A crucial addition to this historic hotel retains an important piece of Minneapolis civil rights history while expanding capacity and services for current residents.

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CHALLENGE

Constructed in 1926, the Kimball Court Apartment building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for its association with the African American civil rights movement in the Twin Cities, as the site of a 1947 sit-in led by notable civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Today, the property provides critical supportive housing to St. Paul residents. In 2021, the non-profit owner of the property began planning for a significant addition and upgrades to the existing building. Because the project involved funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the renovation was subject to review by the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. In order to complete the Section 106 process and close on the financing for the project, the project’s potential impact on historic properties needed to be assessed.

SUCCESS

New History completed historical research and an architectural-history survey to confirm Kimball Court’s historic significance and identify all historic properties located within the project area. New History worked alongside the project team to avoid and minimize the project’s impact on Kimball Court and other identified historic properties. Ultimately, SHPO and other consulting parties agreed that the project would not have an adverse effect on historic properties, completing the Section 106 process and allowing the expansion and renovation to proceed.