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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 09/17/2001 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER Prairie Rooms A and B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Peterson-Benike, Chairperson; Betsy Adams, Deborah Barkley,Jennie Brown, Kati Simons,Art Weeks, Mike Wroblewski COMMISSION STAFF: John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Chair Peterson-Benike called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioners Weeks and Wroblewski were excused. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Barkley moved, seconded by Brown, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —AUGUST 20, 2001 Peterson-Benike removed the item under IV. Reports and Requests concerning Duane Pidcock, as she did not get a chance to find out if he is the new President of the Eden Prairie Historical Society. Brown made a correction on page 2, the third paragraph under VLA. Smith House Adaptive Reuse, which should read "Dunn Bros. Coffee has not indicated . . ." MOTION: Simons moved, seconded by Brown, to approve the minutes of the Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission held August 20, 2001, as published and corrected. Motion carried 5-0. IV. REPORTS AND REQUESTS Peterson-Benike attended the September meeting of the Historical Society. They discussed the future of the Anderson Schoolhouse, which has been moved next to the boat building at Riley Lake Park. Asbestos has to be removed before anything else is done. The Historical Society would like to eventually put the schoolhouse on school property, perhaps at Oak Point. The School District is interested; however, it may be difficult to find a location for it. Gertz suggested putting the house on City property at Staring Lake Park, on the other side of Purgatory Creek. Peterson-Benike said she would keep the HPC updated on what happens to the schoolhouse. One of the Historical Society members has a slide show about Eden Prairie history and would be happy to come and show it to the HPC. It was suggested having a joint meeting sometime. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 17, 2001 Page 2 Peterson-Benike gave the Historical Society an update on the Smith House, and they are very enthusiastic about the interest Dunn Bros. Coffee has shown in using it for a coffeehouse. Putting up story boards in the house, depicting its history, was suggested. Local businesses might also be willing to do this. Tria Mann gave the Historical Society information about coming events that the City is planning. Registration for the "Cemetery Walk" is full, and the City is considering a second night. The Historical Society meets every other month in the museum at the City Center at 12:15 p.m. The next meeting will be on November 14. HPC members are automatically members of the Historical Society and are welcome to attend. Peterson-Benike asked them to let her know if they plan to attend. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Historic Preservation 101 Gertz distributed copies of pages from the Web site of the National Park Service, under "Links to the Past." It describes all the steps the HPC will be going through when it reviews the plans of Dunn Bros. Coffee and listens to their presentation. The HPC will then make a recommendation to the City Council. The Web site also describes how to become familiar with standards and guidelines for historic preservation of historic buildings, including technical issues. Gertz suggested he could take photos at the Smith House and get slides made to show the HPC. At a future meeting they can discuss reconstruction, rehabilitation and preservation of the house. The commissioners decided this would be very helpful in understanding preservation treatments. Gertz explained they should become familiar with those four basic treatments because they have to determine which treatment approach to use. Gertz said he would bring an example project to the next meeting. B. A Local History: Sam Anderson House Peterson-Benike said the Sam Anderson House had been an exceptionally nice farmhouse for its time. The house is empty now, and a permit has been requested to demolish it. Kathie Case from the Historical Society went into the house to see if there was anything with historic integrity that should be saved. She found some pieces of trim and molding, and a mechanical part of the pocket doors, dated 1881. The Historical Society may try to get one of the cast-iron radiators as well as the front door. Gertz said he is waiting for the artifacts to be removed before he signs the permit to demolish the house and silo. Photographs of the exterior were taken. The Anderson family is believed to have come from Galena, Illinois. Peterson- Benike said she hopes that Kathie Case will come to a future meeting to share the family's history with the HPC. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 17, 2001 Page 3 C. Sunbonnet Day Gertz reported there were fewer people than usual, probably because of a light rain and other activities that day. Those who came could take a buggy ride or hay ride pulled by horses, play games, visit the petting zoo, see a demonstration of spinning on a spinning wheel, etc. "Eden Prairie Moms" had the food concession. House tours were conducted by the Historical Society. The house was decorated with banners and flags. