Rooftop shingles that capture solar energy, geothermal heating and cooling units and all-electric appliances are on tap for St. Paul’s newest micro-neighborhood.

Beginning Sunday, celebrity crooners Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will join chief executive officers of Twin Cities corporations, state lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle, Jonathan Scott of the reality show “Property Brothers” and a who’s who of local talent for a week of affordable homebuilding in Minnesota’s capital city.

Just off Arlington Avenue in St. Paul, the foundations have been poured and first frames erected for 30 future residences in the southwest corner of the Heights, a sprawling former golf course on the city’s East Side.

Chris Coleman. (Matthew Weber / Pioneer Press)

Cue the hammers and saws — some 4,000 volunteers will line up alongside employees of nonprofit Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity this week to fill in townhomes and single-family houses for future low- to moderate-income homebuyers. It’s the first phase of residential construction in what’s envisioned to be an environmentally sustainable community spanning the 112-acre former Hillcrest Golf Course site.

It’s also the nonprofit’s largest undertaking ever in the Twin Cities metro, given a wider mix of housing than the 33-unit townhome project erected in Hugo around 2016.

“We have a food tent that can fit 1,000 people,” said Chris Coleman, chief executive officer of St. Paul-based Twin Cities Habitat. “To be able to pull of a project of this magnitude, you have to have a lot of capacity.”

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project

Coleman, a former St. Paul mayor, once figured ground might be broken in 2025, at the earliest, for what will ultimately be 147 Habitat homes at the Heights, built over multiple phases of construction.

Then the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project — an annual homebuilding effort launched in 1984 by former President Jimmy Carter — came knocking, looking to return to the Twin Cities for the first time since 2010. They also were looking to bring two of their most long-standing volunteers — husband-and-wife country music stars Brooks and Yearwood — with them. The singers have been involved with the builds since 2007.

Coleman saw an opportunity to jump-start the nonprofit’s work at the Heights, and a $12 million cash and in-kind fundraising effort followed, with a “Build Forward Together” capital campaign chaired by Jeanne Crain, president and chief executive officer of Bremer Financial, and James Hereford, president and chief executive officer of Fairview Health Services.

Trisha Yearwood and husband Garth Brooks perform during the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert in 2013. (Rick Diamond / Getty Images for Shock Ink)

The week incorporates two of Twin Cities Habitat’s signature annual events: “CEO Build,” featuring Twin Cities executives, and “Red Blue Build,” which invites Republican and Democratic lawmakers to “hammer out their differences” working alongside each other.

Largest development for East Side in a century

The Heights, said Coleman, likely will be the largest development to come to the city’s East Side in a century, with officials at the St. Paul Port Authority envisioning up to 1,000 new jobs and 1,000 residences at full build-out, with a wide mix of market-rate and affordable housing from different developers.

Some of those plans have been slowed by high interest rates and a funding gap for affordable units planned by other developers, but the Habitat units are moving forward, Coleman said.

The 30 Habitat homes will mark the beginning of residential construction, and a birthday present of sorts for President Carter, who turns 100 on Tuesday and has spent more than a year in end-of-life hospice care. Brooks is expected to take the stage during the celebratory “Build Forward Bash” at the Armory in Minneapolis Tuesday night to lead a rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Tickets to the event — which will feature the Family Stone and St. Paul and the MPLS Funk All-Stars — are $15.

Kickoff on Sunday

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project kicks off Sunday evening with remarks at the downtown St. Paul Union Depot from Coleman, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. Events continue through Friday, with about 350 Habitat workers and volunteers coming from out of state.

Homebuilding during the Work Project is not open to the general public as volunteer slots have been filled by participating employers, faith leaders and other partners, but Coleman said there will be opportunities for the public to get involved with future builds at the Heights. All Work Project events require advance registration.

More about the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project:

The inspiration

Jimmy Carter served as president from January 1977 through 1980. The former first family began participating in week-long homebuilding efforts around the world in 1984, a tradition they continued until 2019. Their son Chip and his wife Becky Carter continue to participate in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, though they will not be on site this week as they’ll stay close to Jimmy Carter, who is receiving at-home hospice care in Georgia. Rosalynn died in 2023.

Former President Jimmy Carter, left, and his former Vice President Walter Mondale work on Melo Lawson’s North Minneapolis house as Habitat for Humanity held their 27th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, a week-long initiative to build, renovate and repair 26 homes in the Twin Cities, on Oct. 6, 2010. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)

The project

Some 4,000 volunteers will fill the southwest corner of the Heights — the former Hillcrest Golf Club — with 30 residences, ranging from single-family houses to three-bedroom and four-bedroom townhomes. The homes represent the first installment of Habitat for Humanity’s first phase of construction at the Heights, which will span 74 units over the next two or more years. Habitat plans a total of 147 units in multiple phases. The units will be sold to future Habitat clients at reduced cost and below-market interest rates. The first 30 units are expected to be move-in ready by next spring.

Technology and sustainability

The St. Paul Port Authority, which assembled the land for the Heights, plans a sustainable, all-electric community with geothermal heating and cooling — no gas lines on site — overseen by a district energy system. Habitat for Humanity plans Energy Star appliances in each of its residences, windows donated by Andersen Windows and solar rooftop shingles that capture solar power much like solar panels, donated by GAF, a New Jersey-based rooftop materials manufacturer. The build site will feature reusable water bottles and other eco-friendly supplies.

Participants

Major sponsors or participating companies that will be sending employees to the build include Fairview Health Systems, Bremer Financial, the Sauer family, Andersen Windows & Doors, GAF, U.S. Bank, Delta Airlines, MasterBrand, Wells Fargo, 3M, Carrier, Comcast, Computype, HMTX, Stoggles, Target and the Tennant Co.

Other projects at the Heights

Habitat is the first developer to start building residential structures at the Heights. Sherman Associates and the JO Cos. are seeking financing to add affordable and market-rate residences, and Xcel Energy plans a new 20-acre service center and job training campus. At full build-out, plans call for the Heights development to include 1,000 units of mixed-income housing, 1,000 light industrial jobs, a 5-acre park, trails, wetlands and other greenspaces.

Daily schedule for St. Paul work project

Sunday: An evening kickoff at the downtown St. Paul Union Depot will feature Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Monday: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will join St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, current Habitat homeowners and others for an afternoon news conference during the first day of homebuilding at the Heights.

Tuesday: Ted Mondale, son of the late Vice President Walter Mondale, will participate in the build, as will the “Property Brothers”‘ Jonathan Scott and lawmakers from both leading political parties during “Red Blue Build” day at the Heights. The “Build Forward Bash” will run from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Armory in Minneapolis featuring performances by the Family Stone, as well as St. Paul and the MPLS Funk All-Stars. Scott will host.

Wednesday: Following a day of homebuilding, participants will take part in a Housing Justice Symposium focused on barriers to homeownership at the St. Paul Events Center, 400 N. Wabasha St., Room 320. The event includes an exhibit called “Advancing Black Homeownership.” A speaker panel will be moderated by Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward.

Thursday: Chief executive officers of local and national corporations will participate in the “CEO Build” while learning about the importance of affordable homeownership and how their companies can be involved in Habitat’s work.

Friday: Closing ceremony at the Heights.

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