HRA looks to future community needs as Gunflint Vue opening nears

Kirsten Wisniewski | March 25, 2025

The Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority is looking forward to a year that could include a major influx of housing units into the area. HRA Executive Director Jeff Brand told WTIP that as several projects move forward in planning, and one nears completion, his group will pay close attention to how the needs in the community change.

Multi-family projects

While the HRA has supported a variety of different housing projects that seek to create a range of different housing options, there are three apartment projects that should see some major progress this year. The Gunflint Vue, a 51-unit apartment complex at the north end of 5th Avenue, is in the final construction phases. Brand said the project is on track for the planned May 1 opening.

The HRA provided support for the Gunflint Vue in helping secure funding, but the project belongs to a private developer. In exchange for the HRA support, developer Ryan Nelson committed to designating nearly half of the units for income-qualified residents. Moving forward, Brand said the HRA will remain involved in the development, assisting the income-qualified residents to access those units because some of the funding for the project that made those units possible came from the state of Minnesota.

According to Brand, over half of the units at the Gunflint Vue are already spoken for. As two other apartment projects planned for Grand Marais, The Heights, and the workforce housing project at the site of the old Tomteboda Motel, move forward in planning phases, there is a lot of interest in how the housing landscape will be impacted by the Gunflint Vue opening. “The Gunflint Vue is going to be one of those projects where a lot of people in the community can’t wait to see how it does, how it performs,” Brand said.

Both The Heights and the workforce housing project may see construction begin in the coming months, Brand said. He added that the HRA would be watching closely as these projects, alongside several single-family housing developments, open for occupancy. He said seeing how the different projects fill, and who opts to live in the new housing options, will help inform the HRA on what the next steps should be for them as they work to address the widespread housing crisis.

Other housing needs

As they watch the progress of the apartment projects, the HRA is also looking to other community needs. At the March 20 HRA Board of Commissioners meeting, Brand spoke to the board about evaluating the lots the group has at the Cedar Grove Business Park as a site for an assisted living development.

The Economic Development Authority last conducted a study on assisted living needs in Cook County in 2018, and Brand said he and EDA Executive Director Heidi Krampitz are looking to work together to update that study and evaluate what need exists in the community.

Anecdotally, however, Brand said he was aware of older residents leaving the area because of a lack of housing options that meet their needs. He said, “When you lose people to other communities just because of something like assisted living, you have to really realize that your community is missing something.”

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with HRA Executive Director Jeff Brand. The audio of that interview is below.