Second phase of Highline Apartments complete, full already

The second phase of the Highline Apartments in Columbia Falls are proving to be just as popular as the first phase.

Like the first phase, the second phase, which included 108 more units, was leased before the buildings were even finished.

“We just really lucked out,” developer Brent Brown of Greenway Capital said last week. “We anticipated it would be good.”

Brown said the second phase tweaked the apartment layouts, featuring more two-bedroom units, where demand at the time seems to be the greatest. The new units opened about a month ago.

The complex, located off Bills Lane has a host of amenities, including a clubhouse, a playground and a dog park. Unlike other apartment complexes in the valley, the Highline allows pets, making them even more attractive.

Brown said the tenants are a diverse group of renters, from young families to retirees who no longer want to own a home.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, folks are also leaving cities, at least for the time being.

“We definitely have residents who are coming from other places,” Brown said.

The apartments are relatively affordable. The studios $750 for a 400 square foot space; one bedrooms are $895 and two bedrooms are $1,100.

The project could add 20 more units in the

future under its permit from the city, but a decision hasn’t been made yet, Brown noted.

Greenway also has plans for a similar project in Kalispell, which should break ground soon.

The Columbia Falls project was constructed by Compass Construction and Snyder Construction Group.

Brown said the company likely won’t build more apartments here, but it is considering other innovative housing projects in the future.