Growing the Metro
that Grew Us

Wellington Management, Inc. was born in the basement of CEO Steve Wellington’s St. Paul home in 1984. The company has grown from an entrepreneurial venture into a thriving team of committed professionals working in 24 Minnesota communities. Faithfully based in St. Paul, Wellington remains a family-owned property management, development and planning company grounded in the relationships built over decades of growth.

35+ Years of Local Experience

As a long-term owner, property manager, developer and planner, we see the big picture. From acquisitions and initial planning to leasing, development and operations, Wellington holistically understands each facet of commercial and residential real estate. Our stability, manageable size, relationships and deep market knowledge allow us to act thoughtfully and nimbly.

Since we are in the business of creative problem-solving, we pursue challenging projects. Our curiosity, collaborative approach and passion help us make it happen as we work to achieve sound urban design, solid financial performance and lasting community impact.

Property Management

Our work is foundationally rooted in the operations of a four-million-square-foot portfolio. Our property managers, customer service representatives and building engineers provide the responsive and personable service that keeps our diversified portfolio operating smoothly for our 600+ tenants.

A distinct aspect of our business is that our leasing agents also serve as property managers. As a result, the tenant relationships begin early and remain consistent. The team includes 15 licensed real estate agents who execute 175 – 225 transactions annually. We always encourage cross-referrals, welcome tenant representation brokers, and enjoy working collaboratively with our tenant partners.

Current Available Spaces

Development & Planning

When we zoom out, we see potential where others don’t — like in a polluted industrial district dividing North and South Minneapolis or a pig farm in the middle of Woodbury. With patient capital investment, broad expertise and partnership, the team tackles each step of the development process with creativity and grit.

Since its founding, Wellington’s diverse development portfolio has grown to include 40+ commercial and residential buildings within the Twin Cities metro area. The team often digs deeper than a single building to enliven neighborhoods with ambitious planning projects that serve communities first.

District Plans & Developments

Where We Shine

Our Mission

Our deeply rooted long-term commitment to ownership, property management, development and planning aspires to strengthen communities by adding relevant tenants and creating sustainable, community-serving spaces.

4M SF Portfolio
100 Buildings
600+ Commercial tenants
40 Non-profit tenants
915 Apartments & condos
40+ Developments

Honoring the Real Bottom Line

We are collaborative partners to small businesses, entrepreneurs, anchor stores and 55+ investors, but ultimately, we are stewards of important community assets. We work here, we live here, and we exist to make lasting community impact well beyond the buildings.

6 District plans (4 in progress)
100% Invested in the MSP 7-County Metro

From a one-person entrepreneurial venture in 1984 to a thriving real estate owner, operator, developer and planner, family-owned Wellington Management, Inc. (WMI) has been rooted in the greater Twin Cities for decades.

The '80s

Initially based in St. Paul's historic Lowertown district, Steve Wellington launched Wellington Management, Inc. as an entrepreneur in 1984. Steve began acquiring and developing small office and retail properties, quickly advancing to mixed-use development. Early projects included The Emily Program’s headquarters in Saint Anthony Park (originally built for Park Bank, now Sunrise Banks) and Park Crossing in St. Paul’s Energy Park. The company also acquired a large plot of commercial land in Woodbury in the late ’80s. This location now contains 12 office and retail buildings, which provide homes for 88 retail and office tenants.

The '90s

During the real estate downturn, WMI acquired a number of under-performing assets at a low cost. Between 1992 and 1997, the company added more than 30 buildings to its property management portfolio. These additional buildings often involved the creative redevelopment and/or repositioning of aging properties. Major projects included Minnesota Office Plaza, Valley Creek Mall and Snelling Office Plaza. The company also made significant headway on two multi-phased district planning initiatives: North Oaks and Woodbury City Centre, both of which remain dynamic neighborhood hubs today.

2000-2008

Wellington diversified its growing portfolio in the early 2000s with expanded investment in preservation and creative restoration. WMI successfully revitalized the Drake Building in 2002, transforming what was originally a marble cutting and polishing plant into beautiful office space. The company also acquired historic Atrium Office Building and adjacent Bandana Square not long after, cultural gems that were renovated and repositioned as dynamic brick-and-timber office space. This National Register Historic District preserved many outdoor elements that continue to honor the property’s identity as Como Shops, the Great Northern Railway’s premier repair facility in the 1880s.

2000-2008

During this timeframe, the company also tackled a number of ambitious urban development projects. These included the purchase and significant renovation of Hi-Lake Shopping Center along the Lake & Hiawatha corridors of South Minneapolis and the award-winning Penn Lowry Crossing project in North Minneapolis. The company also broadened its scope into residential development with three successful urban condominium projects: Emerald Gardens (212 units), Metro Lofts (67 units) and Corridor Flats (36 units).

2009-2013

Despite a nationwide recession, the company continued to grow with the development of River Bend Business Park and several significant retail properties. Additional notable production during this time included the award-winning Nicollet Avenue Goodwill in south Minneapolis and the redevelopment of the LA Fitness-anchored Lyndale Station retail center in Richfield.

2014-2019

In 2014, David Wellington moved home from Seattle to join the company and help lead the family business into the next generation. Among his first development projects was Blue Line Flats — a transit-oriented 135-unit workforce housing project that the company delivered in 2016. This followed the success of 22-Twenty on Lake, a 64-unit workforce affordable apartment community at Lake Street and Hiawatha.

2014-2019

In 2019, the team completed the redevelopment of a closed Rainbow foods store into an expanded 92,000 SF retail center, which now houses a 24,000 SF Aldi Grocery, a 58,000 SF charter school, a Wells Fargo branch, a recently re-built Wendy’s and a locally owned restaurant. The parking lot now houses a 189-unit residential and retail building called Everlake. The $60M redevelopment is the largest mixed-use project WMI has ever constructed.

2014-2019

The company also delivered the 66,000 SF Leef North office building in Minneapolis’ Harrison Neighborhood in 2019. The project required significant brownfield remediation and is the first project within the planned redevelopment of a former heavily contaminated industrial area in North Minneapolis known as Bassett Creek Valley.

2020-2021

The company is currently investing more than $85M in new development within St. Paul. This includes a $25M mixed-use project called Frogtown Crossroads, a joint venture with Neighborhood Development Center. In 2021, WMI will also deliver a 160-unit apartment community called The Pitch, a $35M investment immediately west of Allianz Field on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul.

2020-2021

During the civil unrest that followed the death of community member George Floyd, mixed-use project Midtown Corner (now Everlake) burned to the ground, as did a major portion of WMI’s Hi-Lake Shopping Center. In partnership with contractors, lenders, insurance companies, city officials and others, the WMI team worked to fully restore all of the damaged properties.

Look-Ahead

Forthcoming projects include Randolph Square adjacent to River Bend Business Park (St. Paul), Shady Oak mixed-income housing (Minnetonka), mixed-use Franklin & Curfew (St. Paul), mixed-use district Lexington and North Meadows (Blaine), and affordable housing project Currie Commons in Bassett Creek Valley (North Minneapolis).

Our People
Our Foundation

Our Team