Read today’s article in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal featuring The Doran Group President and CEO Evan Doran. Senior Reporter Caitlin Anderson asks his thoughts about both what is playing out in the market currently and what he anticipates in the future.
People Serving People is a crucial community partner here in the Twin Cities. Our residents are supporting families staying in St. Anne’s Place, a 16 room shelter in North Minneapolis. Want to learn more about the work of this important organization – or make a financial contribution? Visit the link here.
The 132-unit, $46 million project is first in what CEO Evan Doran says will become a luxury brand of senior living communities, with more sites across the region in development
Eden Prairie, MN – The Doran Group, a longtime developer of luxury multifamily apartment and townhome communities founded by the late Kelly Doran, announced today it has begun construction on Olinia-Maple Grove, marking the company’s official entrance into the active adult housing sector. The $46 million, 132-unit project financed by American National Bank is the first in what company president and CEO Evan Doran sees as a collection of boutique, highly crafted luxury apartment brands geared toward people age 55 and older.
“We believe there’s a growing demand among the discerning 55+ customer for something that feels intentionally boutique and beautifully curated,” said Evan Doran, president and CEO of The Doran Group. “Olinia-Maple Grove reflects our belief that luxury is about both exceptionally designed spaces and high-touch service that, together, inspire a strong sense of community for those who expect more from where they live.”
As part of its vision to expand the Olinia collection across the Twin Cities, The Doran Group’s four-story community at Olinia–Maple Grove will offer a mix of larger one- and two-bedroom homes, averaging 840 and 1,220 square feet respectively, plus private outdoor balconies for each home and underground heated parking. Located at 11751 Arbor Lakes Parkway N within the initial 40-acre Arbor Lakes area The Doran Group purchased and began developing in 2015, Olinia-Maple Grove will begin leasing in early 2026, welcoming new residents in spring of 2027.
“Maple Grove continues to be a place where residents can thrive at every stage of life,” said Maple Grove Mayor Mark Steffenson. “The launch of Olinia–Maple Grove reflects our commitment to ensuring high-quality, age-friendly housing that meets the needs of our growing 55+ community. The Doran family has long been a valued partner in shaping the Arbor Lakes area, and this latest project aligns with our vision for thoughtful, inclusive development.”
Olinia-Maple Grove will offer a broad variety of engaging activities within a boutique setting. Key amenities will include fresh interpretations of the traditional parlor, speakeasy and library, as well as a high-end fitness center, entertainment suite, arts and crafts studio, grab-and-go market, grandchildren’s playroom, sports simulator and more. During the spring, summer and fall, residents will also enjoy a thoughtfully designed outdoor terrace, complete with a plunge pool surrounded by reclining sun loungers, umbrella-shaded patio tables, multiple gas fireplaces and gathering areas, and an open-air kitchen featuring premium grills and quartz countertops.
“This is the first project we have broken ground on since my dad’s passing,” said Doran. “The post-pandemic real estate market has been slow to reenergize across the country, and it was important for me to take time to position our company for accelerated growth over the next several years. We have the resources combined with the right people in key positions to move quickly into this next phase of life for our company, and we are actively pursuing multiple sites across the state and region with the goal of breaking ground on a handful of projects over the next two years.”
The Doran Group’s second 55+ community received city approval last month in Hudson, Wisconsin and construction on the 128-unit Linden House-Hudson is expected to begin in the first half of 2026, with additional projects in planning phases in Rochester, MN and Madison, WI, in addition to the Twin Cities.
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Thanks to our incredible residents, teams and partners, we are proud to announce that our apartment communities enjoyed a podium sweep at this year’s “Minnesota’s Best” Awards, sponsored by the Minnesota Star Tribune. Our Aria-Edina community took home 1st place for “Minnesota’s Best Apartment Community,” with Mill & Main taking 2nd place and The Reserve at Arbor Lakes placing 3rd. We couldn’t be more thrilled! And to top it all off, The Doran Group placed among the top three property management companies in Minnesota! Thank you to the Minnesota Star Tribune and its readers for this great honor.
