HomeMy WebLinkAboutCentury Homes and Heritage AwardContact: Lauren Siebenaler, Senior Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-833-9537 • LSiebenaler@EdinaMN.gov • EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Four Homes, One Historical Website Recognized by Heritage Preservation Commission
Edina, Minn., May 24, 2024 – As part of Historic Preservation Month, the Edina Heritage Presentation Commission recently recognized the City’s first “Century Homes” and presented the
2024 Edina Heritage Award.
The Heritage Preservation Commission in collaboration with the Edina Historical Society launched the Century Homes program at the start of the year to celebrate houses 100 years or older.
The program seeks to raise awareness of the historical significance of century-old properties, inspire neighborhood conversations around them, and spotlight how extending the lifespan
of homes through repair and renovation reduces carbon emissions associated with home demolition and construction.
The first four properties in the program are:
5524 W. 70th St. - Year Built: 1900
4116 W. 44th St. - Year Built: 1911
4120 W. 44th St. - Year Built: 1914
4523 Bruce Ave. - Year Built: 1924
The Commission celebrated Historic Preservation Month at its May 13 meeting by inviting those homeowners to a reception to enjoy a 100-themed birthday cake. Commissioners shared fun
facts about the years their houses were built, and residents shared stories about their homes and why they participated in the program.
According to City Assessing Division records, as of the start of the year, there are 268 eligible homes that were built in 1924 or earlier. Eligible homeowners interested in submitting
their property for acknowledgement can apply online at EdinaMN.gov/CenturyHome by providing a brief report on their home and at least one photo.
The program is intended to be a fun way for homeowners to share the history of their home with others in the community, although it does not qualify homes for local or national historic
designation nor place any restrictions on renovations. The only cost involved is for the bronze plaque to be mounted on the front façade or in a street-facing window.
Earlier this month, the Commission also presented HouseNovel.com with the 2024 Edina Heritage Award. Although the website is not a building in Edina, it is a resource for all homes in
Edina. The home history website was designed by Edina-native Amanda Zielike and her husband, David Decker, and was launched in 2022. The free and user-friendly platform allows anyone
to discover and document the history of homes across the country.
Heritage Preservation Commission Chair Jane Lonnquist nominated HouseNovel for the Heritage Award due to the website and its developer duo being an asset to Edina homeowners searching
for information on their homes and those conducting research on their Century Home. The website has over
24,000 homes included in its database from across the United States. It’s estimated 600 are in Edina.
“Our dream would be to save a piece of history about every home in the nation,” said
Zielike. “But beyond that, even as there's inevitable home turnover and teardowns, our
primary goal is having an easy way to preserve and honor their stories so they're always remembered.”
For the homes in Edina, HouseNovel sourced public data from the Minnesota Historical Society, Hennepin County History Museum and Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The website is open to anyone
to upload their own information on any home for free and with ease. HouseNovel offers a free history research guide, but also has optional paid features, if a homeowner wants extra
help researching their house.
The Edina Heritage Preservation Commission sponsors the annual Edina Heritage Award to showcase local historic preservation activity. The award is given to an individual, family, company
or organization that has contributed to the historic fabric of the community and made an outstanding contribution to the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and use of Edina’s
heritage resource. The heritage resource must be located in Edina.
To learn more about the Heritage Award, including past winners, visit EdinaMN.gov/HeritageAward.
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Edina, Minn., May 24, 2024 – As part of Historic Preservation Month, the Edina Heritage Presentation Commission recently recognized the City’s first “Century Homes” and presented the
2024 Edina Heritage Award.
The Heritage Preservation Commission in collaboration with the Edina Historical Society launched the Century Homes program at the start of the year to celebrate houses 100 years or older.
The program seeks to raise awareness of the historical significance of century-old properties, inspire neighborhood conversations around them, and spotlight how extending the lifespan
of homes through repair and renovation reduces carbon emissions associated with home demolition and construction.
The first four properties in the program are:
5524 W. 70th St. - Year Built: 1900
4116 W. 44th St. - Year Built: 1911
4120 W. 44th St. - Year Built: 1914
4523 Bruce Ave. - Year Built: 1924
The Commission celebrated Historic Preservation Month at its May 13 meeting by inviting those homeowners to a reception to enjoy a 100-themed birthday cake. Commissioners shared fun
facts about the years their houses were built, and residents shared stories about their homes and why they participated in the program.
According to City Assessing Division records, as of the start of the year, there are 268 eligible homes that were built in 1924 or earlier. Eligible homeowners interested in submitting
their property for acknowledgement can apply online at EdinaMN.gov/CenturyHome by providing a brief report on their home and at least one photo.
The program is intended to be a fun way for homeowners to share the history of their home with others in the community, although it does not qualify homes for local or national historic
designation nor place any restrictions on renovations. The only cost involved is for the bronze plaque to be mounted on the front façade or in a street-facing window.
Earlier this month, the Commission also presented HouseNovel.com with the 2024 Edina Heritage Award. Although the website is not a building in Edina, it is a resource for all homes in
Edina. The home history website was designed by Edina-native Amanda Zielike and her husband, David Decker, and was launched in 2022. The free and user-friendly platform allows anyone
to discover and document the history of homes across the country.
Heritage Preservation Commission Chair Jane Lonnquist nominated HouseNovel for the Heritage Award due to the website and its developer duo being an asset to Edina homeowners searching
for information on their homes and those conducting research on their Century Home. The website has over
24,000 homes included in its database from across the United States. It’s estimated 600 are in Edina.
“Our dream would be to save a piece of history about every home in the nation,” said
Zielike. “But beyond that, even as there's inevitable home turnover and teardowns, our
primary goal is having an easy way to preserve and honor their stories so they're always remembered.”
For the homes in Edina, HouseNovel sourced public data from the Minnesota Historical Society, Hennepin County History Museum and Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The website is open to anyone
to upload their own information on any home for free and with ease. HouseNovel offers a free history research guide, but also has optional paid features, if a homeowner wants extra
help researching their house.
The Edina Heritage Preservation Commission sponsors the annual Edina Heritage Award to showcase local historic preservation activity. The award is given to an individual, family, company
or organization that has contributed to the historic fabric of the community and made an outstanding contribution to the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and use of Edina’s
heritage resource. The heritage resource must be located in Edina.
To learn more about the Heritage Award, including past winners, visit EdinaMN.gov/HeritageAward.
-30-