The Heights Neighborhood Development

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is proud to partner with the City of St. Paul, St. Paul Port Authority, Sherman Associates, and BIPOC development partner JO Companies on the largest modern-day investment in St. Paul’s East Side. The project is a redevelopment of the 112-acre former Hillcrest Golf Course at the intersection of Larpenteur Avenue and McKnight Road that will prioritize community connectivity, affordable housing, and outdoor amenities to residents who live, work, and visit the area. Construction is currently underway!

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is building 147 mid-density affordable homes on 12 acres. We are currently building 74 homes as part of Phase 1. The majority will be dual townhomes and row homes, with some single-family homes. This is the largest project in Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s history, and was the site of the 2024 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project!

The project is designed to create mixed-use affordable housing (rental and homeownership)—bringing housing, employment opportunities, and public amenities to the richly diverse community of St. Paul’s East Side.

Homes are available to first-time homebuyers who meet Twin Cities Habitat's program and income guidelines specific to The Heights.

Why "The Heights"?

The Hillcrest redevelopment project was renamed to "The Heights" by a team of East Side residents who filtered through scores of suggestions that were shared online. Ultimately, the group selected a name that reflects the past, present, and future of the site. The name pays homage to the pride neighbors have in being the highest point in the City, represents a nickname some already have for the area, and it speaks to the heightened opportunities that will stem from redevelopment.

To learn more about the full development at The Heights, click here.

Development Features

The Heights will support the creation of more "walkable" environments by including trails, parks, and wetlands - including a new 5-acre St. Paul Public Park.

Public art installations, neighborhood gathering spaces, and 15 acres of open space will provide a beautiful and livable area for residents to make connections with nature and each other.

Sustainable building efforts are being put in place, and The Heights will be one of the most energy efficient developments ever created in Minnesota with a Platinum LEED for Communities certifications.

The following homes will be built at The Heights:

Single-family homes (4-5 bedrooms)
Dual townhomes (3-4 bedrooms)
3-plex row homes (3-4 bedrooms)
4-plex row homes (3-4 bedrooms)
Unit sizes range from 1,800 SF – 2,600 SF (total square footage)

Sherman Associates is a growing commercial real estate development and management firm based in Minneapolis with properties throughout the Midwest, Colorado, and Florida. Sherman has developed over 12,000 multifamily units and currently owns and manages over 6,800 multifamily rental units (affordable and market-rate). Sherman also owns and manages over 640,000 square feet of commercial space, five hotels, four Starbucks, three restaurants, and two solar gardens. The company’s long-term vision is to build neighborhoods, enrich communities, and empower people.

st paul port authority

The St. Paul Port Authority is an economic development agency that expands the city’s tax base, serves as a conduit to quality job opportunities, advances sustainable and equitable development, and advocates for river commerce. Read about the Port Authority's vision for The Heights and construction updates.

JO Companies, LLC is a Black-owned, mission driven real estate development company located in the Twin Cities that specializes in developing affordable and workforce multifamily housing. Other real estate development areas includes: market rate, mixed-use and commercial. The company was founded by Johnny Opara, President and CEO, in 2009. JO Companies currently has over $200M in their real estate development pipeline, and has recently completed "The Hollows" an $18.4M 62-unit workforce housing development on the Greater East Side in St. Paul.

2 min read

How Energy Efficiency Helps Homebuyers at The Heights

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: Mar 25, 2026

You've worked hard and saved for year to get your first house. Energy efficiency might not be top of mind when buying...

3 min read

2025 City Budgets: Affordable Housing and Homeownership Stabilization

Eva Goldfarb: Jan 16, 2026

New Budgets and New Faces in Twin Cities Government As we wrapped up 2025, Minneapolis and St. Paul both passed their...

2 min read

The First Homebuyers Close at The Heights

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity: Dec 12, 2025

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is celebrating a major milestone at The Heights: the very first Habitat homebuyers...

Volunteer with Twin Cities Habitat

Sign up for our Volunteer Newsletter to learn when you can volunteer at The Heights, then learn more about how to get started!

Three volunteers in reflective vests.

Donate to Support Homeownership

Help support The Heights! Donate now to create, preserve, and promote affordable homeownership in the Twin Cities.

LeAndra smiling in front of her house with keys in hand - donate page