Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli lists condo with game-changing renovation for $650,000

Now that Minnesota Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli and his wife, Allie, are the parents of twins, the family has upsized.

A family of five (Nino and Enzo join older sister Louisa), the Baldellis have listed their downtown Minneapolis condo in the Mill District, which they called home for 2½ years, for $650,000.

"Once the boys showed up, we simply needed twice as much space," Rocco said in an email. "We'll still return to the old neighborhood for some nice walks and to regularly hit the farmers market."

They were fans of the neighborhood before they moved in.

"We'd walk/run our dog Bowie up and down the river," Rocco said. "Gold Medal Park and the Stone Arch Bridge became almost daily stops for us."

So, when a two-story, two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit in North Star Lofts became available, it was an easy decision.

Upon moving in, the couple made a game-changing decision: They decided to completely renovate the space to solve a layout issue.

"The main living space was originally upstairs and the bedrooms downstairs, and so they flipped it," listing agent Cynthia Froid said. "Bringing the kitchen and living area downstairs and putting the bedrooms upstairs made so much more sense."

The couple brought in Branson Builders and MSR Design. Allie, who took a lead role in the planning process, was attuned to the historic nature of the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovation spotlighted the exposed brick and warehouse-style windows, while allowing for a contemporary update.

"Everything is brand new," Froid said. "They gutted it down to the studs, completely renovating it and making it light and bright and more modern and fresh."

Froid said the condo is also unique because it has housed only one other owner since its loft conversion in 1999. Amenities in the unit include a walk-in closet, a bonus room/den and a laundry room.

The building itself, which was once a woolen mill, comes with the perks of contemporary condo living: a rooftop deck which, depending on your perch, can overlook the Mississippi River or the downtown skyline; a conference room; an exercise room; and underground private and guest parking.

The Baldellis have enjoyed those amenities as well as spending time in their favorite space — their condo's private terrace, with a vine-framed garden wall and mature trees visible from the living room.

"The private courtyard was certainly one of our favorite aspects of the unit, just a perfect spot to relax as a family," Rocco said. "It offered a wonderful retreat where our daughter could spot all of the native, city birds each morning and play freely outside in the warmer months. Bowie was a huge fan of the space, too."

Cynthia Froid (cfroid@kw.com; 612-578-1303) of Cynthia Froid Group, a division of Keller Williams Realty, has the $650,000 listing.