Edina

Brick-laid pathways and local boutiques line the intersection of 50th & France Avenue at the northeast corner of Arden Park. “The shopping district is a major draw for the area, not to mention the larger lots and increased walkability that Arden Park is known for,” says Tom Nevers, local Realtor with Perpich Real Estate. This northern Edina neighborhood offers a secluded suburban feel with the convenience of nearby urban amenities and a thriving outdoor scene. Taking its name from the 18-acre greenspace located at its center, Arden Park was designed and constructed in 2019 to restore the local Minnehaha Creek Watershed and improve residents' access to additional recreational options. Featuring a scenic pedestrian bridge, during the summertime locals can kayak or tube their way downstream or stop along the banks to do some fishing. While the spacious park at this neighborhood's center is a major draw, Arden Park is also known for its A-rated school district and quiet streets, complete with a mature tree canopy. Proximity to State Highway 100 means commutes to/from downtown Minneapolis are accessible and residents should expect a 10-mile, or 20-minute trip one-way. The housing market in Arden Park is highly competitive due to its large lot sizes and walkability within the community. “There’s a wide range of housing here from condos to larger homes, priced in the millions. We see a lot of tear-down turned new construction moving into the area,” says Nevers, who has been selling in the area for over 22 years. With a median sales price of $1.4 million, homes here cost $800,000 more than the average property within the Minneapolis Metro Area. Housing styles in Arden Park range from Tudor-Revivals and colonials to New Traditionals and farmhouse designs. Single-family homes here range from the low $500,000s for a three-bedroom to upwards of $2.4 million for an expansive five-bedroom estate. While single-family homes are the most common builds here, multi-family options like condos and townhouses are also available closer to 50th & France Avenue. Potential buyers should expect to spend close to $300,000 for a two-bedroom condo and upwards of $2 million for a four-bedroom townhouse. Arden Park residents are less than a mile from the primary shopping district at the intersection of 50th Street and France Avenue. Boutique shops like Harriet and Alice, Annika Bridal Boutique, and The Petal are popular locally-owned retailers. Groceries are available nearby at Jerry's Foods, Lunds & Byerlys and Walgreens Pharmacy. Some residents are within walking distance and may prefer to walk or bike to these locations instead of driving. When dining in the area, residents can stop by the Edina Grill for all-American classics, outdoor dining on the patio and daily happy hour specials. Head to Salut Bar American for authentic French cuisine, known for its casual dining environment and signature French Onion Soup. Or check out Cocina Del Barrio for a Latin-inspired meal and craft cocktails with an extensive collection of over 100 tequila and mezcal options. Families in Arden Park are zoned for the Edina Public School District. Students can attend schools, like Concord Elementary, South View Middle and Edina High School, which have each earned ratings of A, A and A-plus respectively, from the educational review site, Niche. Concord Elementary School offers a multilingual learners program incorporating English and Spanish into the curriculum. While South View Middle offers an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program that prepares students for higher education. Edina High School offers an advanced curriculum with 26 AP courses to earn college credits. Private options like Carondelet Catholic School and St. Peter's Lutheran School are also available. When seeking time outdoors, many residents live within walking distance of Arden Park, the neighborhood's namesake. Visitors can picnic along Minnehaha Creek in the summer, plan for an afternoon of fishing or go for a swim. Come wintertime, youth and adults alike can skate at the park's outdoor ice rink. Golf enthusiasts can head to the private Edina Country Club, offering an 18-hole course and driving range in neighboring Golf Terrace. Pamela Park provides waterfront views of Lake Pamela and hosts baseball and soccer games 2 miles south of the neighborhood. Like many Minneapolis suburbs, proximity to the Chain of Lakes is essential, and Lake Harriet is 2 miles from the community. Neighbors can sunbathe at South Beach or cast a line of the wooden piers that line the shore. There’s also a canoe dock at the corner of Roseway Road and Lake Harriet Parkway for easy access to the water. On the first full weekend of June, artists fill the streets at the intersection of 50th and France Avenue for the annual Edina Art Fair. The 50th & France Business Association hosts the fair every year, closing off the streets from Friday through Sunday. The event is highly anticipated and attracts visitors from all over the Minneapolis Metro Area. Visitors can enjoy live music performances, grab a bite at the Beer Garden and Food Court or check out the booths from over 250 emerging artists. Residents in Arden Park rely on West 50th Street and State Highway 100 for easy access to neighboring areas like Golf Terrace and Fulton. Those seeking public transportation can grab a seat on the Metro Transit bus, which operates along West 50th Street and throughout the community. The Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is 10 miles away when traveling further outside the community. For healthcare, the M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital is 2 miles from the community. Arden Park received a CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.

