We have some updates on a mixed-use development that could bring more than 900 luxury apartments to northeast Minneapolis. Lennar Multifamily plans to build a 20-story tower with 257 units and 22,000 square feet of commercial space on a two-block site at the corner of First and University Avenues across the Mississippi River from downtown Minneapolis. Documents recently submitted to the city say a second phase could have another tower with up to 30 floors as many as 490 apartments surrounded by up to 75,000 square feet of commercial space including but not limited to retail, restaurants, and office space.
Peter Chmielewski, vice president of development for Lennar, said that he's focused on getting phase one out of the ground and can't comment on future plans.
The former Superior Plating site is being sold by an entity called First and University LLC. Lennar has made a down payment on the two-block site, which includes Phases 1 and 2, and expects to close the deal in the coming months. After proposals by several other developers, Lennar and the project designer, ESG Architects, got an enthusiastic endorsement from the Nicollet Island East Bank Neighborhood Association earlier this year.
According to documents submitted to the city, phase one should be underway this fall and completed two years later. Phase two is expected to start when phase one is complete.
