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Committee sends contested John Cook House demolition appeal to full council without recommendation
Summary
After hours of testimony from neighbors and the property owner’s attorney, the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee voted Nov. 13 to forward an appeal over the John Cook House (948 18th Ave. NE) to the full Minneapolis City Council without a recommendation, citing competing preservation and public-safety arguments.
The Minneapolis City Business, Housing & Zoning Committee voted Nov. 13 to forward to the full City Council—not to approve or deny—an appeal that seeks permission to demolish the John Cook House, a designated historic landmark at 948 18th Avenue NE.
Neighbors and preservation advocates argued the 19th-century house remains salvageable and is essential to neighborhood character. “This property deserves to be cared for and the owners held accountable for the safety of that property and the community,” said Amanda Temple, a nearby resident who has monitored the site for more than two decades.
The property owner’s attorney, Jacob Steen, replied that prolonged enforcement and fees have made rehabilitation economically infeasible. “The memo underscores that this has not been demolition by neglect, but in fact, demolition by red tape,” Steen said, noting roughly $73,906.85 in fines assessed since the building was placed on the vacant-building registry in 2014.
CPED staff told the committee the property has been on the vacant building registry since 2014, was condemned in 2020 and designated a historic landmark thereafter; prolonged vacancy enforcement has been in effect since Dec. 3, 2024, and the PVE monthly charge is currently $2,000 per month. Brian Starry of Regulatory Services said the department paused ongoing PVE citations while the appeal was pending, meaning staff did not assess the $2,000 citation this month pending the council decision.
Committee debate reflected a split between members who emphasized community preservation and those who said the house presents an immediate public-safety problem and that no financially feasible rehabilitation plan had been presented. Chair Jamal Osman withdrew an initial motion to grant the appeal and instead moved to send the appeal forward without a committee recommendation; the motion passed on a roll call (4 ayes, 2 nays).
The full City Council will consider the appeal at its next meeting; committee members directed staff to support findings regarding safety and feasibility for the council record.
What happens next: The appeal will be heard by the full council on the date announced by the clerk, where members can affirm, reverse, or add conditions to the committee’s action.