Century-old oak trees shade the suburban streets of Birchcrest, just 10 miles south of Minneapolis. “It’s a classic example of an Edina neighborhood,” says Realtor Mary Hollway with Hollway Real Estate, an Edina local who’s been working in the real estate business here for more than 20 years. “It’s a prime example of what makes the whole of Edina so desirable,” she adds. Streets are quiet enough for peaceful bike rides, although the occasional hill presents a challenge, and mid-century brick homes sit on the banks of shallow ponds. Water freezes solid during cold Minnesota winters, and kids bundle up on the way to snowball fights and sledding hills. From Birchcrest, it’s a short drive to Edina shopping destinations like 50th & France, home to boutique clothiers and small-town bakeries like Breadsmith, which draws in early-morning commuters with the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls. Larger shopping centers like Southdale and The Galleria offer access to hundreds of national chains. In general, “Edina really holds its value because of the good school district and access to parks, restaurants and highways,” says Bob Johndrow, a local Coldwell Banker Realtor. Homes don’t stay on the market long, selling over three weeks faster than the national average. Mid-century ranch-styles and split-levels are dominant in Birchcrest, and most homes come with two-car garages and enough space for driveway basketball hoops. Prices range from $500,000 to upwards of $800,000 for a three or four-bedroom home under 2,000 square feet, whereas new traditional homes over 4,000 square feet can sell for well over $1 million. Lot sizes average more than ¼ acre, and kids run through front yard sprinklers and climb in mature oak trees. Birchcrest scores a 1 out of 10 on the CAP Index; it’s the type of place where neighbors roll down their car windows to chat. “The school district is a huge draw for people,” says Hollway, whose own children graduated from the public school system. “They always say that Edina High was harder than college. But now they’re all thriving in their careers, so it was a great experience for them,” she says. Birchcrest students start off at Countryside Elementary, which received an A from the educational review site, Niche; it’s also home to a popular sledding hill in the winter. Next are A-plus-rated schools like Valley View Middle and Edina High, where the vast majority of students are enrolled in at least one Advanced Placement class. Over 80% go on to attend four-year colleges. Edina has over 40 public parks, ranging from tiny green pockets to multi-acre expanses like Centennial Lakes Park, which hosts a Hallmark Movie-esque Winter Ice Festival. There are horse-drawn trolleys and (weather-dependent) ice skating on the lake. Rosland Park is just 2 miles away, closer to Birchcrest, and its pirate-themed aquatic center opens in early June. The Edina Community Foundation organizes a fireworks show over Lake Cornelia on July 4th, and the Mooty Pickleball Courts, a relatively new addition to the park, are accessible via the Crosstown Pedestrian Bridge. Birchcrest Park, found within the neighborhood itself, sits on two acres and has a small playground. There are also slides, swings and a picnic area at Tingdale Park down the street. Some Birchrest-ians also invest in memberships at the Edina Country Club, home to an 18-hole golf course, fine dining options, tennis courts and an outdoor pool. 50th & France, one of Edina’s main shopping districts, is less than 3 miles away. “There are neighborhoods closer to 50th & France, but even from Birchcrest, that’s where everyone goes for shopping and restaurants,” says Hollway. Johndrow agrees, adding, “It’s an area of town that’s extremely walkable, and it’s just full of really upscale clothing boutiques, hair salons, everything you could want.” He recommends Salut for its French dishes and Edina Grill for brunch. When the weather heats up, restaurants set up tables on outdoor patios. There’s also Red Cow, which has a menu of gourmet burgers with toppings like caramelized bacon and balsamic onion jam. After a movie at the historic Edina Mann Theatre, which opened in the 1930s, stop by Edina Creamery for an old-fashioned ice cream sundae. Lunds & Byerlys is the go-to for grocery runs, but there’s also Jerry’s Foods off Vernon Avenue, a Trader Joe’s in St. Louis Park and a Whole Foods near Centennial Lakes Park. There are dozens more retailers in nearby shopping malls like Southdale Center and The Galleria. At the Edina Art Fair, an end-of-spring tradition in the 50th & France business district, craftsmen set up beneath white tents selling everything from hand-made jewelry to miniature paintings. Find other sections for culinary artisans — syrup-makers and coffee grinders — and a pop-up beer garden. The 50th & France Street District also hosts vintage markets during the warmer months, pumpkin painting in October and carriage rides at the city’s tree lighting ceremony. Stop by the Centennial Lake Farmers Market for microgreens, aged cheddar and fresh bagels starting in June. The park hosts outdoor movie nights on select summer Fridays, and families can head to Sunday, Monday and Wednesday night concerts at Maetzold Amphitheater for free. Most commuters rely on their own cars to travel into Minneapolis, which is 10 miles — about 20 minutes — from Birchrest along Minnesota State Highway 100 and Interstate 394. Metro Transit buses stop in the 50th & France district and ultimately connect to the Orange Line, which travels north into the city. Saint Paul, meanwhile, is about 20 miles from Birchcrest along Highway 62 and Interstate 35. There are dozens of direct domestic and international flights from the Twin Cities’ international airport, positioned next to hiking trails and historic army barracks in Fort Snelling State Park. M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital offers medical care less than 10 minutes away from the neighborhood.

