St. Croix River Valley · Serving Stillwater and Washington County
Custom Home Builder
Stillwater, MN
Stonewood brings over seventy years of Twin Cities custom home expertise to Stillwater: architect-designed new construction, teardown-rebuilds on the city’s historic hillside and riverfront lots, and build-on-your-lot service throughout one of Minnesota’s most distinctive river towns. Luxury craftsmanship, brought to Stillwater.
Stillwater, Minnesota
Stonewood: Stillwater’s Custom Home Builder
Stillwater, Minnesota occupies a singular position in the Twin Cities metro: a city where American history, a world-class natural river corridor, and a thriving residential community converge on the bluffs above the St. Croix River in Washington County. Known as the birthplace of Minnesota, Stillwater is one of the most architecturally distinguished small cities in the upper Midwest — a place where Victorian mansions on North Hill, craftsman cottages near downtown, and contemporary luxury builds on the river bluffs share streets shaped by more than 170 years of continuous community life. The St. Croix River, one of the country’s original National Scenic Riverways, defines the city’s eastern edge and provides the natural grandeur that makes Stillwater’s riverfront and bluff lots among the most coveted residential addresses in the entire Twin Cities metro.
Stonewood has served the Twin Cities luxury custom home market for over seventy years, building throughout the metro from Lake Minnetonka to the St. Croix River valley. We bring the same disciplined process, complete budget transparency, and quality craftsmanship to Stillwater that has made Stonewood one of the most trusted names in Minnesota custom home construction. Whether you are building new on one of Stillwater’s storied riverfront or North Hill lots, replacing an older structure with a custom home designed specifically for how you live today, or bringing a bespoke vision to life on a lot you already own along Boutwell Road or Lily Lake, Stonewood delivers.
Stillwater’s housing opportunity is exceptional. The city’s most desirable parcels — particularly those with St. Croix River views from North Hill and South Hill, proximity to Lowell Park and the downtown waterfront, and the quieter residential streets above the bluffs — carry structures that often fail to realize the full potential of their sites. Stonewood specializes in unlocking that potential: replacing an outdated structure with an original, architect-designed custom home that finally achieves what the lot and the location have always been capable of. Stonewood is Stillwater’s answer.
Why Stillwater Is a Premier Custom Home Market
The St. Croix River, Historic Character, and Unmatched Twin Cities Location
Stillwater’s geography is genuinely one of a kind in the Twin Cities metro. The city climbs from the St. Croix River — a federally designated National Scenic Riverway protected from commercial development — up through a series of dramatic bluffs and hillside neighborhoods that deliver views no lakefront or suburban address can replicate. The St. Croix River corridor through Stillwater combines the visual drama of a wide, island-studded river with the protected natural character of a national scenic waterway, creating the kind of landscape that serious custom home clients travel across the country to find. Lowell Park’s riverfront promenade, Stillwater’s historic lift bridge, and the downtown waterfront create a civic foreground that anchors the city’s identity as one of Minnesota’s most distinctive places to live.
The city’s location amplifies its appeal for custom home buyers. Stillwater sits 20 miles east of Saint Paul and roughly 30 miles from Minneapolis, with direct highway access via Highway 36, making it accessible to both downtown cores and the full range of Twin Cities metro employers without sacrificing the river town character and natural setting that define its residential appeal. Washington County’s growth corridor, connecting Stillwater to Lake Elmo, Woodbury, Oak Park Heights, and Bayport, positions the city at the center of one of the metro’s most sought-after residential markets for buyers who insist on both quality of life and proximity to urban resources.
Stillwater’s Custom Home and Teardown-Rebuild Market
Stillwater’s most compelling new construction opportunity lies in its established hillside and riverfront neighborhoods. The city’s North Hill, South Hill, and Croixwood areas contain some of the most architecturally significant and lot-valuable residential parcels in Washington County, many occupied by structures that, despite occupying extraordinary sites, no longer reflect what a thoughtfully designed custom home can achieve. Victorian-era homes, mid-century ranches, and aging split-levels on bluff-view lots represent the teardown-rebuild opportunity that Stonewood manages from the first site visit through the final walkthrough — replacing a structure whose time has passed with a home built for how you actually live, on a lot whose views, history, and setting deserve nothing less.
