Edina Council Approves Historic Home Renovation Compromise
The Edina City Council approved a modified entryway design for a Country Club District home on Tuesday, balancing the homeowners' need to fix water damage and safety hazards with the neighborhood's historic preservation requirements.
The council voted to approve an entryway modification request for 4630 Edgebrook Place after the Heritage Preservation Commission had initially rejected it. The homeowners wanted to add a front step, remove a fan transom window above the door, and install a new arched door to address water infiltration and safety problems caused by a lowered interior floor.
The Heritage Preservation Commission denied the request because arched doors are not typical of colonial revival architecture—the style that defines the historic district—and because the fan transom is considered a defining feature of the property. However, after hearing from the homeowners' architect, the council decided to reconsider and find a middle ground.
The approved solution allows the homeowners to install the arched door they need while preserving the historic character of the facade. The compromise involves using a two-door system: an inner functional door and an outer storm door or insert designed to visually replicate the fan transom effect. "The main goal here is to have the most practical approach to having the homeowners like to live in this house for future years to come and keeping as much as we can on that front facade," one council member said during the discussion.
The decision reflects the council's effort to balance two competing priorities: allowing homeowners to maintain safe, functional homes while protecting the architectural integrity of Edina's historic neighborhoods. The creative design solution demonstrates how preservation guidelines can be applied flexibly when practical solutions are proposed.
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Entryway Modification Request – 4630 Edgebrook Place, Country Club District
Dissent: Heritage Preservation Commission initially denied the request; no council member dissent is documented in the transcript.
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Homeowners sought approval to add a step at the front entry, remove the fan transom window above the door, and replace the entry with a new arched door to resolve water infiltration and safety hazards caused by a lowered interior floor. The Heritage Preservation Commission denied the request, citing that arch doors are atypical of colonial revival architecture and that the fan transom is a defining property feature. After hearing from the homeowner's architect, the council reconsidered and approved a modified approach that incorporates the arch door design while preserving the visual character of the fan transom through a custom outer door or storm door insert.
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.
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.
Source document
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.
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