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Council approves small addition to Doeren Kemper house to support adaptive reuse as bookstore
Summary
After a public hearing, Eden Prairie approved a certificate of appropriateness and site plan review permitting a 165‑square‑foot restroom addition to the Doeren Kemper historic structure to enable adaptive reuse as an independent bookstore; the restroom will be accessible to bookstore patrons during operating hours.
The Eden Prairie City Council on June 17 approved a certificate of appropriateness and associated site plan review for a small addition to the Doeren Kemper historic house at Riley Lake Park to support an adaptive reuse as an independent bookstore.
City planning staff and the city manager described the property’s local heritage designation and prior restoration work. Julie (planning staff) said the project would add a 165‑square‑foot restroom on the south side of the building; that modest addition is the element requiring a certificate of appropriateness under the city’s local designation rules.
Julie told the council the structure was built in the 1850s, moved to Riley Lake Park in 2002 and restored; it was designated a local heritage preservation site in 2015. The Heritage Preservation Commission reviewed the request at its May 19 meeting and recommended approval; the council held a public hearing and received no public comment.
Council members asked whether the restroom would be publicly accessible; staff clarified the restroom would not be an exterior public restroom open when the building was closed. Instead, it would be part of the bookstore’s interior and available to bookstore patrons during operating hours. The council closed the public hearing and adopted the findings of fact, approving the certificate of appropriateness and site plan review for the restroom addition.
The decision allows the owner/operator and the city to proceed with the proposed adaptive reuse pending any building‑code or tenant improvement permitting required by the building official.
