It's nice being able to drive into downtown Minneapolis on a Monday, late morning, and have the road mostly to yourself. You sure don't see this in any of the other major U.S. cities. I love approaching the city from the south...you get a really great shot of the cityscape.
For a photo I took while downtown, see my other Minneapolis Real Estate Blog.
Built in 1913 by the Minneapolis Parks Board, the hill on which the tower stands was purchased in 1906 to increase water pressure to Prospect Park. It occupies the highest natural land area in Minneapolis. City engineer and Norwegian architect Frederick Cappelen designed the structure and gave it some Gothic flair by topping it with a Witch's Hat roof covered in green tile.
Easily known as the Witch's Hat Tower, the building stands 107 feet high and grants visitors some amazing views of the Minneapolis skyline and surrounding neighborhoods. When driving east on I-94 from downtown, you can see the "hat" peeking out of the trees. The tower was decommissioned in 1952, with plans for tearing the structure down in the works. Thankfully, when local neighbors got wind of the plan, they lobbied to save the water tower, which is now a wonderful neighborhood park and gathering area.
Tower Hill Park and the Witch's Hat Water Tower are now listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places, and is located at 55 Malcolm Ave SE.
To read more about historic places in the Twin Cities, visit my historic home blog.
Visit Bandana Square in Saint Paul
My son loves trains. Loves them. Anytime he sees Thomas the Train, he gets really excited and just has to grab it. If we are driving and see a train, we must stop, roll the windows down, so he can see and hear it. If he sees train tracks, we have to drive over them very slowly so he can feel the bumps. Of course, we love to oblige him because it is just too cute.
Now our second son has caught the craze and yells out "TRAIN" anytime he sees one.
If you need to get your train fix, then travel to St Paul and visit Bandana Square. It is an old train station used at the turn of the century, and is currently used mostly for offices and a Best Western Hotel. The complex is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Children's Museum was located here a few years ago too. It is a fantastic place to visit and see what an old train complex used to look like. Even though offices now reside inside, much of the original internal architecture is still present in the rafters and the exterior facades are in fantastic condition.
Take you kids to visit the Twin City Model Railroad Museum. It has scaled down displays of model trains and is a treat to see. If they love trains then it will be very hard to get them out of the museum. They also have a couple Thomas the Train activity tables where kids can play while you look around.
This weeks highlighted historic home is located at 476 Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
Built between 1883-1885, the home was designed by Clarence Johnston for Chauncey Griggs. As you can tell, it is surrounded by large trees, making it very difficult to get a good shot of the home. It is built in the Richardson Romanesque style, a very popular style at the time, at a cost of $35,000.
Returning to St. Paul after fighting in the Civil War, Griggs established a coal and lumber business with James J. Hill, then with R. W. Johnson, and finally with Addison G. Foster. His neighbor at 490 Summit Avenue, Mr. Foster, also had his home designed by Clarence Johnston.
Early photographs were taken of the home around 1888, and a very famous one from 1895 because of the children in the forefront, giving a good representation of period dress. The photos show the original look of the home, before some additions were made. The most notable change to the home is the removal of the front gable around 1940, being replaced by a huge skylight to give more light for its current owners, the St. Paul Gallery and School of Arts. The front porch that wrapped around the home has also been removed, making way for a ramp.
The current owners bought the home in 1982 and have been making many renovations to the home, bringing it back to its original splendor. You can imagine that over the years, many different types of interior design have graced the walls, so it is only understandable what a monumental task it is to restore the home. In 2004, the home was featured in the Summit Hill House Tour.
Some of the home features include "Grand hallways, twelve-foot ceilings on the first floor, majestic fireplaces, and a sweeping 26-foot high staircase... A unique carving of a cockfight adorns the fireplace in the music room and the dining room's white marble mantle is decorated with a geometric serpentine inlay (a symbol of endless happiness) ".
One feature some may not like is the reported haunted house events. Seems the home is surrounded by stories at reported here.
No one likes the government telling them how their home should look, but when it comes to historic homes, many neighbors applaud when the government intervenes. For decades, historic areas have been establishing committees to be watch dogs of historic districts. Here in Minnesota, they are called Historic Preservation Commissions. In other states they are called Architectural Review Boards.
In Florida, where we renovated a 110 year old Queen Anne Victorian, we had to go up in front of a tribunal called the Architectural Review Board. Let's just say, if the home is historic, than any renovations have to keep in the spirit of the home. They are ten times more strict than any commission here in the Twin Cities. Take for instance the 22 original wood windows in the home. Here in the Twin Cities, people can replace their homes with vinyl windows. In Florida, vinyl is not an option. The only thing we could do was replace with wood windows, which by the way, you cannot find at Lowe's. We had to have Pella windows custom make all the windows, especially the 9' floor to ceiling windows. Needless to say, they were not cheap.
Historic Preservation Commissions are a good thing. They allow for some or alot of design control, but how far their reach stretches, depends on the details in the local ordinances. Those that make the laws determine how "historic" a home must remain. Many times, the judgements passed by the HPC can be non-binding, with final approval given by the city. Other times the HPC holds the final say. It all depends on where you live and the local ordinances.
What has been your experience when going up against local historic boards?
