About five decades ago, developers came in and erected a condominium and a few townhouse communities in Southeast Fridley to create Black Forest. “It was all woods and rolling hills,” says Chris Charbonneau, who has lived in Black Forest Condominiums since 2007 and serves on the board of directors. “That’s how the neighborhood got its name.” The neighborhood hasn’t lost its touch with nature, though, as the Innsbruck Nature Center is right in the condominium’s back yard. Charbonneau says the main reason he has stayed in Black Forest is the condominium’s sense of community. “Some have lived here since it was built 50 years ago,'' he says. "Because of that, a lot of relationships have formed and there’s a lot of community involvement. People like to relax in the common areas to chat, meet by the pool for community meetings, and we have a holiday party every year.”
Black Forest Condominiums and some townhomes sit adjacent to Innsbruck Nature Center.
Welcome to the Black Forest, a quiet neighborhood in the city of Fridley, MN
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Condo and Townhouse homeowners associations
Black Forest Condominiums has a mix of one and two-bedroom units that range from 510 to 830 square feet. They start at $100,000 and can sell for as much as $150,000. Depending on the size of the unit, homeowners can expect to pay $250 to $450 a month in condo-association fees. These help pay for maintaining several amenities available to the community. Residents can go for a swim in the outdoor pool, work out in the fitness center or play pool and ping pong in the game room. Elevators allow for easy access to all three floors and residents are welcome to use the car wash in the underground garage. The neighborhood also has many 1980s contemporary townhouses ranging from the low to high $200,000s. Most are built with attached or detached garages in the front and have one to three bedrooms. One of the communities is Innsbruck North Townhouse Association, which also has an outdoor pool and fees of around $250 to $300 a month.
Black Forest Condominiums is located on the north end of the Black Forest neighborhood and has a mix of one and two-bedroom units.
Residents can access the Innsbruck North Townhomes community from Innsbruck Drive.
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Old-growth trails at Innsbruck Nature Center and Farr Lake
Condominium residents can walk right into Innsbruck Nature Center to go for a hike. It features a 1.5-mile dirt trail through the old-growth woods, where wildlife roams freely. “It’s really untouched wilderness where you can walk around ponds and see fox, deer and other animals,” says Charbonneau. “There are no true predators, so the deer are pretty comfortable with people and just wander around.” Townhouse residents are close to nature, too. Walkways in Innsbruck North Townhouse Association lead to a half-mile trail surrounding the lily pad-covered Farr Lake. The community also has a small park between townhouses with benches shaded by trees and a playground.
Black Forest residents enjoy the walking trails around Farr Lake.
Visitors can spot white-tailed deer at Innsbruck Nature Center.
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STEM education and college preparedness through Columbia Heights Public School District
Elementary students attend North Park School for Innovation, which earns a C grade from Niche, and centers its education on STEM studies. North Park features a ‘Bio-Digester’ that turns food and paper waste into soil, which is then added to the school’s garden. Middle schoolers go to Columbia Academy, which also gets a C grade and implements an AVID learning system that helps students prepare for high school and college. Columbia Heights High School is graded a B and also offers AVID education, along with Ramp Up to Readiness, another program designed for college preparedness, and the Power of You program, which allows students to earn free college credits through St. Paul College and Minneapolis Community and Technical College.
Columbia Heights High School teaches around 950 students a year.
North Park School for Innovation is a public school serving students from PreK-5th grade.
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Mechanical bull riding at Cowboy Jack's
Locals live right by Silver Lake Road, which has a few businesses, including a Wells Fargo bank, an LA Fitness center and some restaurants. Cowboy Jack’s is a local favorite for its rustic, casual setting, where people go to watch sports, eat bar food and ride the mechanical bull. Turitto’s Pizza is another option. The restaurant went viral in 2025 after giving the Youtuber "Joshlilj" 50 free pizzas to feed the homeless. For everyday shopping needs, it’s less than a 2-mile drive to Target, Menards and Aldi. All three stores are on Central Avenue, where there are even more restaurants.
Convenient shopping and restaurants are located at the Brighton Village shopping area on the edge of Black Forest.
Cowboy Jacks is located in Brighton Village and is a favorite summertime restaurant and patio hangout for the Black Forest neighborhood.
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Drive or take the train to Minneapolis
Interstate 694 is less than 1 mile away, which begins the journey west to I-94 and then south to Central Minneapolis for a total of 11 miles. Commuters can also drive to Fridley’s Metro Transit station and take the Northstar Line train for a 20-minute ride into the city. That’s where travelers can hop on the Blue Line for another 26-minute ride south to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. To drive there from Black Forest, it’s a 23-mile trip.
Fridley residents can take the Northstar commuter train into downtown Minneapolis from the Fridley Station.
Interstate 694 borders the south side of the Black Forest neighborhood and provides convenient access to downtown Minneapolis, downtown St. Paul, and beyond.
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End unit townhome with enclosed/fenced patio. 3 bed/2 full baths & 2 car garage. Vaulted living room. New flooring , appliances and paint. Nice family room. Breakfast bar.
OPEN HOUSE Saturday 7/26 12-3. Buyer got cold feet, so this wonderful home is back on the market. Rare opportunity to grab this beautiful townhome in the sought after Innsbruck neighborhood! Nestled in a quiet neighborhood. Brand new deck, recently updated flooring/paint/carpeting/bathrooms and mostly brand new appliances. Convenient location near 694 and Silver Lake Rd. with easy access to
Welcome to Black Forest Condominiums! This very well-run association is situated in a quiet, residential neighborhood on the Fridley/New Brighton border and is surrounded by Innsbruck Nature Center with trails leading to it! This 2nd floor unit has been completely remodeled and is move-in ready. It comes with a heated, underground parking spot and storage locker. It has new LVP flooring in the
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,139
Median Age
48
Population under 18
15.6%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
27%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$67,500
Below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$85,594
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
99%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
51.5%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
13.8%
% Population in Labor Force
64.7%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
32''
Average Winter Low Temperature
8°F
Average Summer High Temperature
84°F
Annual Snowfall
54''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
27/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
32/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
30/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