Surrounding Braemar Golf Course in southwest Edina, and less than 13 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, Braemar Hills offers a quiet, suburban atmosphere. “It’s in a great location by the golf course in a quiet part of the city,” says John McWhite, a Coldwell Banker Realtor with more than 10 years of experience in the local housing market. “You’ve got good highway access with Interstate 494 and State Road 100 close by, but the golf course buffers a lot of the road noise. And on the west side of Edina, the lots are a little bigger, so people love that they can find a home with a little bit of a bigger backyard and a two or three-car garage.” You’ll find low-profile 1950s ramblers alongside taller Dutch Colonial Revival-style homes and boxy 1970s Contemporary homes here. Towering trees dapple the quiet, gently curved residential streets with shade. True to its name, Braemar Hills has a steep elevation. Many lawns and gardens feature stacked stone or brick retaining walls. Prices here are steep, too, ranging between $700,000 and $2 million. At $950,000, the median home price in Braemar Hills soars well above the median for Edina, which hovers closer to $650,000. A Dutch Colonial-inspired home built in 1969, featuring five bedrooms, three bathrooms and an attached two-car garage, was recently listed for $950,000. An angular Contemporary home built in 1971, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a freshly remodeled kitchen and a deep, moody exterior color scheme, sold for $1.9 million in October 2023. Students in Braemar Hills go to Creek Valley Elementary, Valley View Middle and Edina High School, part of the highly rated Edina Public Schools. Creek Valley and Valley View both earned A grades from Niche in 2023. Edina High, that same year, earned an A-plus and an 8 out of 10 GreatSchools Summary Rating. Teens at Edina can apply to become Edina Rotary Global Scholars as part of a three-year program in partnership with the Rotary Club of Edina, Edina Morningside Rotary and the Edina Education Fund. The program is designed to prepare students for college and beyond with its rigorous academics, mentorship and community partnerships. The three schools are all conveniently located close to home, less than 2 miles north in the nearby Creek Valley neighborhood. Golf enthusiasts enjoy the neighborhood’s proximity to Braemar Golf Course. The course and its facilities are sprawled over 500 acres at the heart of Braemar Hills, less than a quarter mile from most homes. The course, recently redesigned to have wider fairways and minimal hazards, is the first new regulation 18-hole course in the state for more than a decade. And the club’s Golf Dome is the largest and longest-hitting indoor practice facility in the Twin Cities metro, with 44 tees spread over two levels. It’s also Minnesota’s only dome with cutting-edge Toptracer Range technology. But golfers aren’t the only ones who get to live close to their favorite sport. The Braemar Arena, off Ikola Way less than a quarter mile from most homes, draws hockey and figure skating fans alike from around Edina. The arena features three indoor ice arenas and a seasonal outdoor rink. There’s even a ballet room for those who prefer slippers to skates. At Lewis Park, just 1 mile east down Dewey Hill Road, you’ll find another skating rink, alongside a classic playground and sunny practice ball fields and tennis courts. For groceries, head east across State Road 100. You’ll find your local Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Target Grocery are all less than 4 miles from home, dotted between 70th and 78th Streets along France Avenue. Just a block north of Target, on either side of 69th Street, you’ll find Southdale Center and Galleria. McWhite says both shopping malls are popular but for different reasons. “Galleria is a very high-end, upscale kind of shopping mall, where you’ll find Tiffany and Louis Vuitton. Then Southdale Center is more of a traditional type of mall, with your Apple store, American Eagle, J. Crew and places like that,” he says.

