FAQs • Edina, MN • CivicEngage

If an eligible property owner pursues Heritage Landmark designation, do they have to fix it up?: No. They may maintain the current look of their building, meeting the same local housing and building codes that pertain to all buildings in Edina. Owners of commercial properties may be eligible to access a 20% federal tax credit if they become listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which the State Historic Preservation Office can help them pursue.

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Heritage Landmarks

1. What is the process for becoming an Edina Heritage Landmark?: At the direction of the eligible property owner, Edina’s Heritage Preservation Commission can ask the Planning Department staff to prepare a nomination report. City Council then holds public hearings and can register new Edina Heritage Landmarks, which are protected from future destruction through an associated Plan of Treatment.

2. How does Edina Heritage Landmark designation affect the property owner?: If the owner wants to make significant exterior changes, they must get approval from the Heritage Preservation Commission, following the Plan of Treatment developed for that property. Each of these plans follows the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for historic preservation, with demolition prohibited except when safety is impacted. The HPC approval process ensures that proposed exterior alterations are compatible with the historic nature of the property.

3. If an eligible property owner pursues Heritage Landmark designation, do they have to fix it up?: No. They may maintain the current look of their building, meeting the same local housing and building codes that pertain to all buildings in Edina. Owners of commercial properties may be eligible to access a 20% federal tax credit if they become listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which the State Historic Preservation Office can help them pursue.

4. What happens to the value of a property that becomes an Edina Heritage Landmark?

National studies have shown that property values within historic districts tend to rise, as buyers value not only the district’s historic elements, but also protection from teardowns. Edina’s Country Club District is a prime example of this effect.

For individual properties, owners considering pursuit of Heritage Landmark designation must consider both losing their ability to sell their home to a developer for tear-down, as well as gaining the cache of being selected as a unique property that merits preservation for posterity.