This blog post is Part II of our retrospective look-back at a decade of transformative commercial real estate. Here’s Part I.

Growth in Mixed-Use: 2017–2019

United Properties saw tremendous growth in both the Minneapolis and Denver markets throughout this three-year period, particularly through the focus on innovative mixed-use developments.

The Nordic broke ground in 2017 and has become a stunning new addition to the North Loop neighborhood since opening in 2019. It is the first true mixed-use project developed in the North Loop, offering nearly 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, 57 condominiums, a vibrant public plaza with outdoor seating, a Galley Group food hall, Thr3 Jack – a restaurant and indoor golf venue – and local coffee shop FRGMNT. United Properties also acquired the Kickernick building in 2017, embarking on a renovation project to enhance its original brick and timber construction and restore its historic charm.

We also saw a variety of project types in development, spanning across retail, industrial, office and residential landscapes. In Denver, “next gen mixed-use” — a term describing sites that blend light industrial, office and retail in one development — changed Denver’s industrial real estate arena. These developments combined free-standing retail pad sites along the perimeter of larger industrial developments, maximizing the convenience that workers are looking for and the access to customers that retailers are seeking. Other projects that exemplify next gen mixed-use include Tower Business Center in Aurora and Interpark Broomfield.

In 2018, we broke ground on Target Field Station in the North Loop. Situated in an ideal location adjacent to a light rail transit station and Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, Target Field Station features 1,850-guest capacity The Fillmore Minneapolis music hall and an Element by Westin hotel.

Over the decade, we also expanded our focus on senior living communities with new Applewood Pointe cooperative communities in Shoreview, Minnetonka and Champlin. We introduced our senior living communities with services into the Florida market with two new projects — Watercrest Naples and Watercrest Sarasota. We also commenced our first senior living project in Colorado, Balfour Littleton, which recently opened and is experiencing success.

In June 2019, we broke ground on the most complicated project in United Properties’ 103-year history: RBC Gateway. The ninth-tallest skyscraper in Minneapolis — complete with retail, office space and the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences — will revitalize a former parking lot and pay homage to the location’s acclaimed history. It is the largest true mixed-use project ever undertaken in downtown Minneapolis.

“RBC Gateway represents the most compelling and complicated project United Properties has undertaken in our 100-plus year history, and we are proud to leave behind a lasting legacy on a very culturally significant site. We are grateful to our partners for their support, including our owner and the City of Minneapolis.”

–     Bill Katter, president and CIO, United Properties Development

These projects top off a booming decade of commercial real estate for United Properties. The growth and variety in our developments and portfolio reflect our continued commitment to creating deep roots in the communities we serve.

On to the Next Decade

In the 2020s, we will continue to shape the markets where we do business. In the downtown Minneapolis area, that includes building on our successes in the North Loop. Construction has begun on RBC Gateway and is planned for completion in 2022. We believe the project will enliven the intersection of three of the city’s most-storied thoroughfares, elevate the city’s reputation as a whole, and leave a lasting impression on those who live, work, play and visit Minneapolis.

None of this would have been possible without our partners or the extraordinary vision developed by United Properties and Pohlad Companies leadership. The asset management team has kept our portfolio sound and our properties in excellent condition, our developers have been nimble in embracing opportunities and following through on impactful projects, and our support teams have excelled in all that they do. Our company has more than doubled in number of employees and projects underway in the last four years, a testament to the heart and soul of United Properties: our culture and spirit of collaboration.

Thanks to our team’s success, United Properties was recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as the largest real estate developer in the Twin Cities market six years in a row, from 2014 to 2019. We’ve also been recognized recently by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and Denver Business Journal as one of the “Best Places to Work” in the Twin Cities and Denver, respectively.

At United Properties, we’ll continue creating inclusive spaces that transform and enrich our communities and reflect the changing needs and expectations of the next decade.

Onward to 2020!