Good afternoon. I call to order the June 16th, 2026 regular meeting of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission. For the record, my name is Marie Bjornberg and I serve as chair of the commission. Before we begin the meeting, I want to offer a reminder that these meetings are broadcast to enable greater public participation and these broadcasts include captioning as a method to increase accessibility for our proceedings to the community. Therefore, all speakers need to be mindful of the rate of their speech so that our captioners can fully capture and transcribe all comments for the broadcast. We ask all speakers to moderate the speed and clarity of their comments and please speak clearly into the microphone when speaking at the dais or giving testimony. Would the clerk please call the roll so that we may verify the presence of a quorum? >> Commissioner Alexander. >> Present. >> Booty. >> Present. >> Corrado. >> Present. >> Melblom is absent. Rodriguez. >> Present. >> Smith. >> Present. >> Thomas. >> Present. >> Wallace. >> Present. >> Vice Chair Maston. >> Present. >> Chair Bjornberg. >> Present. >> There are nine members present. >> Let the record reflect that we do have quorum and that Commissioner Melblom provided proper notice that they have a conflict this afternoon and their absence is excused. We'll now proceed to our agenda, a copy of which was posted for public access to the city's legislative information management system. First, we're going to organize the agenda for the meeting. Agendas are also available uh on the table by the clerk. I'm going to read through each agenda item and state whether it's stated for consent, continuance, or discussion. Today's meeting will be item number four, 3026 Lake Street West for uh landmark designation and will be discussed. May I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Masten so moves. >> Thank you, Commissioner Masten. Is there a second? >> Wallace seconds. >> Thank you, Commissioner Wallace. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say Oh, Commissioner Thomas? >> Um I am just recusing myself from this item, so making that known. >> Thank you. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. >> I. >> Those opposed say nay. Any abstentions, including Commissioners who were absent? >> Alexander abstains. Sorry. >> [gasps] >> The agenda is approved. Uh our next order of business will be to approve the minutes from our May 12th, 2026 meeting. May I have a motion to approve those minutes? >> Wallace so moves. >> Thank you, Commissioner Wallace. Is there a second? >> Corrado seconds. >> Thank you, Commissioner Corrado. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Those opposed say nay. Any abstentions, including Commissioners who were absent? >> Alexander abstains. >> Thomas abstains. >> Rodriguez abstains. >> Smith abstains. >> Thank you. Those minutes are approved. >> [laughter] >> Before I open the hearing to public comments, let me summarize the process for the public hearing. First, planning staff will present its report and Commissioners may ask questions of staff. Then, I will open the public hearing and we will open it to the property owner, and after that, we will open public comment. Commissioners will not respond to public comments. If you wish to speak, please be sure to sign up on the sheet over by the clerk. If you haven't done this already, you can do so afterwards. When you come up to testify, you must state your name for the record, and please keep your comments specific to the application before us today. If you have materials to hand out, please give them to our committee clerk so that they can be distributed to the commission and entered into the record. After public comments are complete, I'll close the hearing and commissioners will deliberate and act on the applications before us. Our first item is item number 4326 Lake Street West. This application is for local landmark designation and the staff report is presented by Rob Skalicky. >> And good afternoon, commissioners. My name's Rob Skalicky. I'm a senior city planner in the stroke preservation team in um CPED planning. And today I'm presenting the designation of the property located at 3026 Lake Street West, historically known as Lakeshore Arms Apartments. On August 12th, 2025, the HPC voted to approve the nomination for the property located at 3026 Lake Street West as a landmark, establish interim protection, and direct the planning director to prepare or cause to be prepared a designation study. CPED staff compiled a designation study of the property and that was completed in April 2026. Staff sent the sent the study to the State Historic Preservation Office for review and comment. And today the HPC is considering the property for landmark designation. The subject property is a two-story brick veneer apartment building with a basement half-story. The apartment was built with 17 units and a basement level garage. The building is clad in light brown or tan brick and has a flat roof with parapets that include select locations of shaped roofs roof sections to add ornament. The building massing is primarily rectangular in form except for a narrower central section that creates a dumbbell shape massing. A paved driveway, as you can see in this photo, exists directly south, which is the front of the building to access the attached single bay garage on that elevation. The property was designed by architects Bard and Vanderbilt and built by and for Morris Track, a local builder and developer. The building received building permit approval in October of 1930 and newspaper records begin to announce its opening around March 1931. The property was historically described as Lakeshore Arms Apartments or simply by the commonly recorded name Lakeshore Arms. Both name versions are correct and they can be used interchangeably. The property was designed using the Spanish eclectic style and it retains a significant degree of original architectural features. These include, but are not limited to, a shaped main doorway that includes a heavy wooden door, light color brick brick cladding, wrought iron grills and sconce lights, cast cement ornamentation including floral patterns, a shield motif, and a quatrefoil concrete relief, a cast cement balcony with prominent cast cement balustrade, shaped