Woodbury ranked among the Twin Cities leaders in residential building activity in 2014, adding to the gains the city has made since the housing downturn.
The city was fourth in the metro with 267 residential building permits issued through November. And it was fifth with 363 housing units permitted during the same period, according to the Builders Association of the Twin Cities.
Woodbury likely will see as many homes built in 2014 as it did the year before, senior planner Eric Searles said last month. In 2013, 346 single-family homes and 41 attached housing units were built in the city.
"We anticipate similar success in residential growth in 2015," Searles said. "We have a number of new projects that are in the pipeline that we hope will feed our residential demand in 2015 and 2016."
Among them are St. Therese of Woodbury, a "continuum-of-care" project marketed to seniors. The project, southwest of Bailey Road and Radio Drive, consists of 208 units, including independent-living apartments and assisted living, memory care and skilled-nursing units, Searles said.
In addition to the improving housing market, several factors have contributed to yearly homebuilding gains in Woodbury since the low point of the downturn in 2009, Searles said.
Among them, he said, are the city's focus on developments with extensive trail networks and high-quality parks and the $22 million in improvements the city has made to its Bielenberg Sports Center.
Also drawing builders and residents are good schools, Searles said. Woodbury has partnered with three districts — South Washington County Schools, Stillwater Area Public Schools and District 622, covering North St. Paul, Maplewood and Oakdale.
