista Drive, is listed for sale on eBay. The asking price: $495,000. Potential buyers can view the home at an open house from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow. At that event, the godfather’s son, Bill, will sign his new novel, “The Good Guys,” co-written with Joe Pistone. Anthony Tarantola, 45, nephew of the elder Bonanno of New York-based crime family notoriety, is handling the sale. Tarantola said he has not padded the price because of his uncle’s notoriety. “The price is negotiable, but I don’t think I’ll stray too far from there,” Tarantola said. “It’s priced to sell. If you check the comps in that area, it’s right in line. I’ve gotten a lot of interest, but at this point nothing firm.” The elder Bonanno died at 97 on May 11, 2002. “Quite honestly, the place has been empty since he passed away and we finally cleaned it out and are trying to move on, so to speak,” Tarantola said. “It’s time to sell.” The 2,172-square-foot home was built in 1951 and sits on a third of an acre. The basement and a detached guesthouse-office add more than 450 square feet. The exterior is adobe brick with a Spanish tile roof. The home has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool, a ramada and a brick barbecue. The living room features brick-and-wood paneled walls, a brick fireplace and parquet floors. In 1968, the godfather moved from New York to Tucson, where he tried to live out of the spotlight, Tarantola said. “Most people expect barking dogs and a mansion on a hill, but that wasn’t my uncle at all,” he said. “He was a very private man and he wasn’t flamboyant at all.” Tarantola, who owns the movie production company Halfway to Tucson, said it is difficult for him and other Bonanno family members to part with the home. “I have lots of fond, fond memories of the place,” he said. “If my children weren’t already settled in schools elsewhere, I’d consider living there myself. “Bill (Bonanno) and his wife, Rosalie, are now in their 70s and their children live in Phoenix and California,” so it doesn’t make sense for them to live in the house, he said. The property may forever be linked to the crime family boss, but Tarantola said the house’s future may lie with a conventional family. “Its a great family house in a great neighborhood and ultimately what I’d like to see is a family move in that could really enjoy it,” he said. |