RMTA INTRODUCES “RMTA RETREAT,” A DESIGN-LED AIRSTREAM MICRO-RESORT ACTIVATING PHOENIX’S HILLSIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME

RMTA Retreat transforms one of North Mountain’s most cinematic ridgelines into a curated hospitality experience—pairing mid-century Airstream heritage with desert-modern landscape design, panoramic city views, and a development philosophy rooted in low-impact terrain stewardship.

Airstream Hospitality Meets Hillside Preservation
RMTA Retreat is conceived as a design-forward, small-footprint hospitality environment that respects the hillside’s natural grade, vegetation, and visual character. Each Airstream unit is placed to preserve sightlines, minimize disturbance, and create a sense of architectural quiet within the desert.

The City of Phoenix has formally classified the micro-resort as an RV Park, establishing a clear entitlement pathway:

“An Airstream resort will… be considered an RV Park. An RV Park requires a Special Permit in C-1, C-2, or C-3. Meaning, a rezone to C-1 will be required then a secondary rezone to C-1 SP (Special Permit) will be required.”

RMTA is preparing the required rezoning and Special Permit applications to deliver the hospitality program in full compliance with hillside standards.

A Limited-Run Retreat Designed for Architecture, Community, and Culture
RMTA Retreat will operate as a two-year hospitality activation, with extensions available through the City’s plan-review process. The program is designed to:

• Support early-stage infrastructure work, including utility coordination and slope analysis
• Introduce the public to RMTA’s terrain-responsive design philosophy
• Create a cultural anchor for the future modular hillside community
• Generate interim revenue under the City’s short-term rental ordinance
• Demonstrate low-impact activation on sensitive hillside land

Each Airstream is curated with desert-modern interiors, shaded outdoor living spaces, and landscape elements that blend with the natural hillside context.

Airstream as Architectural Artifact
RMTA Retreat treats each Airstream as a design object, not a vehicle—an architectural gesture that complements the hillside’s geology and the future modular homes planned for the site.

The retreat will feature:

• Panoramic city-and-mountain views framed by the natural ridgeline
• Shared gathering terraces designed for shade, quiet, and community
• Nighttime lighting strategies that preserve the hillside’s darkness
• Native-plant revegetation aligned with Section 507 Tab A requirements
• Pedestrian-first circulation, separating footpaths from vehicular access

This approach aligns with the City’s hillside design standards, including requirements for revegetation, massing sensitivity, and low-impact grading.

A Bridge to RMTA’s Long-Term Modular Community
RMTA Retreat is the first phase of RMTA’s broader vision: a terrain-responsive modular community built with United Tiny Homes on permanent foundations. While the modular homes advance through slope analysis, plat consolidation, and hillside grading review, the retreat provides:

• A real-time demonstration of RMTA’s design ethos
• A community-facing preview of future architectural character
• A financially self-sustaining interim use
• A compliant activation that respects hillside limits

Founder Ben Brosseau describes RMTA Retreat as “a way to let the land speak first—before construction, before foundations, before anything permanent. Hospitality becomes the opening chapter of the hillside’s architectural story.”