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Smith House Reuse Gertz said he met with the architect for Dunn Bros, from Leonard Parker Associates, and they toured the house. The architect was very enthusiastic about working on the house. The City is going to use that architectural firm for the City's portion of the project, which will include rehabilitation of the house, upgrading the mechanical systems, sewer and water connections and the parking lot. Dunn Bros. would demolish the old kitchen and rebuild a similar-looking kitchen in its place to accommodate food storage and a service area. The City will build ADA-accessible bathrooms, using Dunn Bros.' specifications and their architect. Gertz said Dunn Bros. hasn't decided whether to use the second floor for franchise offices. There is no identified use for the outbuilding at the back of the house so Gertz would recommend stabilizing it by putting on a new roof and repairing the siding. Dunn Bros. would prefer to wait until after the first of the year to begin work on the house because of other projects they are involved in. At about the time the City has received plans and specifications from the architect, and has the bidding documents ready, Dunn Bros. should be ready to make a commitment. Gertz told the architect that, according to City Code, Dunn Bros would be required to submit the plans to the HPC for review and comment. The interior is not specifically covered under the City's code, but he told the architect the HPC would want to see it preserved. Peterson-Benike said she would like the commissioners go through the house before any work is done. It was decided to do this in conjunction with the next meeting on October 15, which will be held at the Cummins-Grill House. Members will meet at the Cummins-Grill House at 7 p.m., drive together to the Smith House, take a tour, and then return to the Cummins-Grill House for the rest of the meeting. B. Grant Project Update Gertz reported that the Glen Lake Children's Camp roofing project is done. All documentation and the final report are done, and the request for reimbursement is HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 17, 2001 Page 4 being processed. Rolf Anderson contacted Gertz and said he is submitting this project to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota for one of their awards. The Preservation Alliance will be meeting in October and will decide what projects will receive awards. Gertz received a letter from Susan Roth, National Register Historian for SHPO, regarding the nomination of Lookout Park. HPC members received a copy of this letter, in which Ms. Roth explains that because of the wayside's present state of integrity, the office cannot support its nomination. The accumulation of trash and vegetation, and the damage by vandalism and graffiti, were given as the main reasons. Gertz said he has talked to Susan Roth since receiving the letter. The SHPO hopes that the property will be transferred to a more sympathetic owner and also that somebody would clean it up, preferably this year, and work toward the goal of preservation. The SHPO is willing to reevaluate the property after it is cleaned up. It wants to see actual stonework that is now concealed by brush. Gertz is planning to organize a clean-up this fall. He understood this will be brought up at the next City Council meeting, and that the Council would direct staff to work with volunteers on cleaning up the site, with MAC's permission. The local airport manager does not have a problem with it. Gertz believed the City would supply vehicles and tree-trimming equipment. He talked to a park ranger who said they patrol the wayside every night to see if anyone is there. MAC has put up more no-trespassing signs. The American Indian community is interested in restoring this site and have offered significant funds toward doing that. They have a sizable challenge grant and hope to find someone to match this amount. Having their involvement is a good opportunity for bringing in the history of the site. The SHPO was told about this cooperative effort and now has a better understanding of the situation. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Local Desisnations Gertz distributed information about each property that was prepared for designation as a heritage preservation site. In order to determine which sites to forward to the City Council for local designation, a consensus of all members of the HPC will be needed. Gertz said no more than four sites should be selected. After they are selected, the HPC would conduct public hearings and forward them to the Planning Board for review, after which they would go to the City Council. Gertz said he would recommend selecting from the following sites: • Staring Lake Outdoor Center • Consolidated School HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES September 17, 2001 Page 5 • Harry Picha Farm • River Narrows • Indian Roadway corridor in Minnesota River Valley • Kurtz Farm • Pleasant Hill Cemetery • Eden Prairie Cemetery Gertz said he would mail information about these sites to commission members. He will bring a Statement of Significance for each one of the sites to the next meeting. B. Developer Project Update Gertz said the state archaeologist contacted him and indicated there was a project in Eden Prairie he would be surveying, and he has completed that. It is the Charlson-Brown property, located just south of the site where Grace Church is being built. The developer, Dan Herbst, is proposing to call the development Hennepin Village. The historic homes in Eden Prairie inspired the architecture of the houses. The developer will be working with the HPC because there are historic sites in and near the development. The HPC would have three concerns about the development. One is an Indian burial mound on the property. The developer is fully aware there is need to stay away from the burial mound, and there will be no impact to the mound, but Gertz wanted the HPC to know a building will be constructed near the location of the burial mound. The second is the view from the Frederick Miller spring. The HPC would not want any buildings down below that would interfere with the view from the Frederick Miller spring. The third concern is about the ruins of the Frederick farmstead. Gertz would like the developer to be aware of that location and avoid it. Gertz said that the next day he would be going to a proposed development in the southwest corner of Pioneer Trail and Settlement Drive to look at an original log house on the site. The developer may have the building dismantled and moved if it is worth restoring. It is one of three log homes that still exist in Eden Prairie. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Adams moved, seconded by Brown, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. Peterson-Benike adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. NOTE: The next meeting will be at the Cummins-Grill House. The members will leave from there at 7 p.m. and go to the Smith House for a tour.