Sherman, Opara, Habitat share details on plan to develop 1,000 units at The Heights in St. Paul

[Originally Published by Finance & Commerce, Written by J.D. Duggan: View Source]

Sherman Associates will be the lead housing developer for The Heights in St. Paul, working in partnership with Johnny Opara’s JO Companies and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

Sherman will develop approximately 700 multifamily units, JO Companies will develop a building that has between 110 and 230 units, while Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity plans to build between 130 and 150 affordable homeownership units of mostly townhomes and some single-family homes. Some of the units are expected to accommodate larger multigenerational families.

“This is probably the largest redevelopment opportunity on the East Side and we just want to make sure we do it right,” Opara said.

The Heights will include outdoor amenities like a 5-acre park, trails, wetlands, stormwater features, neighborhood gathering spaces, public art and 15 acres of open space on the site of the former Hillcrest Golf Course.

Sherman Associates’ mission has been “building communities, enriching neighborhoods and empowering people,” said Chris Sherman, president of the development company. “A stable roof is a key component to that end, and that’s what we’re looking to deliver here.”

He said he hopes people generations from now will drive by and see quality – and see that the team involved in the development did the right thing.

The $400 million investment will take years to come to fruition. “We’re moving full speed,” Sherman told Finance & Commerce after a press conference announcing the partnership Tuesday.

The next 15-18 months will be dedicated to design and securing private and public financing. Sherman said the team hopes to commence construction on two of the multifamily buildings in summer or fall of 2024 and deliver them in spring or summer of 2026.

The press conference was attended by local leaders including St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, multiple council members and District 6 Ramsey County Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong.

The affordability breakdown is still uncertain, but Sherman said there will be efforts to include units affordable at 50% and 60% of the area median income as well as more deeply affordable units at 30% AMI.

Leaders stressed the importance of equity in the work, with Council member Nelsie Yang saying “equity truly takes work and investment and time, and that is exactly what we’re putting into The Heights for our folks on the East Side community.”

The Heights is a 112-acre redevelopment of the former Hillcrest Golf Course on St. Paul’s Greater East Side. Mayor Melvin Carter said St. Paul is a city “full of opportunity,” noting the massive redevelopments of The Heights and Highland Bridge.

The news comes just a few days after an announcement that Xcel Energy is building an approximately 150,000-square-foot service center in The Heights, marking the first commitment to build in the master planned development.

The development also marks the single largest project in the history of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

“We are ready to roll up our sleeves and get this work done,” said Twin Cities Habitat board member Sharon Sayles Belton.

The master plan for the development also includes up to 1 million square feet of light industrial uses, delivering over 1,000 jobs.

Local leaders are unveiling more details about the Sherman announcement during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.