East Side Apartments to bring more affordable housing to Dayton's Bluff

Construction is wrapping up on the East Side Apartments, a three-story, 114-unit rental building at 1256 Wilson Av. on the east side of St. Paul. The project is next to the 102-unit Wilson Ridge Apartments, which was acquired by Wall Cos. and Lupe Development in 2014, renovated the next year and quickly leased.

Together, they create an affordable housing campus with green common space. Both buildings are owned by Wilson Development, a partnership between Minneapolis-based Lupe Development Partners and Wall Cos. The first residents are expected to move into East Side in October.

The 114-unit East Side has one-bedroom, two-bedroom and two-bedroom plus-den apartments with laundry facilities, 8-foot ceilings and oversized closets. The property will have a fitness center, community room, business center, outdoor pavilion, courtyard, bike racks and underground parking.

"With the rental vacancy rate hitting crisis levels, the opening of East Side Apartments provides vitally needed, high-quality and well-managed affordable rental housing in Dayton's Bluff," said Jane Prince, the St. Paul City Council member who represents the area.

The rental vacancy rate in east St. Paul is one of the lowest in the metro at 1.8 percent in the second quarter, down slightly from last year at the same time, according to Marquette Advisors. Average rent in the area was $818, down from $828 the year before.

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