10.Discussion of Downtown Historic District
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CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE. P.O: BOX 147. CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937-1900. FAX (612) 937-5739
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM:
Kate Aanenson, Planning Director
DATE:
October 22, 1997
SUBJ:
Downtown Historic District Draft Plan
Attached is a draft of the Chanhassen Historic District Plan. The purpose of this item being
placed on the agenda is to get consensus on the general direction the plan is taking, and no formal
action is being requested at this time. This plan needs to go to the Planning Commission for a
public hearing and then back to City Council for final approval and adoption.
November 1997
City of Chanhassen
Historic District Plan
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STUDY AREA
INTRODUCTION
During the last several months there have been some significant changes that affect the
development and appearance of the "historic" area of Chanhassen. The most significant
of these changes is the relocation of St. Hubert's School and Church. This site now has
the potential for redevelopment. The city also owns the PaulylPony/Przymus site. The
old building was removed and now has the potential for redevelopment. The old train
depot has been relocated to a historically accurate site. The city's most important
historic buildings are in this area: the old St. Hubert's Church and the old Village Hall.
The purpose of the this study is to identify those uses that are changing, identify land use
alternatives, and describe design standards. With the potential for significant changes in
this "historic" area, now is the time to consider land use and design of this area. Any
new development or redevelopment requires a design that can enhance the historic
culture of this area and become part of the city's heritage.
The study area is bounded on the south by the railroad tracks, on the north by Chan
View, on the west by Great Plains Boulevard, and the east by Erie Avenue. The zoning
of the area is a mix of residential, office institutional, and commercial.
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BH, Highway Business District
D RSF, Residential Single Family
. R12, R.esiden~ial.High Density
1:....1 01, Office Institutional
_ CBD, Central Business District
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A
Historic Downtown Area
. create a strong relationship between buildings, pedestrian spaces and the street
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Chanhassen Historic District Plan
Page 2
VISION 2002
In the fall of 1994, the City completed a study of the downtown area. This study was
called Chanhassen Vision 2002 - Focus on Downtown. The study reviewed the roots of
the development of the downtown laid out guiding principals for development and
building blocks to make the concepts happen.
Some of the recommendations for the Vision 2002 Plan include:
. recognition that downtown contains historic features which are important to the
community
. create a city commons that is the focus of the community's culture
. mix uses in the downtown encouraging people to visit at different times and for a
variety of reasons
. Recommend design for downtown
. form a compact center by creating a series of rooms throughout the downtown
. complete pedestrian connections that lead to and through the downtown
. create a distinct downtown district through architectural forms and shape of
vegetation
. reinforce the sense of the streets as a room by reflecting the setback of existing
building in a new development
. locate buildings close to the street, with parking behind or beside the buildings
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. offer pedestrians safety and convenience by providing entries from both street
and parking area
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Chanhassen Historic District Plan
Page 3
. select building practices and architectural elements to reinforce the historic
character of West 78th Street
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Goals that speak to the development of the downtown are the following:
. Chanhassen will encourage the preservation and adaptive reuse of structures of
historic and architectural significance
. Provide park and open space facilities that emphasize accessibility and use by
Chanhassen residents
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Old St. Hubert's/Cemetery/Old Village Hall
Chanhassen Historic District Plan
Page 4
EXISTING USESILAND USE
Colonial Center
This development was building was constructed in the 1960s and is a very traditional
strip center. Most recently, School District 112 and St. Hubert's Catholic School used
the old Mason Building portion of the center for an elementary school room. Currently,
Westwood Church is in the center as well as a dry cleaner. The City of Chanhassen owns
the parking lot in front of this building. Chanhassen Medical Arts Building has been
looking to expand an additional building on this site. All new buildings on this site
should be moved closer to the street.
