Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 04/21/2014 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY,APRIL 21, 2014 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Prairie Rooms A & B COMMISSION MEMBERS: Ed Muehlberg (Chair), Cindy Cofer Evert (Vice Chair), Steve Olson, JoAnn McGuire, Pamela Spera, Mark Freiberg, Deb Paulson STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Hannah Jeter, Greta Colford, Laura Lindberg STAFF: John Gertz, Pathfinder CRM, LLC Lori Creamer, Staff Liaison Heidi Wojahn, Recording Secretary GUESTS: Nancy O'Brien Wagner, Bluestem Heritage Group Kathie Case, Eden Prairie Historical Society I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Muehlberg called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Student Representative Colford was absent. Paulson arrived at 7:03 pm. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Freiberg moved, seconded by Cofer Evert, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Olson moved, seconded by Spera, to approve the March 17, 2014 minutes. Motion carried 6-0. Paulson arrived at 7:03 pm. Case said two agenda items for the joint meeting between the HPC and the Eden Prairie Historical Society (EPHS) are the October 4 event and the upcoming lease renewal for the Cummins Grill House (CG). She asked commissioners to review the five-year work statement and lease agreement and come prepared to provide feedback and thoughts on the vision for CG. The CG committee has been meeting with other historical societies and touring properties to gain insight on how they might use the house. There has been a heavy concentration on rentals and revenue, but they are trying to plan more events during which the house would be open to the public for tours and a history of the home. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 2 Case asked Gertz if she correctly understood that converting to electric lighting would necessitate other major changes in the same space in order to reflect the respective time period. Gertz said it would be proper to do so if electric was the era they chose to interpret. Piecemeal would be difficult to explain. While it would not change the designation, it is tricky to mix rentals with historic interpretation. EPHS should decide on an approach and then formulate a clear plan. Creamer noted there seems to be a missing link in the chain of communication. Requested changes to the property should come before the HPC for review, but Paul Sticha is being contacted directly by EPHS members to arrange for work to be done. Case said the committee should go to the board for approval first, and then the board should decide whether to move forward with taking it to the HPC since the lease agreement is between the EPHS board and the City. The dining room, parlor, and bedroom represent the 1880s J. R. Cummins era with gas lighting, but electric is suitable in the kitchen since it was a 1910 addition put on by the Phipps family. Case said she does not want rentals to dictate what the house should do for the community. It is a matter of education. Council will be meeting with them at CG on June 16 and are invited to provide their point of view as well. Commissioners are requested to email her with questions or concerns when reading through the lease and plan. Olson asked if a Best Management Practices (BMP) document was prepared for CG. It would be a neutral document to reference. Gertz said Case should have a copy and everyone should be familiar with it. Processes are defined within. Creamer emphasized there should be one contact for Sticha. Gertz confirmed Sticha should follow up only after all necessary reviews are done. Case said a decision was made long ago as to what era would be interpreted at the house and she respects that. She would like to see rentals have an educational component. Informational signage for each room is in process. Other historic properties only rent certain rooms and are staffed at all times during rentals. All decor has been stripped from CG to prevent theft. Gertz stated he will reformat the BMP and give it to Creamer to pass along to Case. It defines standards and major and minor changes, and it includes an inquiry form for items requiring review. The committee needs to be made aware some items need other types of review such as inspections. Gertz asked about the status of the old electric lights. There is value in that they are original to the home. Case indicated one is hanging in the dining room and the committee wants another in the parlor. The others may get used upstairs. Case expressed concern that replacing the gas chandelier with electric lighting would change the time period significantly to the point of not reflecting the J. R. Cummins era. The home is on the national register for Cummins. Gertz explained electric can be used to interpret a period of the home's history without completely ignoring Cummins. It fits the kitchen addition and would work better to tell the story of the three families who lived there, but he is not pushing for that. If going electric in the dining room and parlor, it makes sense to change the wallpaper to reflect that era. Muehlberg reiterated the need for a plan. