About
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Address: 215 Broadway Street N.E.
Neighborhood: Sheridan
Construction Date: 1895; 1905; 1914
Contractor: Unknown
Architect: Corser; Kees and Colburn
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Historic Use: Public - Care facility
Current Use: Private Residences
Date of Local Designation: 1979
Date of National Register Designation: 1978
Area(s) of Significance: Architecture; Social History
Period of Significance: 1800-1899, 1900-
Historic Profile: The Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order dedicated to serving the poor, came to Minneapolis in 1889 for the purpose of building and supporting a home for the aged. A three and one-half story yellow brick building with an attached chapel was designed by Corser in 1895 on a site between Second and Third Streets on Broadway Avenue. The aesthetic quality of the exterior reflects Corser’s belief that a building’s design depends more on scale and proportion than elaborate ornamentation. By 1905, more space was required, and a large, east side wing was designed by Corser to reflect the original design principles. In 1914, the westwing was added and, while it was designed by a different architecture firm (Kees and Colburn), it is almost identical to the east wing. The Home for the Aged was maintained by the Little Sisters of the Poor for 82 years with gifts and financial support from the Minneapolis community. In June 1977, the Sisters and their patients moved into a newly built home located in Saint Paul. The old home has outlived its use as a home for the elderly, but has undergone renovation to convert it into a 71-unit apartment complex.
Photo Credits:
1967, Norton and Peel, courtesy of The Minnesota Historical Society
2006, Minneapolis CPED
Works Cited:
"National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form," December 1977.
Updated: February 2007