Minneapolis Allows Destruction of their "Golden Mile"

Hello Friends. I want to share with you today a very sad story of a house that was callously allowed to be destroyed by a greedy, slimey,questionable lender/ "developer" and the City of Minneapolis allowing their history to be dumped into a landfill.

This home was located at 1925 Park Ave in Minneapolis.  Park Ave was set up to be the golden mile of Minneapolis and contained many fine mansions and estates.  Most of them have been torn down over the years, replaced with ugly concrete structures and lacking any respect for the historic context of the neighborhood.   The home at 1925 Park was not technically a huge mansion, but it was no less grand for the fitting place it held on the respected street of Park Ave.  Built in 1889 by George Hoit Company it was an impressive and respected structure which held down this corner for many years .  The interior of course filled with all the amenities a grand home could have. Gas lighting, quarter-sawn Oak, wainscoting  fabulous built-ins mantles, fireplace tiles and so much more.  This home was a fine example of Queen Anne architecture with many details.

An unscrupulous buyer who is a known shark lender targeting low income people and their neighborhoods in the cities purchased the property with three vacant lots next to it.  He must have been licking his chops at the idea of how much money he could make by selling the land to be developed into some big, ugly, modern building.  So the owner promptly filed for a demolition permit to the City of Minneapolis.  Since this street is not in a historic district, there was no process for the historical commission to comment on the house. Since there are several city officials who know nothing about historic properties, yet the city still feels them fit to hold the power to demolish historic structures, they are allowed to destroy any building they see fit. One man's pen can destroy 130+ years of history with his simple ignorance and lack of care.  John Smoley felt that the house wasn't historically significant and approved the permit WITHOUT EVEN STEPPING FOOT INTO THE HOUSE! Had this fool of a city official went inside he would have seen a fantastic home so well preserved that a restoration could have been done and completed on it within a very short time.  Sadly because of his laziness and ignorance we lost this house.

When the wrecking crew came in front of the house the old asbestos  tiles had been removed from the property showing clapboards, shingles, and trim and details in amazing condition.  Homeowners would kill to have an exterior restoration project as simple as this.     Inside the owner was interested in saving a few mere bits he removed with the crudest of tools and techniques.  Ripping off the fireplaces and tiles and saving a few doors the rest was left in the property to end up in a landfill.  In fact the owner placed a few photos of what he had saved with some rather snide remarks:

All this wainscoting was left to be destroyed and is now rotting in a landfill.

Actually there were more sets of pocket doors that were destroyed in the house. 

The owner states " I have for sale a houseful of oak! 
If you are a fan of HGTV, (Rehab Addict) you could buy the whole lot and just donate or give it to Nichole Curtis! It would make her day and you could maybe meet her! SHE SAID THAT THIS WOOD IS THE ABSOLUTE NICEST SHE HAS EVER SEEN IN THIS TOWN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEVER PAINTED! Might be just the thing for your house!
Fireplace surrounds to pics listed to Staircase to everything you could imagine!
CASH ONLY SALES! I would like to sell the whole lot! Obviously to the right person.

ALL OAK HAS NEVER BEEN PAINTED!!!!!! Quarter sawn 3d 

NO GIVE AWAY PRICING. This stuff is from 1880 and absolutely beautiful!!
It needs to be appreciated by people that can appreciate this stuff!

Interior of 1925 park ave south, Minneapolis. Contrary to popular belief, I did save what was not stolen.

MIGHT TRADE FOR AN ENCLOSED TRAILER BIG ENOUGH. Has to go on a Tahoe. NO 5TH wheel! 

thanks!
Barry Anderson"

and 

"I have for sale a ton of oak! Unpainted and 1880's gorgeous!

If you are not aware of how much this stuff is worth, this may not be the opportunity for you.
.
NEVER PAINTED!
Fireplace surround to pics listed to Staircase to everything you could imagine. Doors and window Crowns!
CASH ONLY SALES

ALL OAK HAS NEVER BEEN PAINTED!!!!!!!

The wood is from :
1925 park ave south, Minneapolis!!!

Described as Beautiful! (the nicest she has ever seen) by Nicole Curtis from hgtv!
By appointment...
Please E-mail me if you are a serious designer or just have serious interest.

thanks!
Barry Anderson"

Here is an article concerning the owner and his lending practices

Barry Anderson News Clipping: 

Now what's this mention of Nicole Curtis from HGTV? Well she along with several other people had been trying to SAVE THIS HOUSE! They even offered the owner $100,000 to purchase the house and move it. (The owner only paid $40,000 for the 3 lots so he would have made money), yet this idiot decided to tease her and the other community members along and in the end simply bulldoze the house and not make the money and let her move it. We can only speculate, but I would guess it's all out of spite. This owner is clearly one of the most vile people I have ever heard of.  So Nicole and several other people came to witness the vile destruction of a grand house.

Neighbors counter that the house was a known drug house, but I ask you who's fault is that? Why is the solution to tear down perfectly good homes? Why are we not going after the owners and people who rent to these scum who make the neighborhood worse? Why does the city feel empty holes are better than going after slumlords? Houses can be anything, but it all depends on the owner. The owner is what makes a property and a neighborhood be bad, NOT THE HOUSES! Be green people and save a house.  You will never find something like this again and now 30 dumpsters filled with beautiful old growth wood and trim to never been seen again. Our cities need to go after the OWNERS who make our neighborhoods depressed.  Excessive police calls, drug calls, property maintenance and  licensing  The city should not be giving licenses to SLUM LORDS.  Yes that's right I said slumlords and I can say it because I have managed over 200 apartments at one time for nearly a decade in some challenged areas and I always screened everyone I put in and any problems with police or drugs they were out immediately. It's not hard to be a good landlord, but it's even easier to be a piece of crap Slumlord like Barry Anderson. 

Beautiful font doors just being thrown away.

Just seeing all these beautiful materials that cost a fortune to buy now just being thrown away was very sad.  I applaud Nicole Curtis for standing up to this disgusting destruction.  I also want to same SHAME ON THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, SHAME ON THE OWNER BARRY ANDERSON AND SHAME on John Smoley for not getting off his ass to see this property.  I hope this can be a lesson and a line in the sand that communities will NOT stand up destroying our history.


If you like what you read and want to see this blog and projects keep going PLEASE feel free to donate something, even if it's only a little bit.  Every little bit helps on this restoration project. Thanks again!