A Look Into the Progress at Highland Bridge

Highland Bridge, a 122-acre mixed-use master development in Saint Paul, MN, features 55 acres of public and open green space, 265,000-square-feet of office space, 150,000-square-feet of retail space, 3,800 apartments, single-family, affordable housing, condos and row homes, as well as senior living options.

With so many aspects of the development, it can be hard to keep it all straight. Here’s a quick update of what’s been going on at Highland Bridge:

Multifamily

The Collection

Status: Completed

This six-level, mixed-use building features 230 apartments, and over 150,000-square-feet of retail and grocer space on ground-level. There are more than a dozen available apartment floorplans ranging from studios to penthouse units. This is Weidner Apartment Homes’ first development at Highland Bridge.

Lunds & Bylerlys is the anchor retail tenant of the building.

To learn about availability and leasing, visit The Collection at Highland Bridge website.

Rowhomes

15-block Rowhome District

Status: In progress

The 15-block rowhome district, built by Pulte, offers owners a wide range of sizes and price points to choose from, with versatile floorplans, all-electric options and enclosed parking. Select units feature rooftop terraces with views of the river, parks and water features. Six of the rowhomes in this charming, urban district will be affordable housing, delivered in partnership with Ryan and Habitat for Humanity.

Affordable Housing

The Lumin

Status: In progress

CommonBond Communities began construction on The Lumin, which will provide 60 units of housing for seniors. Residents will be people ages 55 and older who earn 30 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). A project-based Section 8 subsidy allows residents to pay 30 percent of their income in rent. Seven units will be reserved for formerly homeless seniors. The property will include a wellness room, a community room and bike storage. It will also feature sustainable building elements to reduce energy, water consumption and carbon emissions.

The Lumin will open in fall of 2023.

Restoring Waters

Status: In progress

Restoring Waters will be a supportive housing residence for more than 60 individuals and small families, and will provide the foundation for every person to heal, recover, and build a more stable and harmonious future. Emma Norton will continue to serve women and families in transition, as it has for more than 100 years in St. Paul, at this new location in the Highland Bridge development.

Special care has been taken to include trauma-informed principles in the design and construction of Restoring Waters and will include spaces for expanded services for mental and physical health. All residents will have access to a variety of supportive professionals, including case managers, peer support specialists and other health specialists to provide information, support, referrals and advocacy as needed.

Construction is set to be completed late 2023/early 2024.

Nellie Francis Court

Status: In progress

Nellie Francis Court will provide 75 apartments (from studio to two-bedroom) for low-income working individuals and families. It will also include a community room, workspace, wellness space, bike room and underground parking that will be shared with Emma Norton residents. The building is named after Nellie Griswold Francis, founder of the Everywoman Suffrage Club (ESC) in 1914. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, it was the only Black woman suffrage organization in Minnesota at the time. In 1920, the ESC became the Everywoman Progressive Council, dedicated to the promotion of political and economic equality and social justice.

Construction is targeted for completion in late 2023/early 2024.

Senior Living

Marvella

Status: Completed

Marvella is owned and operated by Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS), the nation’s fourth largest nonprofit senior living community provider. It’s comprised of two separate buildings, connected by a pedestrian skyway, and offers a variety of amenities including a pool, wellness center, bistro, salon, dog spa and more. Designed for seniors seeking an active lifestyle, Marvella is conveniently located within walking distance to retail, parks, walking paths along the Mississippi River, a medical clinic, grocery stores, public transportation and more. There are 220 independent living apartments, 40 assisted living apartments and 40 memory care apartments.

Office & Retail

Highland Bridge Medical

Status: Completed

After breaking ground in December of 2022, this Class A, multi-tenant medical office building is officially open. Anchored by M Health Fairview, this 60,000-square-foot space is 85 percent leased by other tenants, such as Dermatology Consultants, LifeStance Health, Highland Foot and Ankle Clinic and RAYUS Radiology.

This building’s location runs adjacent to greenspaces, amenities and retail spaces, and offers convenient parking for patients, staff and visitors. It was built under the City of Saint Paul’s sustainable building standards and is on track to earn a LEED Silver certification.

Lunds & Byerly’s

Status: Completed

The full-service grocery store in the Highland Bridge development is open. The new 51,000-square-foot grocery store will feature the best of what Lunds & Byerlys has to offer. This store is 20 percent larger than the previous store, with familiar aspects including the layout of the new store’s shopping patterns and aisles.

The new Lunds & Byerlys store includes two levels of covered parking and anchors the first large mixed-use project at Highland Bridge, The Collection, which includes 230 apartment units.

Green Space

Public Parks

Status: In progress

Two of the four public parks are completed. The first to open was Gateway Park, a 3.6-acre park that included the City’s first “skater trail,” as well as game tables, picnic tables, walking paths, viewing platform and water fountain. The second to open was Uŋčí Makhá Park, which is a 6.3-acre park that includes a dog park, nature-based playground, beach volleyball courts, fitness lot, picnic shelters and a bedrock ravine with a storm water feature. Assembly Union Park will be open to the public this summer.

Civic Plaza & the Central Water Feature

Status: Completed

Construction completed on the Civic Plaza and central water feature late last year. The Civic Plaza is an outdoor gathering area that can be used for small events such as farmer’s markets and performances. The central water feature and surrounding pathways is more than 5 acres or equivalent to approx. 4.5 football fields and is surrounded by walkways, native gardens and seating areas.