An Exodus From Hardship: New Affordable Housing Project Will Support Our Community

The upcoming Exodus deeply affordable housing project will provide homes and other aid for those facing homelessness

Kraus-Anderson is proud to be a partner in the construction of the Exodus deeply affordable housing development in downtown Minneapolis. Partnering with Aeon and other groups, KA is happy to be creating homes for the most vulnerable in our communities just down the street from our Minneapolis home.

An Essential Project

Exodus will provide permanent homes with supportive services for individuals facing homelessness. The project consists of a comprehensive $24 million rehabilitation of an existing eight-story building along with an addition, adjacent to Saint Olaf Catholic Church at the corner of 2nd Avenue S. and S. 9th Street in downtown Minneapolis.

Once completed, the project will:

  • Provide 72 studio units of deeply affordable housing, with individual kitchens and bathrooms
  • Feature community spaces, a fitness center, and outdoor green space
  • Include completely new mechanical systems, higher levels of energy efficiency, and central heating and cooling
  • Provide tenants with comprehensive supportive services on site by Touchstone Mental Health, including a nurse’s office, meeting rooms, and security infrastructure

“Kraus-Anderson and Aeon, along with Saint Olaf, share a mission to serve and strengthen the downtown community, where we are all also neighbors,” said Michael Griffin, director of social ministry at Saint Olaf. “The Exodus rehab project is a great testament to this shared mission. We are grateful for this partnership and appreciate the expertise necessary to make such a project a reality.”

Building on Our History

KA Senior Project Manager Paul Carlsted, who is working on the Exodus project, shared that KA actually has a long-standing history with this building, and what it means to share in its evolution.

“Kraus Anderson has been involved in this project for several years, and during the many budgeting efforts we learned that KA was involved in the building of the original Mahala Fisk Pillsbury Home from early 1901 in which the new Exodus building sits today,” he said. “After 124 years, we are so proud to be part of this wonderful, and much needed housing project for the community.”

Carlsted shared that during the demolition of interior walls at the Exodus project, KA teams found the original Mahala Fisk stone inset and will be incorporating it into the new renovation.

The Logistics

Saint Olaf Catholic Church has stewarded the existing building for many years, and through a long-term ground lease Aeon will be the new owner and operator of the building. Urbanworks Architecture will serve as the architect.

Construction is scheduled to last approximately 13 months with residents expected to start moving in shortly after.

Rental subsidy on each of the 72 units will be provided by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Hennepin County’s Housing Support program. Residents will be referred through Hennepin County’s Coordinated Entry and Behavioral Health.