St. Paul’s Planning Commission spent its May 1 meeting getting a reality check on Highland Bridge, the long-planned redevelopment of the former Ford assembly site in Highland Park. After a years-long stall, city staff and developers told commissioners the project finally has fresh momentum, with streets, utilities, and new buildings all moving again. The briefing laid out timelines for the next buildable blocks, park acreage and the total number of homes expected once the dust settles.
Documenters at the meeting
Reporters who attended said the session took place in Room 300 on the third floor, with no livestream available, and that meeting audio will be posted to the city’s website afterward. As reported by MinnPost's Documenters project, about nine people were in the audience, including two city staffers, while commissioners heard a staff presentation on the site’s master plan and remaining improvements.
Construction is back underway
The city moved last year to clear the logjam on stalled phases. In May 2025, Saint Paul amended its developer agreements so builders could resume and push ahead with both residential and commercial projects. As outlined by the City of Saint Paul, the updated deals commit the project to additional housing, commercial space, and investments in green infrastructure tied to the site.
How many homes and parks are left
Commissioners were given an updated picture of the full build-out. Staff reported a range of roughly 2,600 to 2,800 residential units, more than 55 acres of public open space, and about 66 acres planned for private retail and housing. Those figures, along with the projection that the next northern section next to Ford Parkway could be finished this year, were detailed in coverage by MinnPost's Documenters project.
Block 2: apartments, retail, and a daycare
One of the next big milestones is Block 2. Plans there call for a four-story, 97-unit mixed-use building alongside three commercial retail structures and a daycare facility. Local reporting has described Ryan Companies’ four-building phase as including roughly 97 apartments and about 35,000 square feet of retail, with a Tierra Encantada daycare among the expected tenants. That phase is intended to reach substantial completion next year, according to reporting by Axios Twin Cities.
Multiple builders, staggered rollouts
Staff underscored that different blocks are owned and built by multiple firms, so Highland Bridge will keep arriving in pieces rather than all at once. City materials and local coverage identify Ryan Companies as the master developer, with partners such as Weidner Apartment Homes and Pulte responsible for separate parcels and housing types. That patchwork of ownership, and the amended agreements that helped unlock financing, were described in Twin Cities Business and in City planning documents.
Salt storage and state guidance
Separately, the city is working within a statewide regulatory push that tightens rules around storage of road salt and other deicers in order to protect water quality. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recommends covered storage, impervious pads and other best practices for winter materials to prevent chloride pollution, guidance that local ordinances are increasingly built to follow. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency outlines those recommended measures.
What’s next
Commissioners were told that more detailed site plans and plats will come back for review as builders advance individual parcels. The Planning Commission is scheduled to meet again later in May to consider follow-up items. Agendas, staff reports and meeting audio for commission sessions are posted on the city website for anyone keeping tabs on Highland Bridge’s next steps.
