The Metropolitan Council has awarded more than $2.4 million in Livable Communities grants to investigate and remediate contaminated sites across five Twin Cities communities. These strategic investments will transform polluted brownfield sites into vibrant developments that strengthen local economies while addressing the region's housing affordability crisis.
Recipient cities in the first round of grants for 2025 include Inver Grove Heights, Minneapolis, Richfield, Saint Paul, and South St. Paul.
Upon completion, the five contamination cleanup projects are expected to result in:
- 16 acres of cleaned land
- An annual tax base increase of $300,000
- Over 200 full-time equivalent jobs added and retained
- 95 new affordable housing units including:
- 49 rental units affordable to households living on less than 30% of area median income (AMI) or $39,700
- 26 rental units affordable to households earning 60% AMI or $79,400
- 20 homeownership units affordable to households earning 80% AMI or $104,200
- Nearly $80 million of leveraged private investment
“Redevelopment is a key strategy for keeping our region’s communities dynamic and resilient,” said Lisa Barajas, director of the Met Council’s Community Development division. “These grants help support public-private partnerships that create economic development, including much-needed affordable housing in our region.”
Contamination cleanup projects awarded grants
Minneapolis: Two major developments
The Curve Nordeast - $477,000 grant to transform a 2.2-acre contaminated industrial site into a mixed-use development featuring a 34,400-square-foot commercial building with ground-level grocery store and upper-level daycare facility.
NE Green Campus Expansion - $965,900 grant to convert a vacant 1.7-acre industrial site into a comprehensive community resource including:
- Office and training facilities with garage, greenhouse, and timber frame building for an agricultural nonprofit focused on youth development
- 33-unit affordable senior housing complex with 10 specialized apartments for people experiencing homelessness while living with HIV/AIDS
Richfield: Addressing housing and community needs
Penn Station - $303,200 grant to redevelop a mostly vacant 0.9-acre site to create 42 affordable apartments, including seven units for people experiencing homelessness and six accessible units for people with disabilities.
American Legion SEED Project - $35,000 grant to conduct environmental investigation on a 2.2-acre site with a vacant former American Legion building. This Seeding Equitable Environmental Development (SEED) grant targets areas with historically low investment, concentrations of low-wage jobs, and higher populations of residents of color and low-income households.
Saint Paul: Mixed-use homeownership
The Beasley - $150,000 grant to clean up contamination at a site with two vacant apartments above a former dry cleaner to build a new five-story development with 20 homeownership condos affordable to households earning 80% AMI ($104,200) plus 2,840 square feet of ground-level retail space.
South St. Paul: Industrial job creation
Wakota Crossing - $471,800 grant to remediate 13.6 acres of a larger 36-acre industrial site for construction of a 79,200-square-foot industrial building and renovate existing facilities, with additional development phases planned for the future.
Inver Grove Heights: Industrial revitalization
Dickman Trail Industrial Development - $29,300 grant to investigate contamination and develop cleanup plans for a 14.7-acre commercial site with four vacant industrial buildings and one residence, aiming to restore 27,000 square feet of industrial space across three buildings for office and warehousing operations.
More information about the awarded projects.
Livable Communities Act
Livable Communities Act (LCA) grants are awarded to participating cities and townships in the seven-county metro region that are partnering with development teams on projects. Through nine different grant programs, LCA grants help communities achieve development goals that create more housing choice, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region. Participation in the program is voluntary. Learn more about the Livable Communities program.