Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District design guidelines update

The City of Minneapolis is updating the 1976 design guidelines for the Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District.

We received a federal grant and hired Pigeon Consulting and TEN x TEN to:
- Lead community engagement
- Draft new design guidelines
Design guidelines help ensure that the historic district retains its historic character. They affect changes to:
- Buildings
- Structures
- Landscapes

The district includes:

From 2021 to 2022, a consultant team researched and updated the inventory of properties in the district.

Determinations:

The district’s period of significance is 1863 to 1939.
Properties built during this period are contributing.
Properties built, significantly changed, or moved after this period are non-contributing.

Individual inventory forms are available upon request.

In the spring of 2023, we asked people to share feedback in community meetings and focus groups. Thank you for taking part in these meetings.
The consultant team completed a draft in June 2023, and public comments were submitted and reviewed in July.
Staff reviewed and edited the document and presented it to the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) on November 28, 2023, for discussion.
The Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office reviewed the draft.
The HPC adopted the updated design guidelines in a public hearing on June 18, 2024.

Photo: William Washburn’s Fair Oaks Estate, circa 1890, courtesy of Hennepin County Library’s Special Collections department.