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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977 01-13 HPB Meeting Minutes RegularAGENDA Edina Heritage Preservation Board Regular Meeting Thursday, January 13, 1977 Edina City Hall Conference Room I. Approval of the minutes: November 11, 1976, and December 9, 1976. II. Old Business: A. Edina Mills. B. Historic Markers Program. C. Edina Theatre. D. III. New Business: A.. Community Development Block Grants. B. IV. Research Projects: Informal Discussion. V. Next Meeting Date: February 10, 1977, at 7:30 p.m. VI. Adjournment. R MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE EDINE HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD HELD JANUARY 13, 1977, AT 7:30 P.M. EDINA CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM Members Present: Foster Dunwiddie, Chairman, Tom Martinson, Paul Mucke,•Gordon Stuart, Maryanne Herman, James McWethy. Staff Present: Harold Sand, Assistant Planner, Ralph Campbell, Park Department. I. Approval of the Minutes for November 1, 1976, and December 9, 1976. Mr.,Mucke moved the minutes be approved as submitted. Mr. McWethy seconded the motion. All voted aye. Motion carried. II. Old Business: A. Edina Mills. . Mr. Dunwiddie reported that some.of the Board members of the Edina His- torical Society expressed an interest in reconstructing a full size replica of the operating gristmill. They indicated they would assume a fund-raising cam- paign to finance the project. B. Historic Markers Program. Mr. Dunwiddie explained that the Edina Bicentennial Commission received a State Matching Grant of $3,000 to erect historic markers in the city with a $1,500 local cash contribution and in kind local services for the remainder of the share. He indicated that these funds were required to be committed prior to January 1, 1977. The sign design and preliminary list of sites to be identified was approved by the Bicentennial Commission. Competitive quotes for fabrication of the signs were taken and the City Council has awarded the contract. He said that there are currently eight major sites that will be identified with markers that are 30 inches by 30 inches in size. The major sites include: 1. The Cahill Community.. 2. The Grimes House. 3. The Edina Mills site. 4. The Morningside Community. 5. The Country Club District, 6. The Edina Mills Community. 7. The Old Cahill School. 8. The Minnehaha Grange Hall. In addition, 20 minor markers will be erected identifying individual buildings. Mr. Dunwiddie stated that the Bicentennial Commission was dissolved at the end of 1976. Therefore, the City Council transferred the responsibility of con- tinuing the historic -markers-program to the Heritage Preservation Board, The 1-13-77 MINUTES OF THE HPB MEETING, PAGE 2 program is intended to be an ongoing program with additional sites identified as they are recognized. He felt, the initial homes could include the eisht model homes built to sell the country club development. He presented drawings by Liebenberg and Kaplan, the architectural firm that designed the houses. Mr. Martinson indicated another important dwelling was the General Electric "Idea House," a brick colonial house at 4805 Sunnyside Road that was an all electric house built by Carl Hansen in about 1937. Mr. Dunwiddie stated.that Mr. Jack Liebenberg also mentioned the house at 4604 Browndale was built for Mr. C. A. Moore in 1925 by Louis Hanson and was pos- sibly the first house in the metropolitan area designed to conserve energy. The house has cavety wall construction, used flax lineum for insulation, has fixed windows and the attic serves as a plenum for air supply. Originally, there was a windmill to generate electricity. C. Edina Theater. Mr. Martinson reported that he and Mr. Sand held a meeting with Marvin Mann, the operator of the theater, which is currently being remodeled to divide the auditorium into two. He said Mr. Mann is proposing to repaint the sign to a dark brown and cream color combination to conform to the 50th and France redevelopment program. In addition, he is contemplating redesigning the marquee and would like to reanimate the flashing lights on the sign, Mr. Dunwiddie presented the original theater construction plans that he obtained from the State Historical Archives and discussed the history of the building that he has been able to uncover from construction documents. He indi- cated the large vertical element in the sign was damaged in a 1951 windstorm and the sign was repaired with some additional sections added on top, In 1958, the marquee was replaced apparently because the street was widened. Mr. Sand said they