2003 - Baird House

Location


4400 W 50th Street

First Recipient


The Baird House was the first recipient of the Edina Heritage Award in 2003, recognizing the attention to detail and the historic integrity of the home when adding an addition to the rear side.

Historical & Architectural Significance


Built in 1886, the house was designed by the prominent Minneapolis architect Charles S Sedgwick. A well-known community landmark, the house was unquestionably the most imposing residence in nineteenth-century Edina. The historic home is a two-story, red brick, Eastlake style cottage.
Baird House
Viewed from West 50th Street, the house has a striking silhouette, with multiple roof shapes, dormers, a square tower, a large front porch and tall brick chimneys. The exterior finishes are embellished with stone window trim, transoms, wooden shingle "feathers" in the gables and belt coursing. The raised front porch features wooden posts and balusters, with a pediment over the entrance.

Currently, the property is in an excellent state of preservation, thanks to investments in rehabilitation made by the previous and current owners. The house received a 3,500 square foot addition in 2002 to 2003, including a garage and living space attached to the rear elevation. The new work is compatible in scale, color and texture with the original construction and does not detract from the property's historic character when viewed from West 50th Street. The historic property comprises a 1.7 acre site that is surrounded on all sides by suburban residential development.

Heritage Landmark Designation

Originally included in the City's heritage preservation overlay district in 1976, the George W Baird home was again re-designated an Edina Heritage Landmark in 2004 to comply with the updated zoning ordinance addressing landmark designations. This landmark designation recognizes how over time, the home has retained historic integrity of those features necessary to convey its historical and architectural preservation values. A plan of treatment was created for the property in partnership with the owners to provide assistance in planning for the property's future.