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Tiny homes experiment comes to New Ulm

Last Tuesday, the New Ulm City Council approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for a tiny home community. The tiny homes development is a new concept for creating quick workforce housing. Instead of making a large apartment building, a series of small individual rental homes are created on a single lot. The project will start with two tiny homes as a demonstration. If the project receives positive feedback, a total of 15 tiny homes will be built on the property. Each of the tiny homes will be 20 feet by 20 feet and 20 feet high at the peak of the roof. It’s an unusual project for New Ulm, but it’s also a creative solution for a community that has struggled with housing issues.

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Grateful for public ways to beat the heat

Once again the Fourth of July weekend is shaping up to be hot and humid. Fortunately, New Ulm has several water features to help beat the heat. The splash pad at North Park as well as the wading pools at Lincoln and Washington Park are free public options to remain cool in the heat. There is also the Flandrau Pond available for those with a State Park pass.

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Happy Joe’s is up and running again

In late March, Happy Joe’s — one of New Ulm’s oldest and most beloved restaurants — abruptly closed its doors. The closure was only intended to be temporary, but the pizza place remained shuttered until recently. In early June, it was announced Travis Hermel would be taking over Happy Joe’s as the new owner and on June 27 the restaurant began taking orders for carry-out and delivery. It is fantastic to have a beloved community staple in operation again.