HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 05/16/2022APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2022 7:00 P.M.
8080 MITCHELL RD
HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Rod Fisher (Chair); Paul Thorp (Vice-
Chair); George Maxwell; Steve
Schumacher; Robert Bowes; Andrew
Scipioni; Andy Ludowese
EPHS BOARD MEMBERS: Kathie Case (President), Katie Qualey,
(Vice-President), Chris Honaas-Wildfang
(Treasurer), Valerie Ross (Secretary), Tom
Achartz (Curator), Directors: Paul Thorp,
Ann Higgins, Kelley Regan, Suzanne Berg,
Bob Prince, Kati Simon
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/INTRODUCTIONS
Chair Fisher called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. Absent were commission members
Scipioni and Schumacher and student representative Canham.
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Bowes to approve the agenda. Motion carried
5-0.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Maxwell to approve the minutes of the April 18,
2022 minutes. Motion carried 5-0.
IV. HISTORICAL SOCIETY UPDATES
Kathie Case announced updates: the upstairs of the house was open and restored. The
museum had been restored and reorganized during the pandemic. Achartz was onsite
every Monday, and Stanton and Prince would be joining him, and also Thorp would be
onsite when possible.
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
May 16, 2022
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The Vintage Sale and Prop Shop raised $3,000.00 in a day and-a-half. Santa would return
this Christmas, and also the Optimists’ Club would resume selling trees. The
Dorenkemper House was also maintained by the Historical Society, and everything in the
house belonged to the Society. The Smith property was also under the Society’s
jurisdiction. A Trolley Tour would be held this Saturday and the tour would be stopping
at the Smith Coffee House for lunch. The Society owned objects that were kept in the
lower level of the Riley barn. In addition, the Society met in the Dorenkemper House at
least once a year, and Ross worked with both the Historical Society and the Heritage
Preservation Commission each year.
Qualey announced the Historical Society’s Annual Meeting would be held May 25, 2022
at 6:00 p.m. at the Cummins Phipps Grill House. Carol Kissner would be the speaker and
would share her research on the Eden Prairie cemetery.
V. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION UPDATES
Novak-Krebs announced the Flying Red Horse project had a consultant: WSB was
working on a preferred concept on the plaza at Flying Cloud Drive and Town Center
Place (formerly Eden Road). The City would not own the property until summer of 2023.
Parking would likely be available on the street, perhaps a quarter mile from the LRT stop.
The chosen proposal was actually a combination of three proposals that were presented
to the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Parks, Recreation and Natural
Resources Commission at a previous meeting . The proposal would come before the
Heritage Preservation Commission again. At present, the horse was stored at the City
maintenance building.
Novak-Krebs announced the commission was discussing possible uses of the
Dorenkemper House with the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. The Harvest to
Halloween event drew many people to the house. Case noted the house was dark and
scary, without lights, and appropriate for that event.
Ross encouraged the Commission members to find permanent uses for the Dorenkemper
House, such as an ice cream shop or a microbrewery. Fisher asked if the Historical
Society would support a business in the house if it meant gutting the first floor, and Case
commended the idea, saying the Society supported adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
Saving the house was the primary consideration. Discussion followed on possible
permanent uses, including:
• A virtual tour available online
• A farmer’s market
• A restaurant, especially since the house was near a lake; Redstone on Lake
Idlewild was the only other restaurant
• An ice cream shop
• A microbrewery
• A tearoom serving tea and sandwiches, similar to the Mad Hatter
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
May 16, 2022
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• An Airbnb at the Riley Jake House
Fisher stated he would love a businessperson with a vision take on this house and asked if
the commission and Society should put out a call. Discussion followed on the
development of the Smith Coffee Shop. Ross stated Green Acres was to be torn down
before Case put out a call to business owners, so it had been done. Dave Lindahl was a
possible resource.
Thorp announced Steve Olson had found out that the property owner’s consent was not
needed for local designation of the Depot site if the Depot sat on public land. However,
consent was needed for a Preservation Plan. The Depot was located on County Road 4 ,
south of the Smith Coffee House off the bike trail. Case stated an aesthetic, non-
functioning water tower would go on the site.
Case announced Qualey was the Society’s graphic artist and had done all timelines and
all graphics at the Depot at no charge.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
Fisher described the project of displaying historical photographs at the high school and
explained it was stalled due to the Principal accepting a new position.
Ross encouraged the student representatives to take away a love for Eden Prairie history
and bring their talents into the community. Stanton announced he would become a board
member for the Historical Society.
Fisher reminded the students to recruit new members. He encouraged in-person
recruitment.
Case stated the Society had given funds raised from the Santa visits to the Cummins
Phipps Grill House. Over $10,000.00 had been raised for the house and an addition
$8,000.00 toward the new roof.
VII. FYI ITEMS
VIII. NEXT MEETING
The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, June 20, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the City
Center.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Bowes moved, seconded by Thorp to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. The
meeting was adjourned at 7:37 p.m.