In July, Bemidji’s Joint Planning Commission recommended approval for University Heights, an apartment and commercial project to be constructed on the space where Bemidji High School once stood. The commission recommended the necessary re-zoning to multi-family residential and approved a conditional use permit for future development.

Construction on Phase 1 of the project is planned to begin in April and be completed by April of 2016. That initial phase will include a four-story complex with first-level accommodations for six retail businesses and 42 apartments on the upper three levels.

The apartments will be operated by the Department of Residential Life in a manner similar to BSU’s on-campus residence halls. The university will have at least once facility manager on site once Phase 1 is completed, and would collect rent from student residents on behalf of the developer.

Future expansion plans for the development beyond Phase 1 include a 296-car parking garage and two smaller multi-use buildings, which could be constructed during a Phase 2 beginning in 2018, and a significant residential expansion that would include two combination buildings with both apartments and commercial space, one apartment-only building and 12 town homes. Plans call for Phase 3 to begin construction by April 2021 and be completed the next spring.