The Heights apartments prepare for January opening as tenant interest grows and guided tours begin

In just a few months, tenants will move into their new homes at The Heights, Bluffs apartments in Grand Marais.

In mid-September, the website for the 36-unit modular apartment building was launched, allowing prospective tenants to view renderings of the studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.

Since the website’s launch, prospective tenant activity and interest in the units have been “above expectations,” said Gary Latz, Heights project manager.

Interested tenants range from singles and couples to small families with children, retirees, local Cook County residents, and individuals looking to move to Grand Marais, Latz said. “It’s all over the board.”

One of the new tenants is 9-year-old Neveah Smith, who will be moving in with her family. After being approved for a unit, Neveah wrote a letter to express her excitement about her new home.

9-year-old Neveah Smith letter expressing excitement for her new apartment | CCREF

“We’re really glad to see that the project is delivering for the community the way we all want it to,” Latz said.

The Heights project is a collaborative investment initiative led by the Cook County Real Estate Fund (CCREF) and has been in development for over three years. The CCREF is comprised of 49 investors, the majority of whom are residents of Cook County. The mission of the organization is to pool resources and expertise to advance development projects in Cook County. In recent years, that work has centered on bringing a housing project to fruition.

The Heights, Bluffs apartments are expected to open in January. Although the exact move-in date has not been finalized, the target remains mid-January.

“It could be a little earlier. It could be a week or so later,” Latz said. “This is new construction, and there are just so many variables on the timetable that at this moment it’s hard to pin down.”

Despite not having a set move-in date, Latz said many approved tenants already have housing and the flexibility to wait.

This week, The Heights, Bluffs apartments will host guided tours of the studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 1 p.m. to approximately 5 p.m. 

At 1 p.m., the Cook County Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed immediately by tours. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tours coincide with the Empty Bowls lunch and dinner happening next door at Up Yonder from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Construction is still ongoing on the exterior and interior of the building, but by hosting guided tours, Latz said, it will offer individuals a chance to get a sense for the space.

“The objective there is that you will get a feel of what an apartment at The Heights looks like and the features that we are offering,” Latz said.

With two months of construction remaining, the apartments will not be fully completed or turn-key by Wednesday. “But they’ll have cabinets and flooring and counter tops and you’ll be able to experience what all those features levels are,” Latz said.

The 36-unit apartment building will consist of 18 market-rate units and 18 income-restricted units. The 18 income-restricted units are based on Area Median Income (AMI).

The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency calculates the AMI by county to set parameters for reduced rent. Using wage data, the agency identifies the maximum annual income for an individual and caps housing costs at roughly 30% of that amount.

The 18 units within The Heights, Bluffs building, designated for income restrictions will fall within the range of 60% to 80% AMI.

In Cook County, the maximum gross income for a single individual applying for a studio apartment at 80% AMI is $53,360. For a single individual applying for a studio apartment at 60% AMI, the maximum gross income is $40,020. A chart outlining the income-restricted units is below:

The Heights apartment AMI chart per household and unit size

The 18 market-rate units will range from the mid-$1,600s to $2,200 per month. Latz said as of mid-November, the 18 AMI units are “slightly outpacing the market rate ones.”

He added, “That’s very natural, and that was expected to happen.”

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Gary Latz, the project manager for The Heights apartment building, about the expected opening date, prospective tenant activity, ribbon-cutting ceremony, guided tours, and more. The audio from the interview is below.

Watch a time-lapse video of the 36 modular units being installed below.

Kalli Hawkins November 17, 2025