St. Huberts's School and Church
St. Hubert's School and Church have relocated to Village on the Ponds, the development
south of Highway 5. The old church and school site is 4.58 acres. The property is zoned
01 (Office/Institutional). The 2000 land use plan for this site remains Or. This property
includes two houses that were used by the church and school. Both of these homes have
access off of Frontier Trail. There is a home located on the northeast comer of the site
that is not owned by the church and that lot is approximately 10,000 square feet. The
buildings on the site are not "historic" in their architectural design. The school was built
in the 1950s and the church was built in 1976. Housing is a potential land use that would
fit on this site. Ifthe property were to be use for housing it should be a housing type that
meets a need of the city's housing goals including rental or senior housing.
Country Clean
Currently on the site is a laundromat. This site was zoned high density residential but
was changed a year ago to office institutional. The purpose of the change was to allow
for office use at this site because of the size of the parcel (0.30 acres) as it was difficult to
develop residential. To date, this parcel has not be converted from the laundry to office
use.
Schlenk Residence
This property is 1.75 acres in size. The current zoning is RSF (Residential Single
Family). The 2000 land use plan for this site is medium density residential. The home
on this property is not historically significant, although it was probably built in the 1940s.
Residential development that occurs on this site should be a townhouse two-story type
that has front porches and detached garages to the rear.
Chanhassen Historic District Plan
Page 5
This site is 1.74 acres in size. The underlying property is owned by the Catholic Church.
The site includes the Old St. Hubert's building, the Old Village Hall and the Catholic
Cemetery. This area makes up a significant portion of the "historic" area. The Village
Hall was built in 1898. Old St. Hubert's was built in the l860s. Both of these buildings
have historic significance. The steeple on the church has become a landmark in the area.
The site lines to the steeple should be maintained. The cemetery has additional burial
plots and as a use it will always remain as a cemetery.
Klingelhutz Building
The parking lot for this building is owned by the City of Chanhassen. The
Klingelhutz/Wilbar building on the site is being used as an office building. The property
that the building sits on is one-half acre in size. While this building is not architecturally
significant, it is historically significantly, as it was built in 1888 by the Geiser family for a
carpentry shop. The property is zoned 01 and the 2000 land use plan guides this property
as commercial. If the utility of this building diminishes and something else is proposed
for the site, this building should include a unique historical/architectural design.
PonylPaulylPrzymus site
The property is owned by the HRA. The parcel is 1.15 acres in size. The building has
been removed and the site is currently vacant. The current zoning on the site is
commercial. The site is at the southeast comer of West 78th Street and Great Plains
Boulevard. The 2000 land use guides this property commercial. Because this property is
in close proximity to the original church building, the original Village Hall, and the
Klingelhutz building, consideration needs to be given not only to the design but also
height. There has been some discussion among members of the community about leaving
this property as open space. Because it is on a major comer, it may not be the best site for
the preservation of open space. If a building is located on the site it should be a design
that compliments the area and is in close proximity to the street. Street furniture should
be used to "warm" the comer. If the site is left for open space (a pocket park), there still
needs to be street furniture, sculpture or artifacts to depict the culture of the area and
bring people to the area and continue the pedestrian linkage.
Pauly home
This home is located on the northwest comer of West 78th Street and Frontier Trail. The
house was built in early 1900s. The home is zoned residential and the 2000 land use plan
guides the property residential in the future. There has been pressure to change the use
of the building to office. The introduction of an office use into this home may change the
character of the rest of the homes along West 78th Street.
. Parking lots - parking lots shall be located behind buildings. All parking lots
shall be landscaped consistent with city's parking lot design standards.
Chanhassen Historic District Plan
Page 6
DESIGN STANDARDS
Additional design standard alternatives:
. Street trees and landscaping - trees should be planted in the boulevard and the
requirement of planter boxes with flowers and shrub species should be consistent
with the city's zoning for streetscape.
. Street furniture - furniture should be convenient to gathering places, building
entrances and exits, and transit.
