Navigating preservation compliance supports the creation of affordable housing in Minneapolis.​

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CHALLENGE

Located amidst historic mansions in the Loring Heights neighborhood of Minneapolis, the Lydia Apartments provides critical supportive housing to Minneapolis residents. In 2018, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative began planning for a six-story expansion to the 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 close on project financing, the project’s potential impact on nearby historic properties needed to be assessed.

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SUCCESS

New History completed an assessment of effects to document the project’s effect on the surrounding mansions. When it was determined that mitigation would be required, New History assisted in the development and execution of the mitigation plan, including historic research and interpretation on the history of the site and neighborhood. New History’s research uncovered the property’s hidden, 130-year history as a private mansion constructed in the late 1800s and replaced with a nursing home in the 1960s. Ultimately, New History’s work allowed the project to complete the Section 106 process and proceed as planned, providing an additional 40 units of supportive housing to this Minneapolis neighborhood.