In the spring, Monarch butterflies' flit between Queen Anne's Lace and purple thistles in Bredesen Park. Cyclists follow the paved trails bordering Nine Mile Creek, and fishermen cast their lines out into Mud Lake in search of Carp and Largemouth Bass. This 200-acre park, about 10 miles south of Downtown Minneapolis and just over 20 miles west of Saint Paul, also serves as the namesake for the surrounding neighborhood. Bredesen Park is primarily residential, save for the occasional church and a few Caribou Coffee shops along Route 169, and offers both a mix of condominium communities and single-family homes with diverse pricing options. Boutique stores and suburban shopping centers are only a few minutes away via car, and the Edina Mann Theatre's glowing marquee advertises arthouse movies on 50th Street. Residents of Bredesen Park add that theirs is the type of community where kids collaborate to build forts on snow days and neighbors roll down their car windows to say good morning. Bob Johndrow, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker, says that it's Bredesen Park's homes, more than anything else, that make it stand out amongst other Edina neighborhoods. "The thing about Bredesen Park that's special is that there are just more options here. There are apartments all the way up to really big single-family houses and everything in between," he says. Sale prices for one-bedroom condo units, for instance, start around $150,000, while two-bedroom two-bath units often hover between $200,000 and $300,000. Mid-century single-family homes start in the mid-$600,000s for a four-bedroom ranch-style and can sell for upwards of $1 million for a six-bedroom with modern finishings. Lot sizes are generous, averaging over a quarter-acre. Bredesen Park students are incorporated into the Edina Public School District, which is consistently ranked among the top five school systems in Minnesota. Kids can enroll in kindergarten at Countryside Elementary, which earned an A on the educational review site Niche. Later, attending Valley View Middle and Edina High School, both of which also receive A-plus grades from Niche. The district boasts that the vast majority of students graduating from Edina Public Schools—over 80%—go on to attend four-year colleges. EHS also has a comprehensive Engineering and Computer Science department, complete with classes like aerospace engineering, digital electronics and webpage coding. There's also talent development programming, where students' skills are identified and fostered through AP courses, concurrent enrollment at local colleges and mentor-based independent studies. The neighborhood's namesake park is within walking distance for many, who bring their fishing rods to Mud Lake or Everett Pond. Nature trails look like something out of a Robert Frost poem and it's not uncommon to see artists painting canvases by the water. Nine Mile Creek flows north towards Walnut Ridge Park, and a hockey rink opens when the weather drops below freezing. There's also a newly updated playground, a pickleball court and shelters for family picnics. Creek Valley School Park, just south of Highway 62, also has a skating rink and hoops for games of pick-up basketball. Interlachen Country Club, which famously hosted the U.S. Open in 1930 and U.S. Women's Open in 2008, borders Mirror Lake to the north and Meadowbrook Golf Course is open to the public a short drive away. Brick storefronts dating back to the 1930s line the streets in the 50th & France Commercial District, just 3.5 miles northeast of Bredesen Park. Johndrow recommends visiting Edina Grill for breakfast or brunch. "It's a local favorite," he says, adding that Edina Creamery, with its red booths and old-fashioned checkered tiles, is a great spot for an ice cream cone. "You can't go wrong with the food there," says Johndrow, who worked in the food-styling industry before becoming a Realtor. "There's no fast food in 50th & France, almost no chains… the rest is really just independently owned restaurants and shops. It's a great part of town." Other local favorites include Red Cow, a go-to spot for gourmet burgers with toppings like caramelized bacon; and Coconut Thai, where popular dishes include pad see yew and pineapple curry. Residents can pick-up groceries at the 50th Street Lunds & Byerly's or head to Jerry's Foods on Vernon Avenue. And for a cup of joe, there are multiple Caribou Coffee options along U.S. Route 169. Recent years have also seen the growth of shopping centers like Southdale and The Galleria, where hundreds of national chains — everything from Sephora to Banana Republic — sit within a half-mile radius. In Edina, events are mainly concentrated in the 50th & France Commercial District. Brass bands gather outside City Hall on the Fourth of July, and floats advertising local businesses march along 50th Street past Utley Park and the Edina Country Club. The day finishes with live music and fireworks in Rosland Park. There's also the Edina Art Fair, an annual tradition that dates back to the 1960s. In late spring, local vendors sell their wares to thousands of visitors from around the Twin Cities. There's also a free outdoor concert series in Centennial Lakes Park throughout June, July and August, and trees are decorated with string lights during the holiday season, transforming the park into a "Winter Wonderland" with a distinctive Minnesota charm; there's even a 10-acre lake for ice skating. From Bredesen Park, it can take anywhere between 15 and 40 minutes to make the 10-mile drive into Downtown Minneapolis. Traffic can get heavy along Highway 62 — also known as the Crosstown Highway—but the emergence of at-home offices during the Pandemic has generally improved delays, according to local Realtor Amy Deckas. Saint Paul is a little over 20 miles from Bredesen Park along Interstates 35 and 94, and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport sits between the Twin Cities next to Fort Snelling State Park. The Mall of America, known for its indoor amusement park and hundreds of retail options, can also be found on the outskirts of the airport in Bloomington. When it comes time for medical care, residents can make the 3-mile trip to M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital next to Rosland Park. According to the CAP Index, Bredesen Park receives a crime score of 2 out of 10, which is considered low and is below the national average of 4.

