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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 02/26/2001 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2001 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER Prairie Rooms A and B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Peterson-Benike, Chairperson; Deborah Barkley,Jennie Brown, Kati Simons, Art Weeks, Mike Wroblewski STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Kathleen Luther, Christopher Pesheck, Elise Johnson COMMISSION STAFF: John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Chair Peterson-Benike called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. Commissioner Wroblewski arrived later in the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Peterson-Benike added an update on the Anderson School project, under Reports and Requests, and a City Council discussion on the expansion of Flying Cloud Airport, Item B. under New Business. MOTION: Barkley moved, seconded by Brown, to approve the agenda as published and amended. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —January 22, 2001 MOTION: Barkley moved, seconded by Weeks, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting, held on January 22, 2001, as published. Motion carried 5-0. IV. REPORTS AND REQUESTS A. Update on Historical Society's Anderson School Project Members from the Historical Society would like to restore the former Anderson School and use it in a similar manner to the Cahill School in Edina. The members met with Bill Gaslin, School District Superintendent, who was very enthusiastic about this idea. The School Board will consider where to put the school when it is moved from its present location. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 26, 2001 Page 2 A. Update on February 13 Board and Commissions Candidate Interviews Gertz reported that there were two candidates interviewed for the one open position on the HPC. The City Council appointed Betsy Adams to serve on the HPC. Gertz said she seems very qualified and enthusiastic. She has a degree in art history and a high interest in historic preservation. April 16, 2001 will be her first HPC meeting. B. HPC Budget/CIP/Recommendations for Historic Sites Gertz said the HPC will put together a CIP budget proposal for historic sites. The City Council will be reviewing the CIP at an upcoming workshop and in May will approve it. The HPC would focus primarily on the Riley farm, the Smith house and the Cummins house. As more work has been done on the Cummins house, there is a better chance of the funding for that site being approved this year. Gertz said he would go over the various projects for the house and the budget items for those projects. He would put this together for the HPC and then forward that to other City staff to review. Weeks asked if the HPC can establish priorities. Gertz said yes, he would put together some budget items and priorities for the HPC to review at the March meeting, which will be held at the Cummins house. Weeks asked what the process has been in the past for establishing CIP budgets for historic properties. Gertz replied the HPC didn't have a part of the CIP budget in the past; only line items, such as the $11,000 for repairs in the 2001 budget. Last year the HPC budget was included in the CIP but wasn't approved by the Council. Weeks asked if the City Council knows what is involved in the repairs and maintenance of the historic sites. The longer the work waits to be done, the more money will be needed to do it. Gertz said that is true, and the budget should be high enough to restore the Cummins house so it would be just a matter of maintenance in the future. Part of the budget process would be to include a longer-term budget for maintenance. Weeks said this is a real opportunity for the HPC to assert itself and set priorities. He has always thought the HPC didn't have enough money to do what needed to be done for these properties. If there is a shifting of opinion on the City Council, they will need a detailed list and well-established priorities. Simons said she thought holding programs at the Cummins house this year indicated interest on the part of the City. Weeks said getting one house totally restored would be a good thing to do. The HPC should assess what the ramifications will be if similar upgrades are not done on the other properties. Peterson-Benike suggested keeping that in mind as the members of the HPC go through the Cummins house. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 26, 2001 Page 3 Johnson asked if the HPC would be allowed to raise money to repair the houses. Gertz said that would be a good idea, and he thought the city would allow it. Peterson-Benike said they could explore corporate sponsorship. She believed that might be a good source for funds. Brown said she knows the president of the General Mills Foundation and she would be willing to find out if they would be interested in being a corporate sponsor. Weeks asked who does the restoration or maintenance work on the historic properties. Gertz replied that Parks and Recreation Services does some of the maintenance. The City would contract out heavy cleaning on a regular basis and would contract out the restoration work. Weeks wondered if there is a way the City could partner with a builder who is experienced in property restoration. Gertz said that could be done. Weeks said he believed there are a lot of builders who want to be better known and to be connected with a quality project. He knows of a person who has restored other historic homes, named John Sylvester. Gertz said the HPC needs to decide exactly how to finish off the rooms in the Cummins house, and ultimately the use of the house. Peterson-Benike said this is a good time to ask for the money to complete the restoration, because the City is using the house now for various programs and events. A list of events for the year was reviewed. Gertz said the Valentine's Dinner was very successful, but the price of $35 did not cover the cost so they are thinking about raising the price next year to $40. Wroblewski attended the dinner with several other couples and said it was a wonderful event, with a sleigh ride preceding the dinner and excellent food. The next similar function is "A Grand Evening at the Cummins House" in July. Gertz believed that after the house is restored, it could be rented out for private events. Johnson suggested several fund-raising events, such as a mini winter carnival, or other programs where parents can have fun with their kids. Gertz explained that other sites, like the Riley farm, would be good for family events. These bigger, more inclusive, events will increase over time. It is expensive for the City to do events every month, so they limit the number. City staff does all the planning work for the programs and events. C. Historic Preservation and the City Web Site Gertz said the City is thinking about redoing information on the City's Web site. He believed this would be a good time to improve information on the historic preservation part of the Web site. It would include the local heritage preservation ordinance and locally designated sites, and a short historic piece on each one with pictures of the interior and exterior. It could post some of the upcoming programs that have to do with historic sites. It should also mention Lookout Park and the need for funds to restore it. