Brainerd's New Housing: Apartments and the Pinecrest Development

Brainerd is in the middle of its busiest stretch of new housing in years, and the projects are easy to spot around town. A 190-unit apartment complex is moving forward near Greenwood Street and Highway 371 Business, and Country Manor's Pinecrest development broke ground in June 2025 on 54 acres off Beaver Dam Road. For anyone weighing a move to the Lakes Area, this matters, because more housing means more options at more price points.

Where is the new housing going in?

The two headline projects sit on opposite sides of Brainerd's daily life. The 190-unit apartment development near Greenwood Street and Highway 371 Business is planned in two phases and is designed to add rental supply where the market has needed it most. Pinecrest, off Beaver Dam Road, is the bigger land story: 54 acres of new construction anchored by Country Manor, one of the region's established senior-care providers.

What is the Pinecrest development?

Pinecrest is a mix of housing types on one campus. The plan includes 32 luxury apartments, 44 senior apartments, and 30 memory-care and enhanced assisted-living units, plus a child care center. That combination matters more than the unit count alone: it gives empty nesters a way to stay in Brainerd near services, gives families a child care option close to home, and gives the community a full range of housing in one place.

What does new housing mean for buyers?

**More supply, more choices.** New apartments and senior housing take pressure off the rental market and give buyers who are not ready for a single-family home a real alternative.

**A reason to stay local.** Senior housing and child care keep people in Brainerd across every stage of life, which supports the schools, the downtown, and the resale market.

**Confidence in the market.** Developers build where demand is proven, and two projects of this size are a vote of confidence in the Lakes Area's biggest community.

The bottom line

Brainerd has always been the practical center of the Lakes Area, and it is now building to match that role. New apartments, senior living, and child care are the kind of investments that show up in daily life long before they show up in a listing. If you are comparing Brainerd against other lake-country towns, start with the Brainerd community guide, read about the city lakes minutes from downtown, and schedule a call when you are ready to talk about what fits. Cheers!