Thank you to the Urban Land Institute for hosting another outstanding Ideas Exchange this past week. The event centered on the profound impact of Baby Boomer retirements on multigenerational real estate ownership—an especially timely topic as many companies navigate the transition from one generation of leadership to the next.
As a locally owned, multigenerational business, we understand this journey firsthand. Our CEO and President, Evan Doran, was honored to share insights from our own succession planning process, which began nearly a decade ago.
Special highlights of the day included opening remarks from Paul Maenner of Maenner Properties and the keynote address by former Medtronic CEO and author Bill George, whose book True North continues to inspire leaders navigating change and purpose-driven growth.
Volunteering to Fight Hunger, One Meal at a Time
We were proud to spend the day volunteering with The Food Group, a Minnesota nonprofit helping to provide equitable access to nutritious food. Led by our incredible host, Lonny, our team helped package 5,740 meals—each one headed to Minnesotans living in rural, suburban and urban communities
This effort comes at a critical time. Last year, Minnesotans made nearly 9 million visits to food shelves—an all-time high and a sobering reminder of the growing food insecurity in our state.
To Lonny and the entire team at The Food Group: thank you for leading the way and inviting us to participate. We’re grateful for the opportunity to help.
This Earth Day, our team rolled up their sleeves and got a little dirty—on purpose! Employees from our Eden Prairie office came together for a pond-side clean-up just outside our corporate HQ. From hauling trash to clearing brush, we left the area cleaner, greener, and buzzing with good energy. It’s one small way we’re giving back to the planet we all share—and having a little fun while we’re at it.
Our offices will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As individuals, as colleagues and as a company, we are grateful to be able to take time to reflect upon the civil rights giants who have propelled our nation forward. The below are clips we pulled from a documentary found in the Library of Congress’ online archives. It features footage from the “Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom,” a civil rights demonstration at the Lincoln Memorial held on May 17, 1957 – which was co-chaired by Dr. King.
We invite you to watch the entire 1957 film for its historic value, but we have also taken the liberty of pulling out two key highlights: a brief speech about the pilgrimage, a lesser known speech by Dr. King that was delivered six years before his famous “I have a dream” speech, as well as a moving performance by renowned gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
Credit: Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division.
The Doran Group announces Successful $113 Million Sale of 610 West Apartments
Proceeds will be reinvested into new projects, including new active adult community in Maple Grove
Eden Prairie, MN – The Doran Group today announced the successful sale of its 610 West apartment community in Brooklyn Park for just under $113 million, ushering in a new era for the multigenerational company led by Evan Doran. Proceeds from the sale of the four-building, 480-unit apartment community, completed in 2019, will be reinvested into new projects later this spring, including The Doran Group’s added focus on Active Adult living communities and build-to-rent projects.
“610 West was our family’s second multifamily project we developed, designed, built and managed – and so I have a sentimental attachment to this project,” said The Doran Group President and CEO Evan Doran. “That said, as the second-generation leader of our company, I’m eager to position our organization for the next 50 years – and that includes aligning our existing portfolio with our plans to expand regionally into additional states as well as into new categories like active adult.”
With the sale of 610 West now complete, Doran has given the green light to proceed with his vision for a multi-city active adult brand called “Olinia,” with the first community breaking ground this summer in Maple Grove and other sites in various stages of land acquisition and entitlement across the upper Midwest.
“I remain bullish on the active adult sector in addition to our traditional luxury market-rate multifamily portfolio,” said Doran. “And with our Reserve at Arbor Lakes community in Maple Grove continuing to lead our portfolio’s strong performance,” said Doran, “deepening our investment in this community makes good business sense. We have a strong reputation in Maple Grove for enhancing high-end housing options – and we are eager to grow our footprint here and beyond.”
The 124-unit 55+ “Olinia-Arbor Lakes” will be constructed in Maple Grove adjacent to The Doran Group’s existing Reserve at Arbor Lakes apartment and townhome gated community and its Village at Arbor Lakes retail center. The Doran Group’s in-house architecture and construction firms will serve as Olinia’s designer and general contractor.
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