Sherman Associates is the lead housing developer in The Heights development, in partnership with the Saint Paul Port Authority and the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The Heights is an approximately $550 million redevelopment of the former Hillcrest Golf Club at the southwest corner of Larpenteur Avenue and McKnight Road in St. Paul.
Sherman will be the lead housing developer for 1,000+ housing units, an approximately $400 million development. Sherman’s plans include housing for all ages and all incomes and in this public-private partnership to create the most strategic mix of housing types at The Heights including workforce market-rate, affordable, and deeply affordable housing.
Sherman will deliver a mix of high-density and mid-density housing options for sale and for rent, focusing on the “missing middle” of young households, large households, multigenerational households, and seniors. The development will provide walkability, community connectivity, and affordable housing options to the East Side community.
Sherman will partner with JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for a portion of the housing units. Sherman will develop approximately 700 multifamily units. JO Companies, a BIPOC-owned development company, will develop a multifamily building ranging in size between 110 and 230 units. Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity will develop between 130 and 150 affordable homeownership units of mostly townhomes (twin homes, triplexes, and fourplexes), with some single-family homes.
Sherman, JO Companies, and Twin Cities Habitat have a shared commitment to providing high-quality housing along with high-quality design, materials, and amenities across all affordability levels. The Heights will serve its residents with outdoor amenities including a 5-acre park, trails, wetlands, stormwater features, neighborhood gathering spaces, public art, and 15 acres of passive open space.
The City of Saint Paul and the SPPA have engaged with the community since 2019 gathering input for The Heights through outreach, workgroups, and the establishment of a community advisory council. The community feedback shows the importance of building pride in the East Side community for its uniqueness, diversity, and rich heritage. Sherman will assess the public input received for the project since 2019 and continue to engage with the community to understand its priorities for the neighborhood, along with the SPPA, JO Companies, and Twin Cities Habitat.
Sherman will pursue alignment with the sustainability goals at The Heights, seeking to exceed baseline sustainability standards. The selected standards and goals will be determined in consultation with the SPPA and other stakeholders as design progresses. As a developer, owner, and manager, Sherman has a long-term commitment to the community with a dedication to sustainability and making a positive social impact.
The SPPA identifies The Heights as an environmentally friendly neighborhood asset and the largest modern-day investment in Saint Paul’s East Side. This includes the development of both housing and light industrial on the 112-acre site, which calls for a minimum of 1,000 jobs and 1,000 housing units, seeking to bring prosperity and opportunity to the East Side community.
Pollution remediation and grading will begin in 2023 with infrastructure construction beginning in late 2023 or early 2024. Construction on the multifamily buildings is expected to start in the fall of 2024, with estimated completion in 2029. Kaas Wilson Architects is the architect and Frana Companies is the general contractor for the multifamily buildings developed by Sherman. Twin Cities Habitat will begin building in 2025 and expects construction to continue for five years.