On Brookview Heights’ gently sloped streets, “Little Free Libraries” are painted in bright shades of yellow and blue, and most homes date back to the 1950s and ‘60s. Tiny ponds freeze over in the winter, and plows create towering white banks. On days off, neighborhood kids build fortresses for snowball fights. Edina’s population hovers over 50,000, and the suburb is divided in half by Highway 100; Brookview Heights sits directly west. It’s not uncommon to hear the sound of traffic from backyard patios. Still, Sarah Polovitz, a top Compass realtor with nearly a decade of experience in the local real estate market, says this is also part of the neighborhood’s appeal. “You’ve got the busy road and highway noise, which is somewhat of a negative, but then, of course, there’s the convenience of living that close to the highway. It’s easy to get where you’re going from here.” Minneapolis is 11 miles north up Highway 100, and Saint Paul is 21 miles — around 30 minutes — northeast. “In general, Edina is a very sought-after city to live in,” says Polovitz. “The school district is good and there’s a unique combination of small-town charm and urban convenience that you don’t find in other cities.” According to Polovitz, “The mix of 1950s ramblers and cookie-cutter new construction, the old alongside the new, is what makes Edina unique.” Although neighborhoods like Country Club are preserved for their historic significance, Brookview Heights has few restrictions on building. “You’ll have a $500,000 house from the 1960s or ‘70s sitting next to a $2 million-plus new construction home,” adds Polovitz. Although some mid-century investment properties fall below $500,000, most ranch-styles and split-levels start around $530,000 and reach up to $800,000. As noted by Polovitz, there’s also new construction. Traditional homes with steep gabled roofs hover around $1.5 million. Two-car garages are standard, and streets are quiet enough for basketball hoops and chalk art. Meanwhile, condo units in Creekside, a 55-plus community in the southern half of the neighborhood, generally fall between $300,000 and $575,000, and building amenities include an indoor swimming pool, library and fitness center. Edina’s public school system, one of the top-rated in the state, makes it especially attractive to younger families. Kids start off at Creek Valley Elementary before attending Valley View Middle and Edina High, and all three schools receive A-plus grades on the educational review site Niche. Some EHS students participate in the Edina Rotary Global Scholars Program, which is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edina & Rotary Club of Edina / Morningside and the Edina Education Fund. Advancement Placement Latin, Spanish, French, Mandarin or ASL is required, and 11th and 12th-graders complete Capstone Courses. Students also have the opportunity to study abroad or enroll in immersion camps, and pathways include STEM, Fine Arts and Humanities. Established in the 1950s to contend with Minnesota’s notoriously cold winters, Southdale Center is the first indoor mall in the country. It’s still going strong today, anchored by Macy’s and Kowalski’s Markets, 2 miles from Brookview Heights. Galleria is nearby, home to luxury retailers like Louis Vuitton, and the 50th & France Business District is 4 miles — less than 10 minutes — north. “50th & France has those local, upscale boutiques and restaurants, and Southdale is also really nice, but it has more big box-style retailers,” says Polovitz, who says one of her favorite restaurants is on the rooftop of the mall’s Restoration Hardware. “RH Rooftop is a really pretty restaurant. It’s got the look and feel of a glass solarium, and it’s all enclosed, so even during the winter months, you can feel the sun shining on you or see the snow falling,” she says. Popular 50th & France eateries