. Sidewalks and trails - a building should have access on sidewalks, buildings and open
spaces should be connected by sidewalks or trails to encourage pedestrian movement,
trail design and sidewalk design shall be consistent with the city design standards.
. Public spaces - public spaces should be encouraged and maintained in this area.
Currently, the plaza in front of the old church and Village Hall serves this purpose.
Continuation of this theme should be encouraged.
. Building Architecture
. General height - 35 feet (except the for the pitch of the roof or steeples) roofs
should be pitched to match the old church and Village Hall and blend in with
the surrounding residential uses.
. Rooffenestration/modulation - windows and openings shall be placed on the
street side and their placement and design shall match the existing "historic"
architecture.
. Materials - the primary material in this area is brick and with some wood.
The principle material shall be brick and wood used only as a support
material.
. Signs - all signs shall be limited to monument, low profile or wall mounted
only and consistent with the city's sign ordinance.
1WrNCrrIEsHOUSINGDEVELOP11ENT CORPORATION
Phillips Place
Designer: Dovolis, Johnson, Ruggieri
Contractor: Steenberg-Henkel Construction
Company
Property Manager: The Parliament Company
1997 Rent: $425 for two bedroom
$500 for three bedroom
Developed by Twin Cities Housing
Development Corporation
and Phillips Neighborhood
Housing Trust
1901-1915 13th Avenue South
1305-1319 East 19th Street
1900-1912 14th A venue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nine 2-bedroom townhomes,
942 square feet each
Fourteen 3-bedroom town homes,
1,345 square feet each
Built: 1988
Financing provided by:
Aetna
City of Minneapolis
Minneapolis Community
. Development Agency
Limited Partner: National Equity
Fund
Incorporating two older buildings
into the redevelopment of nearly a
square block in the Phillips neigh-
borhood, Phillips Place was
awarded a Committee on Urban
Environment award for the quality of its design.
Special Features:
Full basements
WasJ1e1/dryer in each unit
Organized as a Minnesota leasehold cooperative
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all its own-an animus that has enabled it to metastasize into every
organ of our cultural body, from films, cable Tv, broadcast news, and
print journalism to retail stores, resorts, cruise ships, SpOrts, cloth-
ing, toys, and books. What brought Eisner to Celebration was the
launching of Disney's latest consumer product: an instant old-fash-
ioned community of the chatting-over-the-garden_fence, bring-
your-neighbor-a-pie variety. You've heard of theme parks, theme
shopping, and theme dining--even themed historic districts. Well,
Disney is now selling themed living.
As has been widely reported, the town of Celebration, Florida, is
rising from 4,900 acres of Disney property just down the interstate
from the Magic Kingdom. Planned for an eventual population of
buildings" by other notables, including a whimsical Deco-style cin-
ema by Cesar Pelli, a rather dull post office by Michael Graves, and a
"town hall" by Philip Johnson (a brick box in a forest of fifty-two
white posts-"columns" is too grand a word in this instance). Hous-
ing, which can be had in one of four price groupings (from town
house to estate) and in one of six architectural styles CClassical, Vic-
torian, Colonial Revival, Coastal, Mediterranean, and French") is
being built in accordance with a pattern book prepared by Urban
Design Associates of Pittsburgh. EDAW of Alexandria, Virginia,
served as the landscape architects for the project.
Like the traditional neighborhood developments pioneered by
Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk on which it is clearly
000 and estimated to COSt a total of$2.5 billion to
ld, Celebration welcomed its first residents this past
mer and the downtown commercial spaces were
tlyoccupied by midaurumn. Managed by The Cel-
tion Company, the town represents the COrpora-
's first vennlre into residential real estate develop-
t. Like all of Disney's recent building projects, it is
york of prominent designers whom Eisner-with
tended humor-termed "boutique architects." The master plan
evised by Cooper, Robertson, & Partners and Robert A.~L Stern
itects; both firms also desi~ned what Stem. on an architectural
that was part of the inau~ural festivities. called "back~round
ings" in the downtown. The village also features "si~narure
PRETTY AS as a picture: based (indeed, they served as early advisers to the
Pastel hues, palm trees, project), Celebration is a cut above your typical sub-
loggias, fountains. and street urb. It already shows greater variety in architectural
fUl"'/ishings imbue the town form than the average subdivision-and a greater
co:!er, above and opposite, commitment to nurturing the public environment.