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 3 Gertz noted no period is being represented in the home's stripped-down condition. It is just a house built by three families over time. Muehlberg said it is there for a reason, not solely for rentals. If that is the mindset, then the reason gets lost. Gertz said the landscape plan and the site itself are important parts of the property and need to be considered when thinking about what period to interpret. Cofer Evert asked for clarification on who is in charge of determining the period of significance for the city-owned property. Gertz clarified as occupants, it is up to EPHS to choose a plan for interpretation knowing changes need to be reviewed by the City. Olson said the charm of the Cummins era should stay. It is the reason for the home's historical significance and is the first name on the house. It might be helpful for Gertz to share his presentation on historic preservation with EPHS. Case added that the kitchen and upstairs already show the progression of the home. Case announced there will be a presentation in the fall about Maud Hart Lovelace's book "One Stayed at Welcome" based on life early on in Eden Prairie. IV. GUEST SPEAKER—BLUESTEM HERITAGE GROUP (BHG) — O'Brien Wagner A. PROGRESS REPORT ON INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE PROJECT O'Brien Wagner explained what an interpretive plan is and reviewed the work plan for the Dorenkemper (DK) interpretive plan. Research needs to be done before the message and techniques are decided. The goal is to reach all levels of people. Freiberg asked about school groups. O'Brien Wagner explained they will make recommendations for audiences of different age groups. School groups are tricky because they are heavily based on numbers. The goal is to complete the plan by October 15. Case, Gertz, Muehlberg, and Paulson volunteered to serve on a working committee at O'Brien Wagner's request. B. RILEY-JACOUES (RJ) FARMSTEAD INTERPRETIVE PLAN PRESENTATION (2014 LEGACY GRANT) Images have been added to the orientation sign for RJ Farmstead. Discussion took place about picture quality and other possible photos to include. The Geisler- Dorenkemper sign was changed to include the three families who lived there. Both texts still need copy editing. Gertz commented that the logs used to build the home were in pristine condition when a portion of the clad siding was removed indicating they had never been exposed to the elements. There is reason to believe the home was sided originally rather than second generation. O'Brien Wagner said this was unclear from her research but she would work on nuances in the related text. Discussion continued about building materials used in the kitchen and roof. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 4 Jeter asked about the lack of information from the John Mertz period. O'Brien Wagner shared what she had learned and explained she had been unable to determine with certainty which family lived in the home. Muehlberg asked for input on the balance of information included in the DK sign. Commissioners gave positive feedback. O'Brien Wagner said she will work with the graphic designer on getting the photos enhanced as much as possible. She requested comments be given to her when she sends out the graphic design version in a couple of weeks. There will be a ten percent reduction in text to tighten things up. The last week of May is targeted for production. Spera asked that the next version track what changes were made. Brief intermission 8:138:25 pm to celebrate Creamer's recent award from the City. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Cofer Evert said she attended a recent Rotary meeting during which there was a video- taped panel discussion of a 50-year period of time in Eden Prairie's history. It featured a series of presenters with different perspectives. EPHS had a display at the event. Freiberg reported on the Transit-Oriented Development zoning district meeting he attended. His concerns include the one-size-fits-all approach, limited parking, and the lack of a defined town center. The meeting was interesting,but much more planning and discussion is needed. Five stations are being proposed. Creamer said the Metropolitan Council has approved the plan, but Minneapolis and St. Louis Park are not on board and have not given consent. City staff is excited about getting the Mitchell Station. Otherwise the line would end at Southwest Station. There have been concerns about bus ridership. A town center is being created in the location of Windsor Plaza. A. UPDATE ON HISTORIC SITES Initial portion of this item was discussed out of order under Item III. Minutes. Creamer reported the ash tree at Smith Douglas More House has been removed. Pictures taken afterwards show the degree of rot on the inside. Nothing has been decided in terms of tree replacement yet. Cofer Evert circulated an article about it. City staff met with the renters at Dunn Brothers. They want to do landscaping on the property consisting of planting trees for a hedge/fence along Eden Prairie Road and removing bricks from the old wishing well by the sign and filling it in. A determination needs to be made as to whether the well is historically significant. Gertz clarified this will require a plan and approval. Freiberg said a design-conforming handicapped handrail has been requested on the exterior at CG. Creamer said it needs to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) and asked if it would need to interpret the designated era. Muehlberg said it needs to meet certain dimensions to meet ADA regulations but there is nothing specifying aesthetics. Gertz questioned the need to put it in at all HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 5 unless required by code. If necessary, it should have minimal visual impact but does not need to look like it was built in the same era as the house. It should only be needed at the one accessible route for renters. Upon further discussion it was determined the best location was along the sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot on the west side of the building. Gertz noted this would be another item requiring review and a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). Creamer reviewed a number of items on this year's historical properties inventory. The renters of the Riley House need to determine if they want to renew their lease expiring in June. Touch-up painting, and trimming of trees as needed, will be done around the home. The complete exterior of the barn will be painted this summer. Vegetation was removed near the garage and will continue to be monitored. Park maintenance will install new signs on the farmstead grounds upon completion. Touch-up painting will be finished on DK. A new roof is budgeted for SDM this year. Gertz noted this is a COA item. There is concern over part of the foundation at CG. Creamer said the RJ barn is a premier facility in terms of park rentals. EPHS kept a small remnant of the dairy barn and one