Beyond teardown-rebuilds, Stillwater’s emerging development areas along Boutwell Road, Manning Avenue, and the expanding residential zones north and south of downtown offer build-on-your-lot opportunities for clients who want a completely original custom home in a city whose character and location have made it one of the most consistently desirable addresses in the entire Twin Cities metro. Stonewood brings the design capability, the regulatory expertise — including DNR shoreland and bluff setback management specific to the St. Croix River corridor — and the construction quality to deliver Stillwater’s most compelling new custom homes.
What Stonewood Builds in Stillwater
Stonewood’s work in Stillwater spans the full range of custom residential construction the city’s exceptional variety of lot conditions demands. For St. Croix River view lots on North Hill and South Hill, we design homes that capture and frame the river panorama through east-facing living spaces, expansive glazing, and deck and outdoor terrace configurations that make the view integral to everyday life. For riverfront parcels with direct St. Croix access near Lowell Park and the downtown waterfront corridor, we manage the full complexity of DNR shoreland permitting, bluff setback compliance, and site engineering required for Stillwater’s most regulated and most valuable building sites. For historic district–adjacent lots and interior neighborhood parcels throughout Croixwood, Lily Lake Road, and the Boutwell Road corridor, we deliver the same original design, budget transparency, and quality execution that defines every Stonewood project regardless of site complexity.
Stillwater is also one of the Twin Cities metro’s most architecturally self-aware communities: a city where design quality is noticed, appreciated, and expected by neighbors, community members, and prospective buyers alike. Stonewood brings both the architectural sophistication and the craftsman-level execution to deliver custom homes that honor Stillwater’s design heritage while meeting the performance and livability standards of contemporary luxury residential construction. Whether the brief calls for a craftsman home that reads as timeless on a North Hill street, a contemporary build with clean geometry and river-oriented glazing, or a historic-style home that engages Stillwater’s Victorian context with modern interior quality, Stonewood has the design relationships and the construction discipline to deliver it.
Stillwater Neighborhoods Stonewood Serves
Stillwater’s residential landscape spans from the riverfront and historic downtown to the bluff-top hillside neighborhoods, the lake district around Lily Lake, and the expanding residential areas along Boutwell Road and the city’s northern and southern perimeters. Stonewood builds throughout the city and in adjacent Washington County communities.
North Hill
Stillwater’s North Hill is the city’s most historic and architecturally significant residential neighborhood, home to Victorian-era mansions and bluff-view lots with panoramic St. Croix River views from one of the highest residential elevations in Washington County. Stonewood designs and builds custom homes and manages teardown-rebuilds throughout North Hill, including on the city’s most view-forward and historically significant parcels.
South Hill and Downtown Adjacent
South Hill’s residential streets and the neighborhoods adjacent to Stillwater’s historic downtown offer established community character, walkable access to the river and Lowell Park, and a mix of Victorian, craftsman, and mid-century homes with significant teardown-rebuild potential. Stonewood builds custom homes and manages full teardown-rebuild projects throughout South Hill and the downtown-adjacent residential corridors.
Croixwood and Lily Lake Area
The Croixwood neighborhood and the residential areas surrounding Lily Lake provide Stillwater’s most spacious suburban residential setting, with larger lots, mid-century homes with significant replacement potential, and proximity to Lily Lake Recreation Center and the city’s trail network. This corridor is highly active for both teardown-rebuilds and new construction. Stonewood builds throughout Croixwood and Lily Lake.
Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue Corridor
The Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue corridor represents Stillwater’s most active area for new residential development and build-on-your-lot custom homes, with larger parcels, newer infrastructure, and strong access to Highway 36 and the broader Washington County growth corridor. Stonewood builds custom homes throughout this expanding area of Stillwater.
Stillwater Schools and Community
Stillwater is served by the Stillwater Area Public Schools district, one of the most highly regarded public school systems in Washington County and the broader Twin Cities metro. The district operates multiple elementary and middle schools throughout Stillwater and the surrounding communities, feeding into Stillwater Area High School — a comprehensive, award-winning high school facility that consistently ranks among Minnesota’s strongest academic institutions. For families relocating to Stillwater, the school district is among the primary drivers of residential demand, and the combination of nationally recognized schools with Stillwater’s extraordinary natural setting and community character is a combination that is genuinely difficult to find anywhere else in the metro.