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 26, 2001 Page 4 Gertz said he would like to establish a link to other cities' historic sites, the National Trust Web site, and also the National Park Services Web site, which would have information on how to do historic site preservation. Brown asked if organizations can call and take tours of the Cummins house. Gertz said yes, and he could put that information on the Web site. Johnson said she could create virtual tours of the houses for the Web site. Gertz said he would welcome her involvement. The work would probably be done this summer. Weeks said people like to see before and after shots, using historic photos and recent ones. Gertz said they're only limited by cost in what can be put on the Web site. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Update on Lookout Park Restoration Estimates Gertz said the architectural firm of MacDonald & Mack Architects has estimated $503,000 would be needed to totally restore Lookout Park. Commissioners reviewed the list of costs. Gertz said the work could be phased over several years, or certain items could be eliminated from the plan. Lighting, although listed as optional, should be included. The Minnesota Historical Society has already promised to pay for the bronze plaque, estimated to cost $6,000. Federal grants may be available for partial funding. The Minnesota Department of Transportation could be brought in to look for local funding. The Eden Prairie Foundation has expressed interest in the site. Finding out where the funding sources are would be one of the first priorities. Weeks asked if the costs include the intersection with Highway 212. Gertz said no, the estimate is just limited to the site, not access to it. Weeks said that is a potential safety problem. A transition area to turn into the site is needed, and that would be a major project. Gertz said this site offers something not available anywhere else in Eden Prairie, and that is an opportunity to look over the river valley. Peterson-Benike said so much Minnesota history can be seen from here. This has regional appeal, so there may be general interest in its restoration. Gertz said he would be talking to Bob Lambert about the restoration. The next step is to have a meeting with MAC representatives and find out if they will support the project. They would have to approve the project before anything else could be done. If they agree, Gertz would like to talk to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They have property just below the overlook and may be interested in participating in restoring the site. B. Update on Interpretive Panels Gertz said black and white copies of the signs from the computer discs were made, after which the Parks staff went over all of them and made needed HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 26, 2001 Page 5 corrections. The corrected copies were delivered to Steve Lastovich. Gertz said he will be meeting with Steve soon. Black and white copies will again be made, and within two weeks the discs should be ready to send to Pannier Graphics to be made into the interpretive panels. They will be installed in May or June. After that the HPC would be taken on a tour to see them. C. Nomination of Lookout Park for PAM Listing as Endangered Property Commissioners received a copy of the nomination form that was sent to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) for nomination of Lookout Park to the "10 Most Endangered List" of historic properties. Gertz said the committee that makes the selections is made up of members of the PAM Board and some other people as well. They were to meet last weekend to go over all the applications that came in. Gertz expected to hear something about it later in the week. He was told that PAM would have notified MAC about the nomination. D. Eden Wood Center Re-Roofing Project Gertz explained two bids were received, but had to be rejected. Sela Roofing's bid of $77,300 exceeded the budget. Rayco Construction's bid was $54,500, but they did not submit a bid bond, saying the bonding office had closed early the day before due to a snow storm. They could have brought a certified check instead, but did not. Gertz put together a memo and resolution for the City Council to adopt, which rejected both bids and ordered staff to contract through solicitation of sealed bids or, if the amount of the contract does not exceed $50,000, by direct negotiation. Both contractors have been notified of the City Council's action and asked if they would like to provide a quote to the City, and if that quote is for $50,000 or less the City can accept it. If not, Gertz would have to solicit bids again. The contractors have until Monday, March 5, to come back with a quote. Gertz would like to have the work completed by May 1. The City was awarded a $30,500 matching grant, and Friendship Ventures, which leases the camp, has found people who offered to provide funding to reimburse the City. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Review of Proposals for Completion of the National Register Nomination for Lookout Park and Selection of Historical Contractor Commissioners reviewed the two proposals submitted to prepare the Lookout Park nomination to the National Register. One was from Rolf T. Anderson for $1,169 and the other from Robert C. Vogel & Associates for $1,200. Gertz said both are qualified to do the job. He recommended Rolf T. Anderson because Anderson has done work for the state restoration office and understands this kind of historic property. In addition, Gertz has worked with him before and he can be counted on to complete the work in a timely manner. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES February 26, 2001 Page 6 Gertz said the nomination requires specific information about the property and a detailed description of it. The consultant has to develop a case for nominating Lookout Park to the National Register and show that it meets specific criteria for nomination. The CLG grant will be used to hire the consultant. MOTION: Brown moved, seconded by Wroblewski, to hire Rolf T. Anderson for completing the National Register nomination. Motion carried 6-0. Gertz said he would invite Rolf Anderson to the April HPC meeting. B. Expansion of Flying Cloud Airport Discussion at City Council Meeting Peterson-Benike said she had been informed the City Council will be discussing the expansion of Flying Cloud Airport at its March 6 meeting, after about 8 p.m., and the Council would like people to come to show support for the City's opposition to expansion. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Wroblewski moved, seconded by Barkley, to adjourn. Chair Peterson- Benike adjourned the meeting at 8:35 p.m.