9 Megaprojects Changing the Twin Cities: Parks, Transit and New Districts

The Twin Cities are in the middle of the biggest construction boom they’ve ever seen. Here are nine projects, from a rebuilt park in north Minneapolis to the most expensive public project in state history, and who should pay attention to each one.

Our team tracks projects like these because they actually move home values. Dates and dollar figures below are as of my video above (March 2026).

1. North Commons Park, Minneapolis: $45 million

This is the biggest single investment in Minneapolis park history. North Commons, built in 1907 and almost 27 acres, is being completely rebuilt, pool included. Construction started in June 2025. The new community center starts in 2026, with a 22,000-square-foot field house (five times the indoor space it has now) and 51,000 square feet added in total. Everything is planned to be done by 2027.

When a city puts serious money into a park, it signals long-term commitment to the neighborhood, and homes nearby usually benefit once the work is finished.

2. Chanhassen’s new community center: $80 million

A big part of what makes Chanhassen a sought-after western suburb is investment like this. The plan is a building of more than 180,000 square feet with:

• Two NHL-size hockey rinks
• A field house with pickleball, basketball and volleyball courts, plus a turf field
• A 3,800-square-foot fitness center and a three-lane walking track
• Community rooms, a dance studio and an indoor playground

Construction was scheduled to start in May 2026, with completion in 2028. Amenities like this give residents reasons to stay and buyers reasons to choose the city.

3. Central Station, downtown Saint Paul: $130 million

Developer Flaherty & Collins is turning the Central Station light rail stop into a 20-story tower and a six-story building, connected by skyway, with 300 apartments and 10,000 square feet of ground-floor shops. It sits right on the Green Line, built so people can live, work and get around without a car. If you’re looking at condos in downtown Saint Paul, the area around it should get much more walkable.

4. The METRO E Line

This 13-mile bus rapid transit line connects the Green Line’s Westgate Station in Saint Paul to Southdale Transit Center in Edina, running along University, Hennepin and France Avenues, past the University of Minnesota, Uptown and Southdale. Since 2014, more than $1.3 billion of development has gone up along the route, including about 3,100 homes. If you’re within walking distance of a station, this matters.

5. Mall of America water park: about $430 million

The Mall of America, Minnesota’s number one tourist attraction with about 40 million visitors a year, is adding a water park. The total project is about $430 million, with about $338 million for the water park itself: 143,000 square feet with a wave pool, lazy river, about 30 slides and rides, a splash pad, pools and spas, and a retractable clear roof that opens on warm days and cuts energy use by up to half. Construction was set to start in spring 2026, with opening planned for 2029. The city of Bloomington is using future tax revenue from the mall to help pay for it.

6. Blaine Town Center: $750 million

Blaine has never had a real downtown. This 70-acre development near 105th Avenue, Naples Street and Radisson Road, next to the National Sports Center, is changing that. Site work began in November 2024. Plans include:

• A full-service hotel, a restaurant and a food hall
• A 3,000-seat stadium (expandable to 5,000) for baseball, concerts and events
• A golf entertainment complex and a year-round pickleball facility
• 10 new lighted turf fields at the National Sports Center
• More hotels, hundreds of housing units, restaurants and offices

The National Sports Center already draws about 4.2 million visitors a year, 40% from outside the market. This keeps them in Blaine for dinner and overnight stays.

7. Upper Harbor Terminal, north Minneapolis: $350 million

A partnership between the city and United Properties is turning 48 acres of old industrial land along the Mississippi into a riverfront district with 520 homes, shops, offices and 20 acres of riverfront park and trails. Phase one includes advanced manufacturing space, a community hub and an 8,000-seat amphitheater planned for the 2027 concert season. It’s expected to create more than 500 construction jobs and 250 permanent ones. It’s a long-term project, likely 10 to 15 years, and early buyers within a mile or two often benefit the most.

8. Highland Bridge, Saint Paul: over $1 billion

On the old Ford plant site, this is a whole neighborhood being built from scratch on 122 acres:

• About 3,800 homes: houses, townhomes and apartments
• 150,000 square feet of retail and 265,000 square feet of office space
• More than 55 acres of parks and public space

Construction began in 2019, and full build-out is expected to take 10 to 15 years. It’s expected to bring in more than $11 million a year in new tax revenue, and 20% of the housing will be affordable.

9. The Green Line Extension: $2.9 billion

The most expensive public works project in Minnesota history adds 14.5 miles of light rail and 16 stations between downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie, through St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka. In March it was about 85% complete, with testing underway and opening planned for 2027. You’ll be able to ride from Eden Prairie to downtown Saint Paul with no transfers; Southwest Station to Target Field Station is estimated at 32 minutes.

The bottom line

Billions of dollars are hitting the Twin Cities, but home values won’t rise equally everywhere. The difference is knowing exactly where the stations, parks and new districts are, and getting in before everyone else catches on. Reach out to our team and we’ll help you find the right spot, or search homes on the map.