Living close to popular shopping and schools
Away from busy Minneapolis lies the Albertville neighborhood, where locals enjoy lakefront homes, budding communities and access to Albertville Premium Outlets. More residents move into the area, so developers build more homes to create space for newcomers. “The area is growing big time,” says Paula Adamaski, supervisor for the Family Youth Community Connections. With shopping in the north, a steel company in the east and highly rated schools in the south, residents have plenty of opportunities to stay busy. Residents who want to visit Minneapolis or St. Cloud can hop on Interstate 94 and be at their destination after roughly 30 minutes on the road. Albertville locals get the comfort of nearby amenities and easy access to bigger cities.
Locals spend the day at Albertville Premium Outlets
The Albertville Premium Outlets, which brings in millions of tourists annually, offers over 100 stores and features a children’s play area with various playground equipment. “Shoppers come to the Albertville Outlet Mall directly off I-94 from all over, including Canada, to shop here for deals,” Herzog says. When locals want to do more essential shopping, they head to Coborn’s Marketplace for groceries.
Adamaski recommends D. Michael B’s Resort Bar & Grill which sits within walking distance of the mall and serves American comfort food and cocktails in a lodge-like setting with a welcoming vibe. “This is a family favorite – they have great food, and it's the perfect way to break up your shopping day,” says Connie Herzog, an experienced Realtor with Coldwell Banking Realty. Families also head to Space Aliens Grill & Bar for an out-of-this-world experience. The restaurant offers comfort food with planetary-themed décor. For something more down to earth, locals visit Willy McCoy’s bar for burgers, beer and bites.
Getting a top-rated education at STMA Middle
Albertville Primary School welcomes pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students to class. Niche gives Albertville Primary a B-plus. Kids move on to the A-rated Fieldstone Elementary before transitioning to St. Michael-Albertville Middle School West, which gets an A-minus and is ranked as the third-best middle school in Wright County. St. Michael-Albertville High School also earns a B-plus. “The St. Michael-Albertville School District is in the top 10% of schools nationally, which creates a major draw to the area,” Herzog says.
Newer townhouses and Craftsman homes
Most residents own their homes, but those looking to rent before becoming permanent Albertville residents can find apartments and townhouses. Most homes in this community were built after 2000. “The median home price is currently about $360,000 for a 3-bedroom home with less than 1,800 finished square feet,” Herzog says. Townhouses with two-car garages constructed in the early 2000s start around $300,000 and go up from there. Developers continue to build new homes north of School Lake, and those Craftsman-style homes usually hit the market at prices around $500,000.
Parks aplenty, but Central Park stands out
Central Park is the busiest park in the area because of all the amenities visitors enjoy. Locals visit to hang out in the skate park, baseball fields or skate rink. The farmers market also draws in a crowd every summer and fall. Those who want less activity might visit Linwood Park, Oakside Park, Swamp Lake Park or Zimmer Farm Park. Pro and amateur golfers spend the day at Cedar Creek Golf Course. Some might play the entire 18-hole course while others practice their swing in the simulator lounge.
Bringing the community together for family fun
The city of Albertville plans events year-round to bring the community together, like Friendly City Days, a three-day festival in June. The event includes a city-wide garage sale, a carnival at Central Park, live music, bingo, a beer garden and a fireworks display. The Family Youth Connection Committee puts on popular events throughout the year. "Sandy Greninger started the FYCC 25 years ago and we’re still going strong. We see hundreds of kids from the St.Michael-Albertville area, Rogers and Monticello for all our events.” Parents bring their kids to Central Park for the FYCC’s Reading in the Park events from June to August.
Taking I-94 to Minneapolis or St. Cloud
Albertville sits 30 miles from Minneapolis and 30 from St. Cloud. Drivers can be in these major cities after a roughly 30-minute drive along Interstate 94. Albertville doesn’t see any public buses come through, so residents depend on their cars to head into town. Some homes are within walking distance of one of the many parks that fill the area.
Low crime and winter temperatures
Locals can expect freezing temperatures throughout most of the winter months. Albertville also features a few churches. Because there aren’t many options, residents join their neighbors at church or travel to the city for services. The CAP Index crime tracking database gives Albertville a 2 out of 10, with 1 indicating the lowest crime. The national average is 4.
Photography Contributed By
Jeff Karels
Video By
Jacob McAllister
