Leijona Apartments

Leijona opened in 2023 after developers transformed the former St. Louis County jail in downtown Duluth into 33 unique, mixed-income apartments. The 1924 building, part of the Civic Center including Duluth City Hall, had been vacant for over twenty years, when developers Meghan Elliott, Jon Commers and Grant Carlson undertook its conversion to housing. During the project, the developers encountered multiple surprises including more substantial environmental contamination than previously understood, and utility issues that drove up costs. Determined to complete the project and open on schedule, the developers assembled additional short-term financing to cover the additional costs. Today, the building is fully occupied, including by households paying 60% and 70% of areawide median income as well as market rate. To ensure the long-term viability and affordability of the project, the developers are partnering with contributors to the Minnesota Housing Tax Credit program to fund and resolve the site-specific costs associated with the former county jail building.