Business Matters: Home Construction in Inner-Ring Suburbs
In Robbinsdale, something is happening we don’t see very often in inner-ring suburbs: new home construction. An example is on and around Twin Lake, where one home was recently built, another is under construction and two more nearby lots await building permits.
It’s a breath of fresh air in a city where many single-family homes were built on 40-foot-wide lots after World War II.
“They’re narrow and it presents its own challenges,” said Chuck Beckmann, a builder who took on the Twin Lake home construction projects.
The land near Twin Lake became available after another developer backed out. It originally was part of a plan for new homes when MnDOT no longer needed the land for a Highway 100 improvement project. Beckmann says he invested more than $200,000 into the properties because he was responsible for storm sewer installation, water and sanitar sewer lines, and construction of a cul-de-sac, among other investments.
New Inner-Ring Homes Sell Quickly
Where there were available lots in Robbinsdale, Beckmann saw opportunities.
“Everything we’re doing is specifically designed to these lots,” said Beckmann.
Beckmann recently completed a custom 2,600-square-foot, four-bed, three-bath home on the 3900 block of Quail Avenue.
“It’s an open concept. we have the kitchen, the island with the big counters, everybody can congregate around the center island,” said Mark Louiselle, the realtor for Beckmann’s properties under construction. “There’s a lot of quality put into the builds.”
The Quail Avenue home was listed at $428,500. It sold in four days.
“It’s very rare where you have the new builds,” said Louiselle. “We just don’t see that many of them.”
Louiselle says many younger buyers want to live closer to the city. And he says it’s not just Robbinsdale that’s a hot market.
“I would say Crystal’s doing well, Golden Valley, Plymouth,” he said.
Construction Challenges
Beckmann says there are a couple of challenges facing his industry. He says recent code changes require new homes to be much more energy-efficient, which adds to their price tag. He also says there’s a shortage of workers, which can add delays to building projects.
Back on Twin Lake, three of the four lots that are under or awaiting construction are for sale.
“Those are probably the last lake lots in Robbinsdale that are on Twin Lake,” said Beckmann. “There’s people that want to be here. It’s just finding housing that suits their needs.”
