Real Estate

Does This Look Like a Home to You?

A complaint about a new 11th Avenue North home raises questions about how Hopkins can preserve its small-town charm as new homes replace old ones.

Mindy Woods recognized that the home was probably a done deal, but she stopped by the City Council meeting Tuesday night to make one final plea to halt the project.

Holding up a postcard advertising the 111 11th Ave. N. property, she worried the house wouldn’t sell because it’s priced over what nearby properties have sold for. But mostly Woods didn’t like the look of the home and didn’t think it fit the character of the neighborhood.

“I feel strongly—and everybody whose seen this feels this—that looks like an office building and not a home,” Woods said.

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The home is certainly not one of the traditional homes found in The Avenues, but Mayor Gene Maxwell said the city’s ability to dictate design is limited when builders don’t need a variance, as was the case with this home.

The issue is one that isn’t likely to go away, though. Hopkins and other inner-ring suburbs are filled with aging homes likely to be remodeled or replaced. Woods, herself, cited an article about Edina—where teardowns and rebuilds have been widespread.

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After seeing big houses dwarf existing ones, Edina wound up changing height and setback rules. Hopkins hasn’t faced that, but Maxwell did say the council could consider discussing the issue in a work session.

“Most cities in the suburbs right now are getting redeveloped, and old houses are getting torn down,” Maxwell said.



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