include D’Amico, a nostalgic stop for homemade Italian fare. Rebecca Sorensen, Executive Director at 50th & France, also points to the Edina Grill and Salut, a French Bistro that opens an outdoor patio in the summer. Fashion Avenue, a vintage resale shop that carries designers like Gucci and Dior, is one of the district’s most popular stores, and kids bike to order ice cream cones at Edina Creamery down the street. “I’ve been touched by the sense of community and family that the businesses feel together. They’ve gone through so many milestones, including surviving the pandemic,” says Sorensen. In the winter, Brookview Heights residents can walk to play boot or skate hockey on Normandale Park’s rink. There are also tennis courts, baseball diamonds and a playground, and families pack warm-weather picnics to enjoy by the swingsets. The neighborhood is bordered by Nine Mile Creek and the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail, a loop of boardwalks and paved pathways that allow cyclists to hop between parks, ponds and marshland. Minnesota Made Ice Center hosts learn-to-skates, and youth teams practice on the Lewis Park soccer fields nearby. According to Chad Eckert of Edina Realty, Inc., who grew up in the city, golf and hockey are equally popular. Braemar Golf Course, home to a 70-foot indoor golf dome, is open to the public, and members at the Edina Country Club can also enjoy tennis courts, fitness rooms and upscale dining. Open between June and August, the Edina Aquatic Center charges a daily admission fee of $14. There are climbing structures built to look like pirate ships, zip lines that run over outdoor swimming pools and a surf simulator. Some families invest in memberships. On the night of July 4th, crowds head to Rosland Park for a fireworks show over Lake Cornelia. They order dinner from food trucks and listen to local brass bands. Earlier in the day, floats march down 50th Street for the Independence Day Parade, throwing candy to crowds on the sidewalk. According to Sorensen, 50th & France hosts several free activities throughout the year. “People think of [The Edina Art Fair] as a kick-off to the summer,” she says. “This one attracts artisans from all over the country…There’s live music, restaurant patios are open and there’s a kids zone.” About 250 vendors are selected from more than 600 applicants, and close to 300,000 visitors from all over the midwest stop by the three-day event. “This is also an area known for very talented singer-songwriters, and we lift up emerging talent,” says the executive director, explaining how bands from near and far play on the plaza every Friday night during the summer. Halloween means district-wide Trick-or-Treating. “Children Trick-or-treat at all of the stores. They go through I-don’t-know-how-many hundred bags of candy,” says Sorensen. Of course, there’s also the historic Edina Mann Theatre, which recently reopened after a series of renovations. There are $2 movie days for kids, and some of Edina’s older residents can still remember a time when the cinema played black-and-white movies. Highway 100 serves as Brookview Heights’ easternmost border, and it also makes it relatively easy to commute into Downtown Minneapolis in less than 20 minutes. Others take Highway 62 and Interstate 35 into Saint Paul, 30 minutes away. Because bus stops are over a mile from Brookview Heights, most residents opt for their own cars over public transit. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport offers hundreds of daily flights 10 miles away, and medical care is available at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, a 327-bed facility off Highway 62. Brookview Heights’ CAP Index Crime Score is a 2 out 10, below the national average of 4. It also has an active Nexdoor webpage, and “Buy Nothing Edina” Southwest has well-over 800 members.

