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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 10/18/2021APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021 7:00 P.M. 8080 MITCHELL RD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Rod Fisher; George Maxwell; Steve Schumacher; Robert Bowes COMMISSION STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Andrea Porter; Joseph Canham; Devyn Stanton; Luc Willett I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Acting Spera called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. Absent were Commissioners Fisher and Schumacher and student representative Canham. II. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT Maxwell read the land acknowledgement statement. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Thorp to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Bowes moved, seconded by Maxwell to approve the minutes of the September 20, 2021 meeting amended to strike language on the risks of holding tours in the Dorenkemper House. Motion carried 5-0. V. NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSS 2021 ANNUAL REPORT AND 2022 WORK PLAN (NOVAK- KREBS) Novak-Krebs explained to the new commission members and student representatives that every year the commission issued an annual report and discussed and approved a work plan. The presentation to the City Council would be given on February 8, 2022. She listed achievements of the commission in 2021 EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 18, 2021 Page 2 and urged the commission members to think of others and send them to her, and to think about possible goals and projects for 2022. Novak-Krebs would bring a draft to the November meeting to be finalized in December. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. DISCUSS FUTURE USES FOR THE DORENKEMPER HOUSE (ROSS) Ross stated there was a lively discussion at the September meeting after the tour of the Dorenkemper house, which generated many ideas. The house tours during the Harvest to Halloween event had a large turnout and was popular with the schoolchildren who visited. Discussion followed on the Dorenkemper House’s history. Ginny Dorenkemper was pleased with the suggestions for the opened house and offered to give tours. Ross asked the commission members for a first step, to build toward the grand goals brainstormed at the last meeting. Ross summarized the ides generated from the previous meeting as follows: • Coffee shop • Giving tours of the house and having ice cream • Giving tours and have a food truck or pizza • Farmers market Bowes suggested starting with holiday themes geared to a younger audience. Thorp asked how one could get the audience from the beach to the house. Maxwell suggested signage mentioning ice cream. Novak-Krebs stated Schumacher could not attend tonight but he had ideas and offered to send them via email. Porter stressed that Lake Riley was a popular destination for teens and weekends would be popular. Discussion followed on how to draw the public to the house. Ross announced that a person who used to give tours at Murphy’s Landing was interested in programming at the Dorenkemper House. Weekends were best for her. Ross highlighted other ideas such as campers from the existing summer camps getting to learn about the house. Thorp stated there was little interest shown in this in 2021. He agreed with the idea of a sign advertising tours and ice cream. Ross suggested a short tour with photographs and oral history about the area. Porter suggested overnight stays or even making the house an Airbnb. Discussion followed On the fact that the house does not have heat and very limited electricity. Discussion followed on highlighting Eden Prairie history at the house. Bowes mentioned that there used to be a resort near Riley Lake Park and bands came to the resort and played for the vacationers. Thorp stated the second owner was Edgar King Kennedy, a black musician from Minneapolis who died in 1940s. Discussion followed on the possibility of highlighting this owner and offering his music. Bowes stated the Purple Barn in Eden Prairie was originally named “The EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 18, 2021 Page 3 Barn” which had held dances. He suggested likewise using historical music for the Dorenkemper House. Ross suggested approaching the high school jazz bands for musical entertainment. Ross stated she wanted Schumacher’s ideas included. She liked the idea of the Murphy’s Landing tour guide being involved as well. The barn was frequently rented to residents for events, especially during the summer. Maxwell suggested having bands play in the barn. Spera suggested ice cream, tours, and a band could form a comprehensive event. Ross stated the City took care of renting the barn; she was not sure the commission could use it. Maxwell suggested booking the barn if there was an unbooked night, but Ross replied the scheduling was competitive. Bowes suggested settling on a date ahead of time to book the barn. Novak-Krebs stated she had wanted to reserve the barn for the September meeting after the house tour. There was heat but the barn could be chilly. Thorp urged the commission take a “baby steps” approach. Bowes suggested partnering with the Boy Scouts to hold a pancake breakfast, but Porter reminded him there was no electricity in the house. Willett, however, offered to contact the Boy Scouts to see what events could be held at the house. Ross stated she would try to come up with a general list of perhaps four ideas and have Novak-Krebs send them out before the next meeting. The commission members could narrow this down to one or two. Novak-Krebs offered to talk to Facilities regarding heat and power sources. Ross asked her to also speak to the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department which booked the barn. VII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Thorp stated the Standal silo north of the spring would be demolished along with the house and the barn. He was interested in saving the silo. Novak-Krebs stated the silo was on the portion of the property planned to be owned by the City, but it was not necessarily being preserved. Thorp stated the silo was concrete and in his opinion the barn was built around it; the barn was dilapidated, but the silo could remain. Stanton asked the condition of the barn, as other barn in poor condition had been saved. Thorp replied it more resembled a garage. Maxwell asked for and received confirmation from Thorp this was a silage barn, perhaps from the 1940s or 1950s. Novak-Krebs displayed photographs of the structure. Discussion followed on the possible conservation and restoration of the barn and the silo as opposed to saving just the barn. Novak-Krebs stated that the City does not intend for this property to be a park. The property will be conservation area. The City may not want people out on this property. The City would have to maintain the silo. Thorp stated the prospect of saving the silo might have an uphill battle. Porter suggested focusing the commission’s energy on those properties that already had a potential use EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 18, 2021 Page 4 rather than saving this silo. Stanton urged the silo and barn be left alone. Novak- Krebs displayed the barn’s and silo’s location on Google Earth. VIII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross announced the Holiday Boutique will be November 5 and 6 and offered flyers to post. She announced Santa would not hold his North Pole Experience at the Cummins Phipps Grill House this year. She added the upstairs at the house would be completed this year with replastering and painting. IX. FYI ITEMS X NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Heritage Room. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Maxwell to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.