I hear these words ring through my head as I drive by 2500 Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. A big fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, I can’t help but feel the need to scream “Save the Clock Tower”, or in this case, save a rare piece of architectural history from neglect. Yes, this Moorish home is located in a not so good part of town, but is there anyone out there willing to take the risk and save this historic home from further decay and vandalism?
As a real estate agent, I know that in today’s market, the buying of a home comes down to price for most people. When this home was first placed on the market as a foreclosure by Automated Realty, it was priced at $229,900, well below the 2006 purchase price of $385,000. It has recently been reduced to $208,900. But the location of the home is the main culprit for its lack of appeal. If it were located in Ramsey Hill of Saint Paul, or near the Minneapolis chain of lakes, the home would have sold in no time at all. So is it any wonder that there are no takers?
Built in 1883 by Charles Bardwell, the original design was as a Queen Anne Victorian and was located on a different site at 1800 Park Avenue . However when the new owner, Emil Ferrant, purchased the home in 1890, he had Moorish features added to the home which can easily be seen in the onion domes. It is now simply known as the Bardwell-Ferrant House and was registered on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984.
Before the home was bought and renovated in 1986 by Rolf Lokensgard, the once beautiful historic home was in disrepair. About $160,000 in renovations were put into the home and you can find stories about the renovation on other blogs. Please, someone, buy this house and save it!
Thank you so much for your post,
Jennifer…this is truly a unique
house as I’ve said on my blog
coololdbuildingsmn.wordpress.com…
and the tragedy is location, location,location…
She’s a heartbreaker isn’t she, the lovely pink palace?
If only she could be moved…
Very interesting to read in the
most recent Southwest Journal
the story of the $1 million dollar
Coe House on 3rd Ave So in Minneapolis…admittedly in much
better condition and location…
but a wealthy lady Ms. Givens
saw it, and will be transforming
it into a black history museum with bonds from the City and private funds…
Ahhh, if only, another wealthy
preservationist would see Bardwell-Ferrant and be as convinced as we that she must
be saved. If only.
The Bardwell-Ferrant house was sold
within the past two weeks. If anyone knows the final sale price
(it was reduced to $179,900) or who
the new owner is, let me know.
mdougla@pclink.com
http://coololdbuildingsmn.wordpress.com
Actually, it was taken off the market and relisted with Remax as of 12/19 (today). The price is now at $171,900 and is still for sale.
It sold for about $110,000
It’s going to beautiful when its done, I guarantee it. I know the owner and he is already in the process of choosing the exterior paints and it’s going to be a traffic stopper, well lets hope not considering how many cars travel down Portland ave!