Meet Me at The Heights Celebrates a Growing Community

On a summer evening in August, The Heights development in St. Paul was filled with music, laughter, bubbles, neighbors, and plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and the Saint Paul Port Authority welcomed Habitat homeowners, partners, supporters, and community members to Meet Me at The Heights, a summer block party celebrating the incredible progress underway at the development, and, even more importantly, the community taking root there.

The day brought together two communities worth celebrating: the many people and organizations who helped make The Heights possible, and the new neighbors who are beginning to call it home.

View the Meet Me at The Heights photo album here!

Coming Together

Throughout the event, families explored a community vendor fair featuring local organizations and resources. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, the League of Women Voters, Saint Paul Public Library, and other community partners joined the festivities, while The Free Book Buggie handed out books for kids to take home.

There was plenty to eat, too. Local caterer Chef Jeff served up a summer feast of burgers, sides, and refreshing drinks. By the end of the day, an impressive 400 plates had been served!

Music from Twin Cities Road Crew kept the party going with dancing and activities for kids. The Bubble Baron filled the air with enormous bubbles that delighted children and adults alike, while Saint Paul Parks and Recreation brought a climbing wall for adventurous attendees.

Even Matoskah, the new mascot from the Bear-Larp District, stopped by to join the celebration.

Visitors also had an opportunity to step inside The Heights Welcome Center and experience one of the 74 Habitat homes planned for the development. For those who have watched The Heights transform from an ambitious vision to an active construction site, walking through a finished, furnished home offered a glimpse of what's ahead.

Welcoming Families Home

One of the most meaningful moments of the event happened beneath a balloon arch in front of a Habitat home.

Nearly 25 families were recognized during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating their journey to homeownership. Homeowners stood front and center alongside elected leaders and community partners as everyone gathered to mark an incredible milestone: families putting down roots at The Heights. And those roots are growing quickly.

Already, 24 families are establishing their homes and building connections at The Heights. Of Twin Cities Habitat's 74 homes in the development, 41 are sold or reserved—more than 55% of the total. 

Building Community

But perhaps the best measure of The Heights' progress wasn't a construction milestone or a number. New neighbors shared a meal. Kids climbed, danced, chased bubbles, and explored the neighborhood where they'll grow up. Homeowners met one another.

Volunteers, staff, supporters, elected officials, partners, and longtime Greater East Side community members gathered in the streets of a neighborhood that, until recently, existed primarily in plans and renderings.

The vision for The Heights has never been simply to build houses. It's to create a place where people can put down roots, build relationships, and feel like they belong. On a summer evening, that vision was everywhere you looked.

View the Meet Me at The Heights photo album here!