Apple Valley is nearly built out, but development in the city isn’t slowing down. From a potential 866,000-square-foot data center campus to new schools, pickleball, and senior housing, the city is weighing what kind of future it wants to build.
The Data Center Question
Excelsior-based Oppidan has proposed Apple Valley Technology Park, a massive data center campus on 150 acres of gravel mining land. The site is “shovel-ready,” but water is the sticking point. Apple Valley’s municipal wells already face PFAS contamination, and adding a high-demand user could require a $150 million water treatment plant. Without a rezoning change and water solution, the project is on hold.
Housing and Mixed-Use on the Rise
Even if the data center stalls, Apple Valley continues to see strong housing and community development. Real Estate Equities has proposed a 148-unit apartment building near the Minnesota Valley Transit station, while Orchard Place is adding 135 new apartments plus a Skyline Social & Games with bowling, volleyball, and bocce.
Schools, Sports, and Senior Living
Apple Valley schools are getting a major boost thanks to a 2023 bond referendum. Both Apple Valley and Eastview High Schools will expand by a combined 170,000 square feet. On the recreation side, a 56,500-square-foot indoor pickleball facility is planned, and senior housing is growing with new projects from Presbyterian Homes and Cassia.
Looking Ahead
Apple Valley faces tough choices: should it invest in infrastructure to support a massive tech campus, or keep focusing on housing and community spaces that serve residents today? Whatever path the city chooses, development here will shape the south metro for decades.