Stillwater’s community life is defined by its river, its history, and the genuine small-city character that draws people from across the Twin Cities. The Stillwater Farmers Market, Lumberjack Days, and the city’s year-round calendar of riverfront events create a civic culture that residents describe as one of the primary reasons they chose Stillwater over larger, more anonymous suburban alternatives. The St. Croix River provides kayaking, boating, and paddleboarding access from Lowell Park. The Stillwater Lift Bridge, now reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, connects the city to Wisconsin’s St. Croix River State Park. The historic downtown — one of the most intact Victorian-era commercial districts in Minnesota — provides an authentic retail and dining experience that neighborhood-scale suburbs cannot manufacture. And the city’s trail network, connecting residential neighborhoods to the river valley through Boom Site Park, Kolliner Park, and the Gateway Trail, delivers the outdoor access that anchors Stillwater’s appeal for active families. Every Stonewood home we design in Stillwater is designed to engage this community fabric: to connect its owners to the river, the trails, the downtown, and the city’s extraordinary character.
Custom Home Values in Stillwater MN
Stillwater’s residential market reflects a city where the combination of St. Croix River geography, historic community character, architectural distinction, and Washington County location commands a premium that is consistently recognized by buyers across the Twin Cities metro. Custom homes on Stillwater’s most compelling riverfront, North Hill, and South Hill lots establish value benchmarks that strengthen the entire surrounding market and represent one of the Twin Cities metro’s most defensible high-end residential investments. Stonewood provides full pre-construction budget modeling for every Stillwater client, so you understand the complete investment before a contract is signed. We build the best luxury custom homes in Stillwater MN — and we stand behind every one of them.
Request a Pre-Construction Consultation ›What Stonewood Builds in Stillwater
Stillwater Custom Home Services
Stonewood offers a complete range of luxury custom home services in Stillwater, MN: from new construction on riverfront and bluff-view lots and build-on-your-lot throughout the city to teardown-rebuilds in established hillside neighborhoods. Every project begins with the same commitment: your vision, executed without compromise.
New Construction Custom Homes
Stonewood designs and builds completely original custom homes throughout Stillwater, from architect-designed riverfront homes with St. Croix River panoramas to contemporary craftsman builds in historic hillside neighborhoods. Every project is an original, built around your program, your lot, and Stillwater’s unmatched setting.
Teardown and Rebuild
Own a dated home on a prime Stillwater lot? Stonewood manages complete teardown and custom rebuild: existing structure assessment, demolition, all City of Stillwater and Washington County permitting, and full custom construction delivering a home built for how you live today on one of Minnesota’s finest residential sites.
Build on Your Lot
Have a Stillwater lot ready to build? Stonewood’s design-build team works from your lot’s specific characteristics — topography, river views, setbacks, bluff conditions, and neighborhood context — to design a custom home that belongs exactly where it will stand and nowhere else in the world.
Riverfront and River View Custom Homes
Stillwater’s St. Croix River view and riverfront lots require specialized design and permitting expertise. Stonewood manages DNR shoreland compliance, bluff setback requirements, site engineering for hillside construction, and the full range of regulatory coordination that Stillwater’s most valuable building sites demand — delivering river homes of exceptional quality.
Historic Style and Architect-Designed Homes
Stonewood partners with leading Twin Cities architects to deliver homes of genuine architectural distinction in Stillwater: from historic craftsman and Victorian-inspired designs that honor the city’s architectural heritage to contemporary builds with clean geometry, expansive river glazing, and the refined material quality Stillwater’s design culture expects.
Luxury Design and Build — Full Service
From initial concept through certificate of occupancy, Stonewood’s integrated design-build process delivers a single point of responsibility, a unified team, and a seamless build experience. Architecture, construction, and project management under one roof throughout your Stillwater project — the elite, full-service approach Stillwater’s finest lots deserve.
The Stonewood Process: How We Build Custom Homes in Stillwater
Building a custom home is the largest financial decision most people ever make. At Stonewood, our process is designed so that at every single stage — from the first conversation to the day you receive your keys — you know exactly what is happening, why it is happening, and what comes next. Transparency is not a feature of our process. It is the foundation of it.
Discovery and Vision Alignment
Every Stonewood project in Stillwater begins with a structured discovery meeting, not a sales call. We want to understand how you live: how your family uses space, what drew you to Stillwater’s character and the St. Croix River corridor, what your relationship to the neighborhood looks like, and what your investment parameters are. We learn about your lot, your school priorities, your timeline, and your aesthetic instincts — whether that means a home that engages Stillwater’s Victorian heritage or a contemporary build that captures the river through expansive glass and a clean material palette. This is also where Stonewood shares its portfolio of completed Twin Cities metro custom builds, so you can see the standard of work we deliver before any agreement is signed.
