A 98-YEAR-OLD GOLF COURSE COULD BECOME A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
A 98-year-old golf course in Falcon Heights, Minnesota may be the site of one of the largest housing developments the central Twin Cities has seen in years. The University of Minnesota is selling the 140-acre Les Bolstad Golf Course at 2275 Larpenteur Ave W for $30.5 million, and the selected buyer just showed the city what it wants to build.
WHAT RACHEL DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSING
Rachel Development, based in St. Michael and working alongside M/I Homes and PulteGroup, presented preliminary concepts on Wednesday to the Falcon Heights City Council and Community Advisory Committee. The proposal outlines between 1,458 and more than 1,800 housing units on the site.
At full buildout, materials presented to city officials show the mix could include up to 1,085 apartments, 70 senior housing units, 384 townhomes, 52 duplexes and 233 single-family homes. Commercial space along Larpenteur Avenue could stand alone as retail or be folded into an apartment complex, according to the project narrative. Roughly 20% of the land would remain green space, stormwater and wetlands.
Paul Robinson, Rachel's director of development, described the property as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, citing its access to retail, transit and adjacent parks, and pointing to a shared desire between the city and the developer to build lifecycle housing in a cohesive new neighborhood.
WHY THIS SITE MATTERS TO THE TWIN CITIES
Falcon Heights City Administrator Jack Linehan framed the geography plainly. Falcon Heights is a built-out urban area wedged between St. Paul, Roseville and Lauderdale, and it has not been known as a growing community for quite some time. A 140-acre parcel with this kind of proximity to retail, neighborhood amenities and two downtowns rarely comes available.
That scarcity is the real story. Most of the Twin Cities housing pipeline is pushing outward, toward greenfield sites in the suburbs and exurbs. This project would add substantial supply near the center of the metro instead, in a location already surrounded by infrastructure, parks and jobs.
For homeowners across the central metro, the implication is worth watching. Adding 1,800 units of varied housing types in an area that has been effectively static for decades changes the competitive picture. It also introduces move-up and downsizing options in a submarket where inventory has been consistently thin.
THE TIMELINE IS LONG
Nothing has been approved. City officials did not vote on the concept, and a 12 to 18 month planning process is still ahead, including a thorough review of the concepts and continued opportunities for community input.
The site will also undergo an Alternative Urban Areawide Review, a study of anticipated development and the infrastructure needed to support it. Mayor Randy Gustafson said the city is committed to transparency and to a final plan that creates lasting value for the community.
The U of M announced plans to sell the 18-hole course, which opened in 1928, in June 2025. University documents noted the course would need significant infrastructure upgrades to remain viable, and that the original clubhouse has been closed for more than a decade due to safety concerns. Rachel Development was selected last month following a request for proposals process.
Expect the shape of this project to change over the next year and a half. Community input during an 18-month review rarely leaves a concept plan untouched.
Thinking about buying or selling in the Twin Cities? Let's talk. Text Darin Bjerknes at 612-702-5126 or DM on Instagram @darintheminnesotan.
