Education Restoration Preservation

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Recent posts:

Healy Block Residential Historic District – 3137 Second Ave So: Healy-Forbes House Healy Block Residential Historic District – Architecture Healy Block Residential Historic District – an Introduction Anders Christensen Receives Preservation Alliance of Minnesota Executive Director’s Award Anders Christensen’s Remarks on Receiving Preservation Alliance of Minnesota Award Healy Project Fundraiser at the Lowbrow, May 7th Winter Party Fundraiser December 2017 Talk: Preservation Advocacy, August 17th Open House at 1300 Mount Curve Avenue East Lake of the Isles Walking Tour May 21st New Research on the “Lost” Healy Block: Tour May 7th A Presentation on Master Builders Ingham and Parsons, Saturday, March 18th. Healy Project Winter Party Henry Ingham’s Yorkshire Healy Project Fundraiser at the Lowbrow, May 9th Healy Block Historic District Tour: April 17th Healy Project Holiday Old House Reception CANCELED–Healy Block Historic District Walking Tour–November 8 More Hauntings: Houses Built by Henry Ingham Healy House Hauntings Tour Intro to the History of the North Wedge North Wedge Architectural Walking Tour, October 3rd Healy Phoenix #2 Healy Phoenix #1 Report on the Event: A Great Dinner for a Good Cause A Child’s View of T.P. Healy’s Family Big Win for Healy Block Residents: Revised I-35W Expansion Plan T.P. Healy: Farmer, Commission Merchant & Wholesale Grocer in Nova Scotia Open April 25th: Restored 1885 House in Wedge Learn from the Past, Learn from the Present Grandstanding and Stonewalling at City Hall: Trashing the Public Trust Orth House Demolition An Open Letter to Minneapolis City Council Regarding the Orth House Demolition The Truth Will Out II: More Lies That Brought Down 2320 Colfax Avenue South The Truth Will Out: Lies that Brought Down 2320 Colfax Avenue South Judge Denies Injunction against Wrecking 2320 Colfax Avenue South Poisoning the Well: Testimony about 2320 Colfax Avenue South “City Ghosts” Visit Victorian House Historic North Wedge Walking Tour: Sunday, September 7th Combining New and Old: A New Vision for the Orth House A Place That Matters Healy Project Files Suit to Stop Demolition of the Orth House Happy Earth Day, Zero-Credibility City of Minneapolis Stop Demolition: Allow a designation study for the Orth House Perverting New Urbanism II: Greenwashing Demolition Perverting New Urbanism for Fun and Profit Size Matters: Development at Franklin-Lyndale DEN$ITY: Building Utopia in Gopher City Hypocrisy at City Hall: Planning Department Scorns Sustainable Development Déjà Vu All Over Again: Threats to Healy Houses Renewed Healy Project Special Kickoff Tour Saving Private Houses In Landmark Decision, City Council Stops Demolition of 2320 Colfax Avenue South What’s the Greenest Building? Who Lives in Lowry Hill East? Revoltin’ Developments VI: What You Can Do Revoltin’ Developments V: Sappy Citizens and Maudlin Attachments Revoltin’ Developments IV: Density and City Planning Revoltin’ Developments III: Density and Livability Revoltin’ Developments II: Healy Houses in the Wedge Revoltin’ Developments, Part I Healy Descendant Acquires the Bennett-McBride House On Memorial Day Lost Healys on the Healy Block More Lost Healys The Broom House: 3111 Second Avenue South More on Round Hill Happy Birthday, T.P. The Edmund G. Babbidge House: 3120 Third Avenue South Brightening the Corner: 3101 Second Avenue South 2936 Portland Avenue The Andrew H. Adams House: 3107 Second Avenue South Clones: 2932 Park and 1425 Dupont North The J.B. Hudson House: 3127 Second Avenue South Second Healy Family Home: 3131 Second Avenue South Schlocked: ‎2639-41 Bryant Avenue South 1976 Sheridan Avenue South: Preserved Exterior The William L. Summer House, 3145 Second Avenue South Two More in the Wedge Weapon of Mass Healy Destruction: I-35W Construction The Third: Healy Builds in the Wedge The Second: 3139 Second Avenue South Healy’s First House: 3137 Second Avenue South Anders Christensen, T.P.Healy, and the Healy Project

Schlocked: ‎2639-41 Bryant Avenue South

Healy goes back to the Wedge to build what used to be a Queen Anne.  Today, Healy’s design is visible only in the general shape of the house.

The front gable end showing new siding and windows in 2012.

Permit information:
2639-41 Bryant Ave. So.
28 x 52 Frame dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect: ” ” “
Builder:
B20046
8-22-89 / 10-1-89
Est. cost: $5,000.
Note that Healy uses uses punctuation to indicate that he is the designer of this house. The only time he does this on a permit.

New fenestration, asbestos siding, and the lack of original ornament insure that little of Healy’s design remains. Photo taken in 2011, before remuddling shown above on second-story facade was undertaken.
In June of 1889, Healy took out the permit for a house wrecked for I-35:
Permit information:
3132 Second Ave. So.
40 x 52 Frame dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B19302
6-22-89 / 10-1-89
Est. cost: $5,000.
This house is much wider than he is typically building at this time.
 The dates on the permits show that Healy is working on three different houses in two different neighborhoods at this time–Central and Kenwood.
An 1880’s house Healy designed and built with most exterior features intact. Original address was 1840 Sheridan Ave. So. The permit was taken out by B. R. Coppage. Healy would build another house for Coppage at 1912 Queen Ave. So. in 1891.

