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A former Holiday Inn hotel along County Road E in Arden Hills is being transformed into a student housing project called "e street flats." Twin Cities-based StuartCo said that the former hotel will become 74 apartments mostly for students who attend nearby Bethel, Northwestern, Hamline, St. Thomas, University of Minnesota-St. Paul and Macalester.

"We are really drawn to this area and location with the ability to service with the convenience of grocery, retail, and restaurants in walking distance.," said Lisa Moe, Stuart's chief exective officer. "We have already received great response from the community and residents who are enthusiastic about the reuse of the property."

Student housing is new to StuartCo - and to this part of the metro, but the site offers a lot of strategic advantages. The project will feature several amenities that will appeal to students, including a fitness center, bike storage, lounge, theater, game room, off-street parking and free internet & cable.

The hotel closed about five years and has been used temporarily as housing by Northwestern College for more than a year. The project will also include a retail component, which will house Now Bikes & Fitness - set to open in May.