Site Analysis and Pre-Construction Budget
Before design begins, Stonewood conducts a thorough analysis of your Stillwater lot. For riverfront and bluff-view sites, this includes evaluation of DNR shoreland boundaries, bluff setback requirements under Washington County and Minnesota DNR regulations, topographic conditions, retaining wall and hillside engineering requirements, and the full range of site constraints that Stillwater’s most dramatic building sites require. For interior neighborhood lots and teardown sites, we assess existing structure conditions, soil conditions, drainage patterns, tree inventory, setbacks, and utility access. Simultaneously, Stonewood prepares a pre-construction budget: a detailed, line-by-line cost model built around your program and your specific Stillwater site. You will know what your home will cost before design begins. No surprises. No bait-and-switch.
Architectural Design and Custom Floor Plans
Stonewood works with a curated group of architects and designers who specialize in high-end residential construction throughout the Twin Cities metro. The design process is collaborative and iterative: you are not handed a plan and asked to approve it. Design evolves through working sessions where your feedback directly shapes the custom floor plan layout, ceiling heights, window placements, material palettes, and outdoor living integration. For Stillwater riverfront and bluff-view clients, this phase focuses specifically on how the home captures and frames the St. Croix River: the orientation of primary living spaces toward the water, the placement of windows, decks, and terraces to maximize the visual connection to the river landscape, and the overall architectural composition within a setting of extraordinary natural and historic character.
Permitting and Pre-Construction Planning
Stonewood manages all permitting with the City of Stillwater, Washington County, and the Minnesota DNR on your behalf. For riverfront and bluff-top sites, this includes DNR shoreland alteration permit coordination, bluff setback variance applications where applicable, and coordination with the National Park Service’s St. Croix Riverway staff when required. We prepare and submit all permit applications, respond to review comments, coordinate with city and county engineers, and obtain all approvals before mobilizing. When construction begins, it begins with a fully coordinated plan — not a vague schedule that gets renegotiated week by week.
Construction and Real-Time Transparency
Stonewood’s construction phase is where our commitment to transparency becomes most tangible. Every Stillwater client has access to a dedicated project dashboard with live visibility into schedule milestones, budget reconciliation, change orders, and photo updates. Weekly progress reports include photo evidence of completed work and detailed notes on upcoming milestones. Significant decisions or changes require your explicit approval before Stonewood proceeds. You will never receive a surprise invoice or discover that a change was made without your knowledge. This level of accountability is not standard in the custom home industry. At Stonewood, it is non-negotiable.
Quality Control and Inspections
Stonewood employs a multi-point quality control protocol at every critical phase of construction: framing, rough mechanicals, insulation, drywall, trim, and final finishes. Material verification confirms that specified products are actually installed. We coordinate all municipal inspections required by City of Stillwater building code, Washington County requirements, and any applicable DNR inspection requirements for riverfront and shoreland construction. Nothing is signed off until Stonewood is satisfied it meets our standards, which are higher than code.
Closing, Walkthrough, and Warranty
As your Stillwater custom home approaches completion, Stonewood conducts a detailed pre-closing walkthrough to identify and resolve any punch list items before your move-in date. We provide complete documentation packages including warranty information for all installed systems, appliance manuals, paint colors and material specifications, and contact information for all major trade contractors. Stonewood stands behind every home we build with a comprehensive builder’s warranty, and our commitment to client relationships does not end at closing.
Technology-Driven Transparency on Every Stillwater Build
Your Project Dashboard
Stonewood clients in Stillwater have 24/7 access to a dedicated project dashboard with live visibility into schedule milestones, budget reconciliation, change orders, and photo documentation. Whether you are at your Stillwater property daily or traveling for work, your project is always fully transparent and always accessible from any device.
Comprehensive Visual Documentation
- Drone Photography: Aerial progress documentation of your Stillwater build capturing roofline, site development, river-view orientation, and the relationship of the home to the St. Croix River landscape and Stillwater’s historic hillside setting at every major milestone.
- 360-Degree Photography: Immersive interior walkthroughs so you can experience your Stonewood home at any construction phase, from anywhere in the world.
- Before and After Documentation: Especially important for teardown-rebuild projects on Stillwater’s historic lots, these complete photographic records serve insurance, warranty, and personal history purposes.
- Weekly Photo Reports: Every progress report includes photo evidence with written notes. Never a vague status update without visual proof.
Financial Controls That Protect You
- Milestone-Tied Payments: Structured payment schedules tied to verified, completed milestones, not arbitrary dates on a calendar.