/. -ith the ambience of an Houses are close together and close to the street to
Icscale Canbbean resort. foster neighborliness and to encourage walking; most
~- have front porches or verandas to bridge the private
and public zones. Many of the neighborhoods are organized around
shared squares, lawns, and playgrounds; the streets are lined with
shade trees. The village fronts a large lake; nearby is a handsome
nine-acre park that includes a pool and tennis courts. Beyond the
village is a 4, iOO-acre wetland that will remain undeveloped. The
I 79 I
people downtown is considerable. What we may think of as a cap-
tive market isn't all that captive."
To understand what is happening to downtown Louisville (and
to other American downtowns) a good Baedeker is the writings of
Louisvillian and commentator on the urban environment, Grady
Clay. In his latest book, Real Places (University of Chicago Press,
1994) Clay devotes a section entitled "The Death and Life ofCen-
trality" to prospects for the survival of downtowns (Clay calls them
generically "The Center") like Louisville's.
Although Clay has no illusions about the erosion of The Center's
importance and the emigration of many of its functions to subur-
bia, he nevertheless maintains that American downtowns are far
from obsolete. "If you draw lines on a map that connect all the ma-
jor power centers of a metropolitan area," writes Clay, "-its daily
commutes, its delivety routes, mail and message flows, electronic
money transfers among banks, the offices and home addresses of
the Movers and Shakers--one visible tact jumps off the maps. Most
lines still converge at The Center."
Clay adds that "the roots of ancient monopolies-geography,
status, and control-still run deep under many a downtown....
Especially in the eastern and southern cities, old-family and corpo-
rate elites join forces to keep The Center alive." This is what seems
to have happened in Louisville, where local movers and shakers have
formed the nonprofit DOC, which works
with the city to keep the downtown vi- 1HEHANDSOME
ble as a center for offices, conventions, and three-block streetscape
uisville's booming health-care industty. opposite is an anomaly in
One of the DOC's ongoing concerns is LouiSVIlle, as is Fourth
he creation of a more pleasant outdoor am- Avenue, right, which was
ience for the 60,000 people who inhabit turned into a pedestrian
OWntown between nine and five. To this mall in the early 1970s.
nd the DOC and the city have focused con- Despite its appealing
iderable energy on what has come to be design it has failed to
alled "place making." The latest install- attract shoppers and wtll
ent in this process was a charette that be returned to auto use
k place on May 18 and 19. Participants as shown below.
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included five consultants who have been working on specific projects
in Louisville during the past five years: archieect and urban designer
Bob Brown of Brown & Keener in Philadelphia; Dennis Carmichael,
ASLA, of EDAW in Alexandria, Virginia; Carol Johnson, FASLA, of
Carol R. Johnson & Associaees, Ine. (CR)A), of Cambridge, Massa-
chusetts:Jack Mackie, a Seattle-
based public artist; and Lajos
Heder ofHarries/Heder Collab-
orative, Cambridge, Massachu-
seees-based urban designers and
public arcists. They were joined
by local architece Norman Berry
and John Begley, ehe executive
director of the Louisville Visual
Arc Association.
Given ehe difficulty of creat-
ing memorable places anywhere,
the chareeee raised a rather large
queseion ,lC ies outset: C'ln even
the mose ehougheful design
interventions really invigorate
the pedeserian realm of a bland,
auto-oriented downtown in a
conservaei\'e American cieyl
This c!urecce began, as char-
'" ecces ofeen do, wieh a guided
"awareness walk" ehae focused
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