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The Barrios de Marana was supposed to be a new town core, mixing and matching residential and retail development on 38 acres in the heart of Marana's rural landscape.

But like many planned developments during these turbulent economic times, Barrios de Marana has been put on hold. The development group behind the plan filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Sunday after it struggled to get a builder and financing for the project.

In its court filing, Barrios de Marana LLC listed less than $50,000 in assets and debts.

Jack Neubeck,

a member of the limited-liability company, said that while the Marana Town Council had given the project the green light, his group simply couldn't get financing.

Neubeck is also director of business development at The Planning Center, a Tucson-based firm that put together the Barrios de Marana plan.

Barrios de Marana LLC is in talks with a party about selling the land, but it's unclear if the potential buyer can get the financing to move ahead with the project. Neubeck declined to name the interested party.

"It's on hold," Neubeck said. "We may have a sale, but we won't know about that until the 15th (of December). . . ."

Messages left on Town Manager Gilbert Davidson's cell phone were not returned.

The Barrios de Marana was supposed to be a key part of a Main Street concept developed years ago by Marana's town leaders.

Located on 38 acres about a half-mile north of the Town Hall, near West Grier Road and North Marana Main Street, the development was planned to mix residential, commercial and retail space. It was also designed to be pedestrian-friendly, placing residences close to shops and government buildings.

Some residents had expressed concern that the apartments and multistory buildings would bring crime and stand out against Marana's rural and agricultural backdrop, so developers agreed to only build single-story buildings on the outside, providing a transition from old to new.

Despite the bankruptcy filing and credit crunch, Neubeck said he is confident the development will go ahead once the housing market stabilizes.

"It's possible," he said. But "right now, boy, it's tough."