The George W. Baird House is one of the most iconic homes in Edina. Built in 1886, it still stands to this day, lovingly preserved by its owners. Photos: Century Homes
New program recognizes century-old homes.
Edina’s Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) introduced a new project aimed at historic appreciation, environmental awareness and celebration. It’s called Century Homes, and it’s the city’s first official acknowledgement of homes in Edina that have reached an age of 100 years.
Jane Lonnquist, chair of the HPC, is enthusiastic about this opportunity to imbue the community with a greater sense of historic appreciation. “Homes have a personal history that often isn’t told but is often the most compelling,” she says. She adds that we often see municipal or other public buildings as the holders of historical meaning in a community, so acknowledging homes is unique.
The application for homeowners is kept intentionally simple. Homeowners are asked to share whatever they know about their house, including at least one photo, and pay $300 for a copper plaque. Lonnquist says the HPC does not want cost to be a barrier, and homeowners can be assured that there are options to bypass the fee.
The Century Homes model is not new. Other places have used it with great success, and Lonnquist saw it as a simple but impactful way to introduce a turnkey program that the entire community could benefit from, giving homeowners a tool and the “power to preserve.”
It’s not just about identifying old homes. Lonnquist says with Edina having many teardowns and rebuilds, the Century Homes program promotes environmental awareness. She says the common refrain is, “The newest house is the greenest house,” but she says that’s not always true. “There’s a ton of embodied carbon in materials and in demolition. New materials are great, but if you’re worried about carbon in the short term, renovating is the best case.”
Two other subcommittee members on the HPC, Ashwin Mahashwari and Mark Hassenstab, also worked on the Century Homes program.
“I think there’s so much celebration when things turn 100 years old. It’s an amazing milestone,” Hassenstab says. “It felt like there should be a monument, a badge of honor, that a home has made it 100 years in this time of teardown after teardown.”
Hassenstab is not only an enthusiastic HPC commissioner, but the owner of an almost-100-year-old home. He knows firsthand the challenges of owning an historic home. But he says that having a plaque as a reminder of its legacy will be motivating.
Mark Hassenstab’s home will soon turn 100. He is excited to get a plaque for his house.
“Having a little token for my home is exciting—every time you walk in that door, you’re going to see that token,” he says. “I think that will serve as a reminder.”
Hassenstab is a parent, too, and his appreciation for Edina’s built history is punctuated by consideration for future generations.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone. There’s no opportunity to rebuild a heritage site, like these homes,” he says. “There’s so much pressure for every inch of real estate in Edina. You have to fend this off because if you don’t, it’s gone forever. That means that the kids and the people who move here don’t ever have the opportunity to see these beautiful assets that have been here for 100 years or longer.”
The commissioners expect the program to organically evolve to include historic walking tours, community presentations and other educational events. Lonnquist says, “It’s a fun, easy program that promotes community connection, historic awareness [and] environmental awareness outside of this builder narrative. It’ll help people pause and think about the world before them. It’s a healthy thing to do.”
Century Homes isn’t the only project chronicaling the history of Edina homes. Visit our story about HouseNovel, which collects the history of houses through images.
