That mountain is actually Picacho Mountain, a master planned community that rests peacefully beneath the shadow of Picacho Peak. As natives of the area (the Pofahls are originally from El Paso), Bob and Karen had a special fondness for the project when it was presented to them two years ago by the original owners of the property. “We were doing some consulting for the Burke family,” recalls Bob of the first time he learned of the parcel. “They asked for some advice on how to develop the property. We had never actually seen it in person.”

Busy with other projects in California, both Bob and Karen knew this project was too much for them to take on at the time. During a visit to the west Las Cruces acreage that would later become Picacho Mountain, Karen and Bob stood atop the city, soaking up a classic New Mexico sunset, and knew this was their new home. “Karen actually said to me, ‘Bob, we have to develop this property.’” They moved to Las Cruces, soon followed by Tom and Tiffany Etterling. (Tiffany is one of the Pofahl’s three children, who have also been involved in the business over the years.) Tom would get to work as the project manager for Picacho Mountain, and Tiffany would coordinate sales and marketing strategies. The rest, they say, is history.

But the Picacho Mountain story doesn’t start there. Bob first got started in construction in high school, and continued in the business throughout college. In the years that followed his various partnerships built hotels, commercial and residential projects throughout the United States and Latin America. Now focused on the concept, creation and development of Picacho Mountain, the Pofahls, along with their team of professionals at Picacho Mountain, are passionate about building something generations of Las Crucens will benefit from. Their commitment is to build community, not just homes. Picacho Mountain will be a place where residents can enjoy activities together and build relationships.

As a master planned community, Picacho Mountain is much more than sidewalks, housing tracts and driveways. Estate homes, upscale patio homes, and town homes are just a few of the various living options prospective residents of Picacho Mountain can choose from. In addition, Picacho Mountain plans for residents to have numerous retail shops at their convenience, as well as restaurants, parks, nature trails and walking trails. “People want to feel like they’re living in a resort, and that’s what the master plan accomplishes,” Bob explains. “It also means taking into consideration the transportation study, drainage plan and other outside considerations that affect the community with respect to the city’s planning office.”

The Pofahls are also committed to preserving the natural beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert. Their building covenants guide the design and construction of residences in order to restrict the disturbance of the natural surroundings. Pofahl explains “There are a total of 800 acres and 1,560 units that fall into that master plan, which we will oversee for the next decade or beyond. We have planned what the community will look like tomorrow, and 20 years from now.”

Two other master planned communities in Las Cruces that rank alongside Picacho Mountain are examples of what Pofahl says have done tremendous service for the community. “Sonoma Ranch ranks up there with some of the best master planned communities I’ve seen,” he says. “And La Tierra Escondida did a great job of preserving the natural landscape that envelops their community. What we want to do is continue that tradition, and raise the bar again.”

Pofahl’s plans for raising the bar not only include the Picacho Mountain development, but also a national ad campaign called “Discover Las Cruces”, which will attract new buyers and consumers to Las Cruces through a pool of advertising resources. Specifically, those buyers Pofahl hopes to attract to Las Cruces are a key demographic in the country that is growing faster than any other. “We’re talking about the Boomer retirement market. They’re retiring early and they have more discretionary funds than any other demographic. Las Cruces is doing a good job via the Chamber and the University to spread the good word about Las Cruces, but we wanted to target a specific demographic that will benefit the city as a whole. Our studies show about half a million Boomers relocate every year. That’s a lot of people.”

A lot of people that Pofahl says will soon learn what so many of us already know: Las Cruces is a great place to live, and the secret can’t be kept any longer. “I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop the growth of this city,” he says. “If you’re not growing, you’re dying. We have an opportunity to impact smart, managed, controlled growth. This community will never become Phoenix or Dallas or Albuquerque, but we can manage the kind of smart growth that will support a healthy Las Cruces for years to come.”