Work is officially underway at the site of the newest apartment project in Coon Rapids.  

On Thursday afternoon, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Riverdale Station Flats, which includes the construction of a four-story, 184 unit market-rate apartment building and a 71-unit mixed-income building.  A second phase of the project will include senior housing.  

The apartments are being built adjacent to the Northstar Commuter Rail Station for easy access to transit and the nearby shopping and restaurant district.

"This mixed-income, mixed-use project adjacent to rail and jobs adjacent to commercial, it's a strong demonstration of smart development and it serves as a strong demonstration of how a quality development vision can come together and be achieved through public and private partnership," says Will Anderson of Sherman Associates, the developer.

"It's been more than 25 years since we've had new market rate apartments in town so this is really needed and the senior housing to follow is going to be really attractive as well," says Coon Rapids mayor Jerry Koch.

The apartments will feature many amenities including high-end finishes, a dog run, playground equipment, underground parking and walking paths.  There's also four-thousand square feet of commercial space.  

The smaller, mixed-income building is expected to open next October with the larger market-rate apartment building opening in early 2020.