determined the original theater manager was John Hurley, an Edina resident that was still available for information. Mr. Martinson said he was planning to attend a convention in Los -Angeles, and he would consult with David Gebhard, architectural historian, and Charles Moore, architect, about the restoration of the marquee, the sign and the colors and would be able to report at the next Heritage Preservation Board meeting. No further action taken. C. Tupa Park Rezoning. Mr. Sand indicated that he recently received the minutes from the Edina Historical Society meeting and a letter from the Minnesota Historical Society, approving the rezoning;.therefore, he has placed the rezoning on the January 17, 1977, Council agenda to set a hearing date. He anticipated the first reading of the ordinance would be held February 7, 1977, III. New Business: A. Community Development Block Grants. Mr. Sand stated that this item should have been considered at the December meeting; however, no action was taken because of a lack of quorum. He indicated 1-13-77 MINUTES:.OF THE HPB MEETING, PAGE 3 that the Council was looking for requests for funding for the 1977 CD program. Eligible projects would be similar to the Edina Mills project and the historical survey suggested last year. Mr. Sand recommended.that the Edina Mills project should -be completed prior to proposing any new programs. No further action taken. B. Gleason Road (Spelling). Mr. Dunwiddie stated that Mr. Bill Duggan has requested Mayor Van Valken- burg correct.the spelling of Gleason Road because'the family spelled their name Gleeson with two e's. Mr. Dunwiddie received a request from the Mayor to research the correct spelling of the name. He reported on his findings from the.records between 1855 and 1890 all the spellings including a signature used two -els. The only exception was the 1873 plat map which used "ea"; however, that was corrected on later versions.' He concluded that Gleeson was the correct spel- ling. The Board discussed the evidence and generally agreed but expressed con- cern about changing the spelling at this time and the ramifications of the change on stationary, maps, etc. Mr. McWethy moved that the Board affirm the conclusion that Gleeson is a historically accurate spelling of the surname. Mr. Martinson seconded the motion. All voted aye. Motion carried. C. Old St Patrick's Church. 7000 Cahill Road. (Currently the LaPepinnere Montessori School.) Mr. Dunwiddie mentioned that several church members have approached him to consider the former church for HPD zoning. He said the congregation dates from the 1860's when they had a log cabin church in the West 70th Street and Wooddale Avenue vicinity and later held ser- vices in their old Cahill School. In 1884, the original church was built at the southwest corner of what is now West 70th Street and Cahill Road; however, that structure burned down and was replaced by the present structure in 1924. Mr. Dunwiddie indicated that the National Register of Historic Places does not generally consider a church unless it is architecturally significant or unusually important historically. The Board generally discussed the merits and the justification for rezoning. Mr. Mucke indicated it would be appropriate for the church or the members to write a letter requesting consideration of the rezoning stating the reasons and giving supporting evidence. No further action taken. IV. Research Projects: A. The Sly House. Mr. Stuart reported that additio research indicated that he had deter- mined that the house was listed in th 1840 census and valued at $4,800. He 1-13-77 MINUTES OF THE HPB MEETING, PAGE 4 also found the family moved from *;ew York and had. 12 children: however, he could not find any other particular significance of this family. B. Southdale. Mr. McWethy recommended that because of the unique circumstances and the significance of Southdale,'the best way to document the history and identify the significance may be thorugh a book that can be distributed. He thought the Southdale management will be receptive to -this approach and if the Board con- curred, he would bring a proposal to the next HPB meeting that could be forwarded to the City Council for approval. The Board generally agreed that this approach was appropriate and that the significance of Southdale should be identified. No further action taken. V. Next Meeting Date: February 10, 1977, at 7:30 p.m. IV. Adjournment. Mr. Mucke moved that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Martinson seconded, the motion. All voted aye. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Harold Sand, Assistant Planner