Office tower? Condos?
With its twin towers of blue glass, Reflections in Bloomington looks more like an office complex than a place where people might actually live. In a condo market that caters to aging suburban boomers who want to get in touch with their urban roots, Reflections seems to offer aging suburban boomers ... the suburbs. But with a twist. This is the suburbs located within crawling distance of a train station. The Bloomington Central stop of the LRT is nicely nestled between the Mall of America and Lindberg Terminal (both attractions are just two stops away) and downtown Minneapolis is a pleasant 30-minute ride. Reflections marketing materials brags that the condos introduce a "brand new, transit-oriented lifestyle to the Twin Cities." Buy one and you also get an underground parking space. On the inside, there's a lot to like about Reflections. Every unit has floor-to-ceiling windows. Those facing south get a stunning view of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the occasional bald eagle. The downsides: You can't open the windows and there's no deck for grilling. The sales agent told me about one-half of the units have been sold and they haven't had to lower their prices too much (perhaps a sign that the real estate market hasn't slumped too much). (Photos by Todd Melby)