After several years of community debate, including lengthy discussions at plenty of Northfield City Council meetings, Kraewood Flats Apartments has officially opened.
On Monday afternoon, Mayor Rhonda Pownell, City Council member Brad Ness, Brent Nystrom with Rebound Partners and Jane Bartho, president of the Northfield Chamber of Commerce, along with a couple dozen community members and Chamber leaders, assembled outside the south entrance of the new apartment complex for a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Pownell, Nystrom and Rieber Paulson, the former Christmas tree farm landowner whose land the apartment complex is built upon, made brief comments before the big scissors came out for the official red ribbon cutting organized by the Northfield Chamber of Commerce.
The land had been owned by the Paulson family since 1938 and had been home to a tree farm. After the Paulsons retired, the land was sold for private development.
The speakers all reiterated the message that Northfield’s critical need for more housing affordable units on the city’s west side would benefit with the new housing complex.
There was stern debate and plenty public protest of the project during Planning Commission and council meetings in 2021 and 2022 , but the council ultimately voted 5-1 in favor of moving it forward .
The Development Agreement and TIF agreement states that 40% of the units must be affordable to those at or below 60% area median income (AMI), which is about 40 units. There are 40 income-restricted units available to be rented. The income-restrictions are not tied to any unit size or unit. Once they lease up 40 any-sized unit to income-qualified folks, the other units are market rate.
The 106-unit, multi-family complex offers studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, including several designated as affordable units for low-income residents. The three-story building offers an array of amenities, including underground parking, three fitness centers, washer/dryer units in every unit, an outdoor grilling/lounge area, a community/party room and a playground.
Studio apartments with 509–548 square feet are available for rent between $1,060 – $1,350; while one bedrooms with 614 square feet rent for $1,136–$1,550; and two-bedrooms with 916–1,002 square feet are priced between $1,363 and $2,050, with corner units costing more.
Across the street on the north side is Greenvale Elementary School, at 500 Lincoln Parkway. Next to the school to the west is Northfield Public Schools Community Education Center at 700 Lincoln Parkway, which offers a wide variety of enrichment and recreation classes that serve all age groups, from adult sports leagues to local health and fitness, and language, technology, or art classes.
According to city records, St. Olaf College has a private lease agreement with the management for 30 units that include five studios (for double occupancy); 15 one-bedroom (for at least double occupancy); and 10 two-bedroom (for at least triple occupancy).
This is a time-limited arrangement, as stated on St. Olaf’s website for residential life for the 2024-2025 school year, to accommodate the rehabilitation of two dormitories on campus, neither of which have been updated in more than 30 years.
The 30 leased units are in addition to rearranging existing housing options (by putting more students per dormitory room) on campus in order to limit the number of students living off campus.
After the ribbon cutting, Christine Jensen, residential management lead with G&H Management and her team, took visitors on tours of three different apartments, as well as the fitness center and community room, where snacks and beverages were available.
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