- Independent Verification: Work completion is independently verified before any draw is released.
- Change Order Approval: No change moves forward without your written approval. No exceptions.
- Budget Reconciliation: Regular budget reconciliation and cash-flow forecasting throughout your Stillwater build.
Common Questions
Stillwater Custom Home Builder FAQ
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Stonewood brings over seventy years of Twin Cities custom home expertise to every Stillwater project — from first conversation to final walkthrough on the St. Croix River. Contact us today to schedule a discovery meeting and learn what Stonewood can build for you in Stillwater.
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Where Stonewood Builds in Stillwater
Stonewood custom homes are built throughout Stillwater: on the city’s St. Croix riverfront and North Hill bluff streets, in historic hillside neighborhoods, near Lowell Park and the downtown waterfront, along Lily Lake Road and the Croixwood corridor, and throughout the Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue development areas.
Historic Bluff Neighborhood, Stillwater MN
North Hill — Pine Street & Olive Street
North Hill’s iconic residential streets — Pine Street, Olive Street, and the surrounding bluff-top corridors — contain Stillwater’s most historically significant homes and its most dramatic St. Croix River view lots. Stonewood designs custom homes and manages teardown-rebuilds throughout North Hill, including on the most commanding view parcels above the river valley.
Riverfront and Downtown Adjacent, Stillwater MN
Lowell Park Corridor — Main Street & Water Street
The residential and mixed-use areas adjacent to Lowell Park, Main Street, and Water Street represent Stillwater’s most coveted downtown-adjacent addresses, with direct access to the riverfront promenade, the historic lift bridge, and the city’s landmark downtown. Stonewood builds and manages teardown-rebuilds throughout the downtown river corridor.
South Hill Residential, Stillwater MN
South Hill — Greeley Street & Churchill Street
South Hill’s established residential streets — Greeley Street, Churchill Street, and the surrounding Victorian-era corridors — offer a mix of historically significant homes and bluff-adjacent lots with strong teardown-rebuild potential. Stonewood builds custom homes throughout South Hill, delivering new construction that respects and elevates the neighborhood’s architectural heritage.
Lake District, Stillwater MN
Lily Lake Road and Croixwood
Lily Lake Road and the Croixwood neighborhood provide Stillwater’s most spacious residential setting outside the hillside districts, with larger lots near Lily Lake Recreation Center, established community infrastructure, and mid-century homes with significant replacement potential. Stonewood builds custom homes and manages teardown-rebuilds throughout the Lily Lake and Croixwood corridor.
Growth Corridor, Stillwater MN
Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue
The Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue corridor is Stillwater’s most active area for new residential development and build-on-your-lot custom homes, with larger parcels, newer infrastructure, and strong access to Highway 36 and the Washington County employment corridor. Stonewood builds custom homes throughout the Boutwell Road and Manning Avenue development zone.
River Access, Stillwater MN
Boom Site Road and St. Croix Riverway
The residential areas along Boom Site Road and the parcels adjacent to the St. Croix Riverway trail corridor offer Stillwater addresses with direct access to the river’s natural landscape, Boom Site Park, and the trail network connecting the city to its most extraordinary natural assets. Stonewood builds custom homes and manages riverfront projects throughout this corridor, including full DNR shoreland permitting management.
Gateway Neighborhood, Stillwater MN
Highway 36 Corridor and Oak Park Heights Border
The residential areas along the Highway 36 corridor and the Stillwater–Oak Park Heights border provide strong metro connectivity with established community character, offering custom home clients accessibility to Saint Paul and the east metro alongside Stillwater’s exceptional quality of life. Stonewood builds throughout this accessible residential area.
Northern Expansion, Stillwater MN
McKusick Road and Neal Avenue Corridor
McKusick Road and the Neal Avenue corridor represent Stillwater’s northern residential expansion zone, with newer development, build-on-your-lot opportunities, and proximity to McKusick Lake and the city’s northern trail connections. Stonewood builds custom homes throughout the McKusick Road and Neal Avenue corridor for clients seeking Stillwater addresses in actively growing residential areas.
New Development, Stillwater MN
Emerging Infill and Development Sites
Stillwater’s active infill and new development areas offer build-on-your-lot opportunities throughout the city for clients who want a completely original custom home in one of Minnesota’s most distinguished communities. Stonewood works with clients on all available sites throughout Stillwater from the first site visit through the certificate of occupancy, delivering custom homes that reflect the ambition and character the city deserves.