The Edina Heritage Preservation Board has bestowed its annual preservation award on numerous landmarks in the prosperous suburb since 2003—the iconic Edina Theatre sign at 50th and France, Southdale shopping mall, and The Convention Grill, among others. Several residential properties have also been recognized for historically sensitive renovation work and remodeling projects.
This year, a 1935 Tudor extensively remodeled and painstakingly preserved by homeowners Patricia and Doug Vayda and Rehkamp Larson Architects received the Edina Preservation Award. The transformation of one of the first houses built in the Arden Park neighborhood maintained the scale and proportion of the original home, while adding living space to the back of the site. The historic living room, with its vaulted, tongue-and-groove ceiling and brick fireplace, kept its prominent position on the front façade, while the additional square footage met the Vaydas’ needs.
Every detail was carefully considered by the homeowners and architect to keep the character of the home intact: the addition’s roofline, eaves, brick, doors and archways, and plaster wall finishes mimic the original. The project could be a case study in the art of maintaining a home’s historical integrity while improving function and adding spaces demanded for modern living.
