I thought I would hate living in a high-rise apartment. I grew up in the woods of northern Minnesota, watching deer and the occasional bear wander through the backyard.

I’ve spent my adult life in suburban townhomes near large park reserves, a compromise between rural landscapes and the job opportunities of the Minneapolis metro area.

However, my husband of 15-plus years has long fantasized about urban living and skyline views.

Whenever we drove by downtown apartment buildings, he gazed wistfully at the units on the upper floors. When we were planning a trip to Tokyo, he pored through online reviews to find a room with the best panoramic…