Council approves small addition to Doran‑Kemper house for bookstore reuse

The Eden Prairie City Council adopted a resolution Tuesday approving a certificate of appropriateness and related site plan for a 165‑square‑foot restroom addition to the Doran‑Kemper house in Riley Lake Park, clearing the way for an adaptive reuse proposal that would allow the site to operate as an independent bookstore.
The council’s action follows a May 19 recommendation by the Heritage Preservation Commission and the city’s routine public hearing process for changes to locally designated historic properties. The council vote approved the findings of fact and the certificate of appropriateness.
Rick Getchell, city manager, reviewed the property history: the structure dates to the 1850s, was moved from 18925 Pioneer Trail to Riley Lake Park in 2002, restored in 2006 and formally designated a local heritage preservation site in 2015 with boundaries coextensive with the Riley Jakes Farmstead preservation site. "There have been infrastructure upgrades (electrical, water, sanitary sewer, HVAC) and the proposed restroom addition is the piece that requires certificate of appropriateness review," Getchell said.
Julie, planning staff, and project materials describe the addition as a 165‑square‑foot enclosure on the south side of the house. Council members clarified the restroom would be part of the bookstore operation and available to the public only during bookstore hours, not a separate exterior public restroom. Several council members compared this request to previous approvals for historic properties that included small additions to enable continued public use.
With the council’s approval, staff said the project may proceed to site plan implementation and leasing discussions with potential operators. The restoration and small addition are intended to support continued public access and programming at the site while preserving its historic character.