Preserving historic homes means finding the right balance between modern function and historic character. The Adina City Council faced that challenge last month in the Country Club District. The owners of 4630 Edgebrook Place want to improve their entryway. They say water sometimes comes in through the front stoop and that the lowered floor inside the doorway creates a safety hazard. Their plan called for adding a step, removing the fan transom or arched window above the front door and replacing the entry with a new arched door. I think the main goal here is to have the most practical approach to having the homeowners like to live in this house for, you know, future years to come and and keeping as much as we can on that front facade. >> The Heritage Preservation Commission denied the request, saying arch doors are not typical of colonial revival homes and that the fan transom is a defining feature of the property. But after hearing from the homeowner's architect, the council approved the project. Members agreed the arch doorway reflects the look of the original fan transom. And some suggested the custom door could be designed to mimic both the fan shape and a traditional rectangular entry. >> You got two doors here. You got the inner door, the heavy door, and then you've got that outer door. And if you could make that outer door, whether it's a storm door insert or the serene insert, look like it has that fan sort of effect, I think that's probably something to think about.