Pedal-boat under the brick archways that navigate the namesake Lake at Centennial Lakes Park, the 24-acre gathering hub in the backyard of some neighbors. Centennial Lakes offers a lively atmosphere, urban amenities and a thriving outdoor scene. “It’s highly walkable. You have shops and restaurants just steps away,” says Laura Keogan, Realtor with Realty Group LLC. “And there’s all sorts of wonderful things to do around the park and the lake, like pedal boating and mini-golf.” Edina visitors flock to the bustling retailers along France Avenue South, while Centennial residents enjoy people-watching from the park benches in their backyard. “It’s known for its walkability, and residents love to be able to walk or drive to things fast,” says Amy Kerber, Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. “People come from all over the Twin Cities to mini golf and ice skate at Centennial Lakes Park.” Staples like Ciao Bella and the summer event series at Centennial Lakes Park play a role in maintaining an active pulse within the community. And with U.S. Interstate 494 along the southern border, 10-mile commutes into downtown Minneapolis are accessible within a 20-minute drive. Turning off the busy throughways in Centennial Lakes, you’ll find the area populated by bustling office complexes and sprawling condo communities. The real estate market in Centennial Lake is attractive to first-time buyers and young professionals, as average home values are lower than those in the Minneapolis Metro Area. Centennial Lakes features a wide selection of housing options, from multi-family condos and townhouses to single-family Cape Cods and New Traditionals. With a median sales price of $200,000, multi-family options range from the mid $100,000s for a one-bedroom condo to upwards of $2 Million for a townhouse with waterfront views of Centennial Lake. “Condos in Centennial Lakes tend to sell faster than any other community in Edina,” says Kerber, who has been selling in Edina for over 22 years. “Buyers love the flowers and trees and landscaping, along with amenities like free membership to Edinborough Park.” While the area is primarily made up of condos and apartments, single-family options are available east of York Avenue, ranging from the low $300,000s for a two-bedroom Cape Cop to upwards of $800,000 for a four-bedroom New Traditional. Residents can shop along France Avenue South for groceries and everyday essentials at retailers like Whole Foods Market, Lunds & Byerlys and Trader Joe's. Other big-box stores like HomeGoods and Office Depot ensure that residents won’t run out of home furnishings or office supplies. Department stores, like Barnes & Noble, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, are available 5 minutes to the north at upscale malls like the Galleria and Southdale Center. When dining in the area, locals can head to Ciao Bella for an extensive wine list and authentic Italian cuisine. For a wide selection of tacos and Mexican-American dishes, visit El Camino Gourmet Tacos and enjoy tacos to-go or group options like their signature El Camino Family Feasts. Or check out Pinstripes for a relaxed dining experience, daily bowling and a selection of local beers and craft cocktails. Families in Centennial Lakes are zoned for the Richfield Public School District. Students can attend Sheridan Hills Elementary, Richfield Middle and Richfield High School, which have earned ratings of C-plus, C-plus and B-minus from the educational review site, Niche. Sheridan Hills Elementary School offers the Richfield Fun Club, which provides childcare for families with students in need of before and after-school supervision. Richfield Middle School offers a Talented and Gifted (TAG) program that provides a targeted instructional plan to meet a student’s academic rate and level of learning. Richfield High School offers a rigorous curriculum with AP courses and Dual Enrollment options in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Private options like Ramalynn Academy and Blessed Trinity-Penn Campus are also available. Some residents are within walking distance of Centennial Lakes Park, which acts as the primary gathering spot for neighbors within the community. With over 10 acres of waterfront greenspace to explore, visitors can enjoy various outdoor amenities throughout the year. Residents can stroll along the paved paths connecting to the Edina Promenade – an 80-foot wide greenway that connects the region's various retail, residential and recreational amenities– or spend the day on the water using the pedal boats, or make waves from land with the remote-controlled boats of the Edina Model Yacht Club. Golfers can spend the day on the miniature golf course, offering 18 or 9-hole layout options. In the winter, the lake is maintained for ice-skating under the bridges and through the canals. The park’s Maetzold Amphitheater hosts a summer concert series and outdoor movie nights, so you can bring the whole family and stretch out on the lawn. On rainy days, families can visit Edinborough Park, which features an indoor playground and a selection of colorful slides for kids to enjoy all year. There’s also a pool and an indoor track for adults to use while children burn energy on the jungle gym. Every year, Centennial Lakes Park hosts a variety of weekly events beginning in June, from live music every Monday, Wednesday and Sunday at 7:00 p.m. to family-friendly movie nights on select Fridays throughout the summer. Visitors can enjoy a range of performances, such as rock, blues and jazz. With over 80 summer concerts, residents have more than enough opportunities to jam with neighbors at the Maetzold Amphitheater. The Centennial Lakes Farmers Market is also hosted here on Thursdays from June through October, offering fresh seasonal produce from local farms within the community. Residents in Centennial Lakes rely on France Avenue South for easy access to U.S. I-494 to the south and I-35W to the east, making for easy 11-mile commutes into downtown Minneapolis. Those seeking public transportation can grab a seat on the Metro Transit bus. When traveling further outside the community, the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is 8 miles away. For healthcare, the M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital is less than 2 miles away. Centennial Lakes received a CAP Index crime score of 4 out of 10, the same as the national average.