openings, spiraled or solomonic columns, varied roof shapes as ornamentation applied to the parapet roof form, clay tile caps, and clay roof tiles, multi-light wood double-hung sash windows and multi-light French doors in various openings to access the exterior and patios and balconies or balconettes. The construction of Lakeshore Arms Apartments was tied to the growth of multi-family housing options that appeared around Uptown and the Cedar-Isles-Dean area in the 1920s and 1930s. The urban setting with a connection to the lakes attracted Minneapolis residents in the early 20th century with the promise of an urban life mixed with water recreational amenities. Mediterranean design influences were especially common in the area and Spanish eclectic style buildings became popular. Properties built in the Spanish eclectic style used traditional Spanish design trends incorporating these balconies, plazas, courtyards, and patios to create apparent association between the building and its natural environment, and this is evident in Lakeshore Arms. In evaluating the property's designation, the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development has analyzed the application to designate the Lakeshore Arms Apartments located at 3026 Lake Street West based on the following findings, and there are two findings for designation. First, in examining the significance in CPED's review of the designation study, the property meets the following criteria for significance, criterion four. The property embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural engineering type or style or method of construction. As stated in the staff report and the designation study, the Lakeshore Arms Apartments exemplifies the Spanish eclectic style. The building embodies many key characteristics of the style including but not limited to lightly colored brick, colored tile roofs with little to no eve overhang, wrought iron ornament shown in light sconces, Juliet balconies, and grills. It also features arched windows and door openings, patios, balconies, these features that connect the property to its natural environment, a heavy wood main entry door, highly decorative cast cement around the main entry with significant front elevation windows, French doors, and windows that open to balconies or balconettes, and casement ornaments, including detailed reliefs, spiraled columns, and design details that combined to produce a rigid and asymmetrical roof and facade expression. As such, the property embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural style or engineering type or style or method of construction. Uh staff do note in the designation study and the staff report that originally during the nomination, the property was possibly being considered under criterion six for association to master architects um in the situation exploring Bard and Vanderbilt and their work. Um however, staff notes that in um looking at more examples of of the firm's work, um and then looking at um both Var- Bard and Vanderbilt separately, the property itself does not appear eligible um solely under criterion six as an example of the firm's work because they would become more well-known for uh church designs in in the 1930s and going forward, as well as commercial commissions. Um so, their work in residential uh properties um really didn't take off after the Great Depression. Also, in order to uh designate a property as a landmark, the property must retain historic integrity. In CPED's review of the designation study, the property does retain historic integrity. The following aspects of historic integrity apply. For location, the building is in its original location um and retains integrity of location. For setting, the property continues to reflect its historic association um with the lakes and Lake Street West, and the property retains integrity of setting for an urban apartment building despite the impact of more recent larger-scale development around it. For design, intact design features like original light brown brick, wood sash windows, casement sills, lintels, and entrance surrounds um all remain, and the property is able to retain um these character-defining features um and retain a high degree of design integrity. The property retains integrity materials and workmanship. So, most original materials can be found on the property and those are retained. The property is also able to convey workmanship to the original design that was completed in 1931 and retains integrity of workmanship. The property retains integrity of feeling and association. Lakeshore Arms is able to convey its feeling as an early 1930s Spanish eclectic apartment building. And this is due to the property's intact architectural features and continued apartment use. Chapter 599 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances requires that the designation be submitted to the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office for review and comment. Minnesota SHPO concurred with the designation study findings and in a letter to staff dated May 19th, 2026, they summarized that the property was an excellent candidate for local designation under criterion four. For public comments, staff noted that we spoke to the property owner. The property owner did include written comments for your consideration that detailed the property owner's opposition to the designation itself. Staff also summarized that in our staff report based on comments with the property owner. The property owner is not able to make it tonight, but staff can answer any questions related to our discussions with with the property ownership. At the time of the staff report public publication, staff had received two public comments that were included with the staff report. Since then, staff have received over a dozen that are also included for you today. And those are all in support of the designation of the property. So, per chapter 599 740, after considering the designation criteria contained in section 599.710, the information contained in the designation study, state historic preservation office's comments, the planning director's report, and all public testimony and evidence received at the public hearing related to the designation, the Heritage Preservation Commission and City Council shall make the following findings. And staff mentioned