Permit information:

1976 Sheridan Ave. So.
32 x 48 Frame dwelling
Owner: B. R. Coppage
Architect:
Builder: T. P. Healy
B18834
5-22-89 / 9-1-89
Est. cost: $4,000.

 The north side gable end. This has undoubtedly been changed. Gable ends were typically covered with shakes. The little window is not original. This probably looked liked the gable end on 1425 Dupont Ave. No. in Old Highland:curves rather than sharp edges.
The front gable end window pattern: note that the central, larger window drops below rather than rises above, also, the decorated half round window cap that unifies the three windows into a unit. The second story porch has been added; the first floor porch has obviously been altered.
 
Northside, second story windows. This window treatment does not seem common for Minneapolis at this time. It seems archaic, like a leftover from the Italianate style. Is it something that Healy brought with him from Nova Scotia?
A The south side gable end. The top of the gable end projects out above the window, a common feature from this period. Note the window dressing, very elaborate, with the fancy corbel.


George Orff, the architect, signed the permit. He was working as a City official at this time.



Permit information:
3145 Second Ave. So.
30 x 50 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B17515
1-18-89 / 5-1-89
Est. cost: $6,000.
The Tudor front porch and side porch were added in 1908 according to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota brochure on the Healy Block.


The south gable end.
One of three original barns left on the Healy Block.

In 1888 Healy built two Queen Annes side-by-side on the 2700 block of Aldrich Avenue South.  Although both have been covered in siding, some details remain.

2745 Aldrich Ave. S. Healy’s Queen Annes of this period are typically twice as deep as they are wide.
The south gable end.

Permit information:
2745 Aldrich Ave. So.
27 x 57 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B16779
10-13-88 / 12-15-88
Est. cost: $4,000.

The elaborate window dressing on the front gable of 2745.

 To its south is another 1888 Queen Anne:

2747-2749 Aldrich Avenue S. We can’t see the detail on the front gable end, but Healy is not going to build identical houses next to each other.

Permit information:
2747-49 Aldrich Ave. So.
27 x 57 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B16778
10-13-88 / 12-15-88

Detail of south gable end.

Est. cost: $4,000.



Unusual second story window detail.                    

 In 1960, miles of homes on the west side of Second Avenue South were wrecked to permit the construction of the new Interstate highway, 35W.  Among those destroyed were half of the houses on the current Healy Block.

There are only two houses on the Healy building list from 1887: 3140 Second Ave. So. and 3142 Second Ave. So. This is where they sat from 1887-1960.
The view looking north on the Healy Block from 32nd Street.  At left is the strip of grass at the I-35W off-ramp.
Permit information:
3142 Second Ave. So.
28 x 45 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B13561
12-28-87 / 5-1-88
Est. cost: $4,000.

The site of 3106 Second Ave. S.
Permit information:
3106 Second Ave. So.
24 x 40 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B15363
6-14-88/11-1-88
Est. cost: $3,000.
He has gone back to a much smaller and cheaper house. House was wrecked in 1959 for I-35W

The site of 3108 Second Ave. S.

Permit information:
3108 Second Ave. So.
24 x 40 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B15364
6-14-88/11-1-88
Est. cost: $3,000.
2654-56 Colfax Avenue South, facade
T. P. Healy’s third house is hard to decipher under the asbestos shakes and added dormers and porches. This is his first house in the Wedge, Lowry Hill East. The streetcar line ran in 27th St. from Lyndale Ave.
The house from 27th Street.
 Permit information:
3142 Second Ave. So.
28 x 45 Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy
Architect:
Builder:
B13561
12-28-87 / 5-1-88
Est. cost: $4,000.
According to the permit for 2654-56 Colfax Ave. So., Healy expected to be done 2-1-87. 3140 Second Ave. So. doesn’t start until 9-15-87. There is a building boom going on in Minneapolis. We are probably missing a minimum of two houses from this time period, maybe three or four. The older houses often are in the path of development. They are likely gone. They were likely nearby.
The barn, still two stories, but sagging a bit in the middle.  

3139 is next door to Healy’s first house, shown at left. 

3139 Second Ave. So.                                                                                                  
Wood dwelling
Owner: T. P. Healy 
Architect:
Builder:
B7791
7-16-86/9-1-86
Est. cost: $3,500. 

 3139 Second Ave. So. is a fancier, more expensive version of the first house, which is to the north at 3137.

As to the partial tower attached to the south side of the house–original or added later to make the house more in line with the sexy curves of the 1890’s. The foundation looks original. If it was changed, it would have happened early.                                                                                                 

Very unusual roofline for Minneapolis at this time. Side gables with an offset, front gable dormer. The dormer projects out over an offset bay. The rectalinear, Eastlake front porch and the silo-slice tower balance everything back to the center. The round of the tower is attached to the house, not incorporated into the design. But we can already see Healy’s interest in balancing a variety of different elements. One of the reasons I find this house so pleasing is that I can’t think of another one like it.
Detail of the front porch.  

There is a small hand drawn floor plan on the permit. The partial tower is part of the original plan for this house.