Highland Park is a little St. Paul jewel - I know because I lived in a brick “St. Paul Classic” apartment house there for about 8 years. It is nearly equidistance between the downtowns, hugs up against the Mississippi along the bluffs and is walkable like a village. In many ways, it’s just about perfect.

And the people who live there seem to treasure it. It was one of the first St. Paul neighborhoods to welcome Catholics and Jews and the spirit of these first residents lives on places like the College of St. Catherine, the Jewish Community Center, St. Leo’s Church and Cecil’s Deli (read Rueben paradise).

The housing boom came to Highland in the 1940’s leaving charming story-and-a-half stucco houses. Here is what I consider a typical example selling right around the $350K mark. These homes are filled with carved woodwork and build-ins.

More recent development is located in the southern region of Highland where post-World War II construction meets modern townhouses and condos. A nice balance of rental property is scattered throughout the area.

The housing stock is very well maintained and the yards are exceptionally tidy. And beyond just being well cared for, the neighborhood has a sense of place. For example the historical lighting is just that – historical.

What takes Highland to the next level is being able to walk to real shopping. There is a mix of specialty shops like the Fixery and the Tea Source, as well as some tastefully built newer chains like Chipolte and Barnes & Noble.

But what anchors Highland is Lunds and the Mississippi Market Co-op. Real grocery options makes it an area where one can truly be car-free. And it’s a manageable bike ride (or quick bus trip) across the river to the Hiawatha Light Rail that can whisk you to points Downtown, the airport and the Mall of America.

Another plus is the unusually high amount of green space in the city which you can see on this map. There are also walking trails all along the river, too.

The only ding - if you call it a ding - is that it’s a pretty stately place. It’s not the neighborhood you move to to unfurl your freak flag, paint your house purple and plant giant whirly gigs. Save that for arty Powderhorn or NorthEast, Minneapolis.

Lucie Amundsen just completed a Neighborhood Profile section for the relocation guide, Twin Cities Living. It made her fall in love with the region all over again.