Restoring Waters Offers Healing for Low-Income Residents in St. Paul

Not far from the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota, a new development is providing a tranquil and restorative home for very low-income women, individuals, and small families who have experienced long-term homelessness with the added challenges of mental health, chemical dependency, and/or a chronic health condition.

Restoring Waters, developed by Project for Pride in Living, comprises 60 units of housing and subsidies so residents only pay 30% of their income toward rent. It also features trauma-informed design and a full array of programming from service provider Emma Norton Services to help promote healing and recovery for the residents.

The development has dedicated spaces for programming, including an art room, a gardening center, a community kitchen, a fitness room, and a meditation room. A rooftop deck is the crown jewel of Restoring Waters, providing views as well as space for gatherings.

“When you walk into Restoring Waters, you should immediately feel a sense of calm, dignity, and safety. Restoring Waters has been designed to help individuals and families feel at home—from the nature-inspired colors, beautiful artwork, inviting community spaces, natural light, welcoming doorways, and so much more,” says Tonya Brownlow, executive director of Emma Norton Services. “All of our residents have suffered from primary traumas. Restoring Waters has been thoughtfully designed and built to begin to heal that trauma for all who walk through its doors.”

In addition to the housing, Emma Norton’s headquarters have relocated to the ground floor.

The $23 million development is part of a larger mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood that is being created by primary developer Ryan Cos. on the site of a former Ford Motor Co. assembly plant. The Highland Bridge neighborhood is expected to include 3,800 housing units, including affordable housing, senior living, market-rate apartments, single-family homes, condos, and townhomes; over 55 acres of public and open space; office; and retail. Twenty percent of the housing stock is slated to be affordable.

“The community is inclusive and diverse, but it also is really walkable and sustainable,” says Chris Dettling, vice president of real estate development.