To learn more about local commissions, visit the following websites:
Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Commission
Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission
Stillwater Heritage Preservation Commission
Minneapolis Real Estate specialist for Luxury Estates, Waterfront Properties, and Historic Homes in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. Visit my blog www.MinneapolisLuxuryRealEstateBlog.com
Jennifer is a licensed real estate agent in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida. She specializes in Minneapolis and Saint Paul Luxury real estate, Lake Minnetonka Estates, Minnesota Waterfront on Lake Minnetonka, Prior Lake, White Bear Lake, Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun, and Historic Homes of St. Paul and Minneapolis. She is proud to be a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, bringing her knowledge and expertise of the upper tier market to clients.
At the same time, Jennifer is no stranger to helping sellers and buyers fulfill their real estate needs for homes that fall into different categories and works with all price points. From multi-unit buildings to single family homes, Jennifer has sold almost every form of residential real estate there is. One special benefit she brings to clients is the ability to run a completely paperless business. Taking advantage of technology and using it to streamline transactions is an important trait that differentiates her from others in the real estate field. It takes more than just a website to help clients achieve their goals. Jennifer uses blogs, professional networking, MySpace, education, and advertising as part of her overall business plan to connect buyers and sellers.
Jennifer firmly believes that continually educating herself is the key to her personal success as a Real Estate Agent and the main reason her clients are so satisified with her during and after the sale of their home. While most agents are only taking the bare minimum classes mandatory to keep their license up-to-date, Jennifer is seeking out classes that dig deeper into various aspects of real estate. When education classes will not come to the state, she travels to them!
My Mission Statement
"While holding myself to the highest professional and ethical standards, I pledge to take my clients real estate success to new heights by helping them make prudent real estate decisions, and in the process, prove worthy of their trust and friendship so that I may become a long term friend and advisor."
My Minneapolis and St. Paul Real Estate Website
If you are looking to move to the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area, check out my website Fine Homes of Minneapolis . I am constantly adding information about St Paul and the Twin Cities, as well as places to explore, community information, sports and recreation, selling Minneapolis Real Estate, buying, and more! Don't forget to request a FREE Minneapolis Relocation Package!
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Blogs
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Education
Chemistry, B.A. Indiana University
Jennifer currently holds the following real estate Designations and Certifications:
Certified Residential Specialists comprise of the top industry professionals in the country. Only 4% of all Realtors in the nation have the production and education to earn the CRS designation. In Minnesota, only 3% hold the prestigious title and Jennifer is one of them. Home sellers and buyers can rest assured that CRS Designees subscribe to strict Realtor Code of Ethics, have access to the latest technology, and are specialists in helping clients maximize profits and minimize costs when buying or selling a home. Make sure your agent is a Certified Residential Specialist.
Knowledgeable professionals specially trained to provide high quality service to buyers and sellers of luxury homes and estates. The premier authority in training and certification for real estate agents working in the upper-tier residential market. Jennifer is one of only six agents in Minnesota that are members of the Institute. If you are looking for Minneapolis Luxury Real Estate, choose a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing,
The Resort and Second Home Property Specialist is a real estate practitioner who facilitates the buying and selling of properties for investment, development, retirement, or second homes in a resort, recreational and/or vacation destination. Jennifer is a Charter Member and one of only four currently in the state of Minnesota. Second homes are a specialty of Jennifer's, as she sells many waterfront properties along the Gulf Coast and on Minnesota's numerous Lakes. If you are looking for Minneapolis Real Estate as a second home, choose a Realtor with the RSPS designation.
The mark of a real estate professional who has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation. REALTORS® with the GRI designation are highly trained in many areas of real estate to better serve and protect their clients. Only a small percent of agents hold the designation. If you are looking for Minneapolis Real Estate, choose an agent with the GRI designation.
The Accredited Buyer Representative designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate practitioners who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria. If you are looking for Minneapolis Real Estate, pick an agent with the ABR designation to represent you.
Why choose an ePRO? All REALTOR e-PRO® Internet Professionals are REALTORS® who completed a rigorous certification program endorsed by the prestigious NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Real estate agents who have earned REALTOR e-PRO® Certification are Internet Professionals who have completed extensive training using the Web and means the real estate professional is prepared to employ the latest techniques and services for your benefit, just like you've grown to expect from a professional. Don't sell or buy Minneapolis Real Estate without your e-PRO certified agent.
** I am also in the process of earing the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation, which will further my knowledge on better ways to serve my clients internationally and abroad. Approximately less than 1% hold the CIPS.**
I chose to work with Jennifer because of all the Realtors who responded to my general internet inquiry concerning the sale of my home, Jennifer was the only one who responded quickly, thoroughly, honestly, and without reservation. She handled my special circumstances very professionally and made sure it did not hinder the sale. My home sold quickly and for top dollar due to her negotiation skills. Thank you so much! ~ Terrie Howard
The first day we met Jennifer it was raining cats & dogs.She stuck with us and showed us plenty of homes without batting an eye. Our experience with her was great! She is a "Real" person, caring more about us then getting paid, and showed concern and respect for us as new home buyers. Jennifer was a God-send and we are very grateful for everything she is as a person and everything she did for us as our Realtor. ~ Belinda Veroneau
I work with Jennifer's husband so through his praise I decided to sell my home through her. It was the best decision I made! I received more money and a faster closing than I expected due to her skill as a professional. She was even in her third trimester of pregancy and she didn't miss a beat! I move alot in the military and I can only hope to find another agent like Jennifer at my next duty station. ~ Randy Winge
We had a great experience selling our house. We sold it faster then expected and for the amount we wanted. You were there to answer all our questions and made the transaction go smoothly. We're loving our new condo which you also helped us find. Thank you! ~ The Murphys
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