original stall. The City has received feedback about safety and space concerns as they relate to artifacts in the lower level of the barn. People are requesting more room for activities. Parks and Rec has suggested displaying these items in the milk house at CG. Gertz said that structure is not suitable for displays. Creamer said it makes more sense for them to remain in their original location. CG is in its second year of prairie restoration. Tree planting, trimming, and removal are slated for this year. The cultural landscape will be done by the Minnesota Department of Transportation this fall. Substantial peony garden maintenance is needed. There are sparse areas where people have dug up plants that need to be filled in. Cofer Evert noted the plants are very special as they came from Mattie Cummins. Creamer said there are also plans to establish a vegetable garden and add light to the front sign. Gertz clarified the landscape plan shows the garden behind the house north of the block building. Implementation of the plan should be monitored. Creamer said there have been questions about who will be in charge of planting and maintenance. She was informed it will be treated like a community garden. Paulson left at 9:02 pm Gertz said the point is to have a historic house garden. It is problematic because this won't be the case if the garden is turned over to individuals to manage as their own personal garden. Creamer said it is her understanding staff is aware of this. She will follow up for confirmation. Gertz expressed concern about the house and site being interpreted separately. EPHS should be involved. Cofer Evert asked if EPHS was aware of the landscape plan. Gertz said he believes they are,but their focus is on the house. Creamer reported the asphalt shed was removed last summer. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 6 The lease with True Friends at Camp Eden Wood ends in 2014. Jay Lotthammer is coordinating renewal with a new contract. Creamer said she has asked to be included in meetings and updates throughout the process. She will bring a copy of the lease to the HPC. Cofer Evert asked if there are terms in the lease about the historical aspects of the property. Gertz said there are and Creamer should provide True Friends with a copy of the BMP. Creamer said the maintenance person touched base with her to make sure he was following all the proper channels. She provided him with a copy of the BMP as well as names of contacts for landscaping and other things needing to go through the City. Cofer Evert stressed we cannot assume with the change in ownership that this information will get passed on. The BMP should be part of the lease. Gertz said he can do a walk-through of the properties with Sticha. Cofer Evert said there is an ongoing problem of drafts and bats in the Riley kitchen porch. The renter has addressed the historic wood being stored in the granary with Sticha. It is heaped and rotting, and he has offered to get it up off the ground and organized. Sticha had indicated it would be ok if Case also gave permission. Cofer Evert said she spoke to Case and she is ok with it. Cofer referenced a newspaper article about the DK interpretive plan and related grant. VI. STUDENT UPDATES Jeter announced she is captain of the high school track team this year. VII. OLD BUSINESS A. WORK PLAN REVIEW Tabled. B. CLG GRANT UPDATE - Creamer Grants were reviewed April 17. There is no word yet whether we received the grant. C. CITY CENTER HISTORICAL PHOTO PROJECT Cofer Evert presented two phases of a proposed historical photo project at City Center. Phase I involves placing acrylic panels via a dimensional puck system over a subtle prairie wallpaper background on the soffits wrapping around the two-level atrium housing the stairwell and elevator. Peeling wallpaper in the area needs to be addressed first. The area below the track would be painted, and ten to fifteen photos of historical significance, approximately 3 x 3.5 feet in size, would be displayed above the metal track. One option would be to do it in a timeline format. It is visually more pleasing to have spacing between the photos. She envisions a quote on an empty wall nearby. A plaque stand with a"take one" brochure holder would let people know what they are looking at. Phase 11 is interactive moveable panels on tracks, similar to HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 21, 2014 Page 7 the way rugs and posters are displayed at stores, on wall space near the Engineering Department. One could feature the City's historic properties and another could tell the history of Eden Prairie. Cofer Evert got rough estimates from two sign companies for Phase I which includes design, materials, labor, and installation. She stated she is not being compensated in any way for this project. Commissioners provided positive feedback for the concepts and Cofer Evert's work. Muehlberg said the concept is ready to take to the City. Cofer Evert discussed the benefits of the acrylic and the puck system. She explained Phase I incorporates existing branding. Gertz said this probably would not qualify for a CLG grant but it might be a good fit for a Legacy or foundation grant. Creamer said she will discuss the proposal with the city manager and Sticha tomorrow. She will also check with finance about funding. VIII. NEW BUSINESS None. IX. FYI ITEMS A. CUMMINS FARMHOUSE MARKET & VINTAGE SALE EPHS is hosting a farmer's market/vintage sale at CG April 24-26. B. FORUM 2014 CONFERENCE—PHILADELPHIA, PA Creamer circulated a Forum 2014 Conference informational brochure for anyone who might be interested in attending. C. BOARDS & COMMISSION BANQUET—MAY 14, 2014 Creamer asked for RSVPs to the Boards and Commissions Banquet on May 14. X. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next HPC meeting will be a joint meeting with EPHS on Monday, May 19, 2014, 6 p.m. at CG, 13600 Pioneer Trail. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Cofer Evert moved, seconded by Freiberg, to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. Chair Muehlberg adjourned the meeting at 9:46 p.m.