those earlier. The first finding is that one, the property or collection of properties meets at least one local criteria to be designated as a landmark or historic district. And two, that the property or collection of properties retain sufficient historic integrity to be considered as a landmark or historic district. And staff comments that the Lakeshore Arms Apartments meets local designation criteria four as a property that embodies distinctive characteristics of the Spanish eclectic architectural style. And that Lakeshore Arms Apartments retains all seven aspects of historic integrity, including location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. With that, the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development recommends that the Heritage Preservation Commission and City Council adopt staff findings for the local designation of the Lakeshore Arms Apartments located at 3026 Lake Street West, and recommend that the Heritage Preservation Commission recommends that the City Council approve the local designation of the Lakeshore Arms Apartments located at 3026 Lake Street West. And with that, I'm available for any questions. Thank you. >> Thank you for that report. Commissioners, are there questions for staff? Okay, thank you. I'll now open the public hearing for this item. I understand the owner is not here, but if they are and they would like to speak, please come forward. Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak for this application? Please step forward and state your name for the record if you would like to speak. Yep, and please just state your name. >> Hi, my name is Sara Stevens. I am a resident of this area where I I practically walk by and drive past this charming, lovely historic building. I had no idea that it would had this significance. Um, I think it's really unique and um, you know, it's a bit of an anomaly between the larger buildings before it but around it it also has green space behind it. It really adds to the quality of our life living in this neighborhood if reminding us of old Minneapolis, but I think it's a very unique, lovely building and I am here to support the designation as a preservation heritage site. Is that how you call it? And thank you for letting me speak. >> Thank you. Are there any other members of the public that wish to speak? Seeing none, I'll close the public hearing and commissioners can discuss. Any comments on the proposed application? Commissioner Wallace. >> Thank you, uh, Chair Bjornberg. Um, I feel like the designation study really covered all the bases I was looking for. I don't personally have any hesitation in approving this as a landmark or voting to designate as a landmark. I think the uh, architecture is unique enough uh, to be designated as a local landmark plus this location etc. etc. The staff report is great, designation study is great. If folks want to see more detail about that, I highly recommend reading those, but I would be in support. >> Thank you. Do others have comments? Or does anyone want to make a motion? >> [laughter] >> Commissioner Booty. >> Thank you, Chair Bjornberg. I will just echo what Commissioner Wallace said. I also support the the designation and also feel very encouraged by all the public comment we we received. So, it's always good to see that um uh both in email form and in person. So, uh with that, I'll go ahead and make a motion um that the Heritage Preservation Commission recommends that the City Council approve the local designation of the Lakeshore Arms Apartments located at 3026 Lake Street West. >> Thank you, Commissioner Booty. Is there a second? >> Corrado seconds. >> Thank you, Commissioner Corrado. Any further discussion? Seeing none, will the clerk call the roll? >> Commissioner Alexander. >> I. >> Booty. >> I. >> Corrado. >> I. >> Melblom is absent. Rodriguez. >> I. >> Smith. >> I. >> Thomas abstains or is recused, excuse me. Wallace. >> I. >> Vice Chair Mastin. >> I. >> Chair Bjornberg. >> I. >> There are eight eyes. >> Thank you. That motion passes and that concludes our public hearing items. Do staff have announcements? >> Yes, thank you, um Chair Bjornberg. I'm Andrea Birk and I'm supervisor of the Historic Preservation team and CPAC, I do have two just announcements tonight. One, the NAPC Forum conference is in a month and I actually I do have the volunteer sign up sheet that came out this morning. So, I know I've been mentioning this for many weeks, but I I do actually have it. So, I can forward it on for anybody who is interested in helping out and volunteering um with sessions or anything else. There's a lot of opportunities to sign up. So, if you have some spare time, you're welcome to. You by no means have to. Um but also wanted to hear some uh also very good news, but the African-American Historic and Cultural Context Study was selected as a winner for an Award of Excellence from the American Association of State and Local History. So, this is the Leadership in History Award and is the nation's most prestigious um I'm going to get this right. Prestigious competition for recognition of achievement of state and local history. Um I wanted to make sure I did it do justice and I didn't uh mess up any of the the language, but um this was one of the awards that uh this study was submitted for under um we did this just did become public. We've known a little bit, but um this had just become public and then there is a a conference in Rhode Island in September that uh would be highlighting a an award ceremony as part of this. So, um wanted to mention that and also just were very happy, we're excited, we're um thrilled that it's we're getting such a such a high honor on this study that I know so much work went into um by staff and by the African-American Heritage Work Group and the consultants that went into this. So, um I wanted to relate that that really good news. And that is the extent of my updates this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you for sharing that. That is very very exciting. Do you commissioners have any announcements? Okay. With that, we've completed all items on the agenda for this meeting. There being no other business to come before this meeting and without objection, I will declare the meeting adjourned. And the next regular meeting of the HPC is July 7th. Thank you. >> Mhm.