The Kuepers Apartment project at 901 N. Highland Avenue was the first to begin construction in late September of 2025. The entire project will consist of four, three-story apartment buildings with eight detached garages, along with a sports court, children’s playground, dog park, parking lots and stormwater ponds. As of January, Kuepers construction crews have one of the apartment buildings framed with a roof in place. The base for the second building has already begun.

The plan is to complete the Highland Apartment in two phases. The first phase of the project would include the construction of two buildings with 38 apartments each. The second phase would include two 36-unit apartments further west on the property. When complete, the 144 new apartment units will be available in New Ulm.

About nine blocks north of Kuepers Apartments, the River Haven Housing development at 1800 North Highland Avenue and 1425-1625 Maplewood Drive is expected to begin this spring. The project will include the creation of six town homes, six single-family dwellings, five twin homes and two four-story apartment buildings with a total of 48 units in each structure for a total of 118 units.

The two apartment units will be constructed during the first phase of the project, with the townhomes/row homes coming as part of the second phase. The townhomes will be owned and operated by the developer. The twin homes and single-family lots would be sold to area private developers.

Kuepers Architects & Builders began construction on the new apartment project at 901 N. Highland last fall. As of mid-January the Kuepers construction crews have one of the apartment buildings framed with a roof in place. The base for the second building has already begun. By Clay Schuldt

Wendy Anderson, a consultant on the project, said the developers plan to start digging the foundations this spring.

On N. Garden Street, dirt began to move Monday for the long-awaited third Garden Terrace Apartment building. Earlier this year, the New Ulm Economic Development Authority (EDA) sold the two existing Garden Terrace buildings and an adjacent vacant lot to Rebound Real Estate, which is constructing a third Garden Terrace building on the vacant lot.

The new building will be three stories with 39 units. Upon completion of the new building, Rebound plans to lease the building to Oak Hills Living Center, which operates a senior living facility on an adjacent property. Oak Hills will take over all expenses associated with the property. The long-term goal is to create a continual campus for Oak Hills, which is next door to the Garden Terrace apartments.

In addition to apartment units, New Ulm will see its first “barndominium” subdivision with the Land Haven Addition located at 2211 Jacobs Street. The plan for the property is to construct 28 building lots. Twenty-two of the lots would be used for bardominium (BA) units.

A barndominium is a residential building combining a traditional barn-like structure with residential dwelling features.

A computer rendering of a bardominium; a residential building combining a traditional barn-like structure with residential dwelling features. A similar design will be used for the bardominiums coming to the Land Haven development at 2211 Jacobs Street. Submitted photo

Tony Gulden, President of Land Haven Development, last fall the sewer and water connection to the development was connected along the initial road. In the spring, lot development will start, followed by gas and electrical hookups.

“We currently have eight lots sold with four pending,” Gulden said. “I anticipate eight buildings will go up this year.”

Once the first bardominiums are up, Gulden believes there will be increased interest. He believed it was possible that some of the owners might choose to live in the development permanently, which means a home elsewhere in the community could go up for sale.

Gulden said Land Haven is an association and those buying lots will need to follow certain guidelines. The exterior shell of the bardominiums will all look the same, all using the same steel, same garage door, same exterior lighting and the same black on black color scheme. After that, the interiors of the bardominiums are 100% customizable.

Gulden said he recommends buyers talk with an interior designer to determine their preferred layout.

A computer model of the completed Land Haven development at 2211 Jacobs Street. The new development will features 22 lots for the creation of bardominiums. Currently, eight of the lots have been sold. New Ulm can expect to see its first bardominiums constructed later this year. Submitted photo

Another unique residential project coming this year is the Tiny Homes project at 418 and 424 S. 13th Street and 1305-1315 South Minnesota Street. The tiny homes project was spearheaded by New Ulm Business Resource and Innovation Center (NUBRIC) to expand workforce housing in the community.

Tiny homes are simplified living spaces with small floor plans. Each of the tiny homes built in this development would be 20 feet by 20 feet and 20 feet tall at the peak. The homes would have a full main floor and a smaller loft second floor.

NUBRIC CEO Steve Brown said each tiny home would have about 600 square feet of living space.

The end goal for the development is to create 15 tiny homes, but to start NUBRIC will build two test homes for the community to spur interest.

Brown said NUBRIC has the permits to begin construction on the first two tiny homes this spring. He anticipates they will be move-in ready to rent by the summer.

A sign at 2211 Jacobs Street advertises the a new bardominium development being constructed at the site. A barndominium is a residential building combining a traditional barn-like structure with residential dwelling features. By Clay Schuldt

An overhead map of the proposed Tiny Home development at 418 and 424 S. 13th Street and 1305-1315 South Minnesota Street. The first phase of the development calls for the creation of two tiny homes. Construction is expected to begin this spring. Submitted photo