A sleepy suburb northeast of downtown Minneapolis
The sleepy suburb of Saint Anthony, known affectionately as “The Village” by locals, retains all the advantages of a smaller community despite being about five miles from downtown Minneapolis and eight miles northwest of St. Paul. This small city of 9,200 residents is bordered by the Gross National Golf Club on its south and shimmering Silver Lake to the north. The community is established and fully developed, with era-specific housing lining the quiet streets. “The city has mostly 1960’s one-story ramblers, although there are some two-story homes. It's very popular place to live, with many homes selling with multiple offers,” says Realtor Joe Kasel of Re/Max Results, a former resident of the city who has worked in the area for decades. “It’s well known for its school district and its park system.”
Ramblers, town homes and condos
The real estate market in Saint Anthony is highly competitive with prospective homebuyers quickly snapping up properties. Saint Anthony is popular with buyers looking in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range, which is the bulk of the inventory. Housing development in the neighborhood has been slow and steady since kicking off in 1939 – the biggest boom in construction took place in the 50s and 60s. “The city has mostly 1960’s one-story ramblers, although there are some two-story homes,” Kasel says. “It's very popular place to live with many homes selling with multiple offers.” There is some diversity of housing, with newer pockets of town houses and condos.
Highly rated public schools
Parents of children are served by the St. Anthony-New Brighton Independent School District, which is ranked the 25th best public school district in Minnesota with an overall A grade from Niche. Wilshire Park Elementary School is a walkable community school that earns an A-minus rating from Niche. St. Anthony Middle School offers a robust selection of academically enriching activities and clubs, and also earns an A-minus rating from Niche. The school is situated adjacent to Central Park. Kids then move on to A-minus-rated St. Anthony Village Senior High School, ranked the 37th best public high school in the state by Niche. The school is great for athletes, offering a full slate of athletics including lacrosse, golf, Nordic ski, bowling and adapted soccer.
Shopping and dining on Silver Lake Road
St. Anthony is primarily residential, with two business nodes on the north and south ends of Silver Lake Road. On the north end, a sprawling Cub Foods is the perfect place to pick up groceries and essentials. There are a handful of distinctive dining destinations for a night out instead. For residents looking for an early start, Fat Nat’s Eggs, which opens every day at 7 am, is a simple eatery offering classic breakfast and lunch fare. Diners rave about the friendly and attentive wait staff and ample portions that quelch even the heartiest of Midwestern appetites. Steele & Hops is an urban chic eatery with rich blue booths and dark wooden interior and a private patio seating area lined by plants on both sides. Their happy hour is known to be boisterous, with welcomingly eclectic cocktail specials and a lot of animated conversation.
Parks, trails and lakeside scenery
The community comes together at several popular parks that dot the neighborhood’s serene streets. Central Park sits on the city’s municipal complex and is a year-round attraction with its ice-skating rink and roomy splash pad always on the kids’ to-do lists. There’s also an always buzzing skateboard park and sledder-approved hill that is well-lit on those cold, snowy nights. Silver Lake is a true Saint Anthony standout, a 73-acre lake that is about one-and-a-half miles around. Nestled along the shores of Silver Lake is Silverwood Park which promises picturesque views of the water, restored prairie and mature oak savanna. Park amenities include trails, watercraft rentals, education facilities and even an art gallery. There’s also a sandy beach for summer swimming and classic playground equipment.
Getting around the Twin Cities
Commuters can hop on Interstate 35W to get around the cities — it’s about 5 miles to downtown Minneapolis and about 12 miles to downtown St. Paul. Saint Anthony is served by Metro Transit, the primary public transportation service for the Twin Cities. For air travel, the neighborhood is about 8 miles from the terminals at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
Photography Contributed By
Jeff Karels
