Looking for mid-century-moderns? Whether you are ready to buy or just looking to spend time exploring a neighborhood of cool mid-century-modern homes, Golden Valley is a good place to start. It was developed largely in the 1950s-1970s and had some residents with healthy housing budgets, so you will find many architect designed homes in some parts of Golden Valley.
If you are planning to buy, there is such a shortage of homes for sale right now that it is even more important to start by searching for neighborhoods that interest you so you know where to focus your search for a home to buy. I have clients buying a Golden Valley mid-century-modern right now, expecting to close in a few weeks.
Don’t know where to begin? The Minnesota Modern Directory, a map compiled by DOCOMOMO US/MN, is a great resource. While the directory isn’t a comprehensive list it can at least can give you an idea of where to start looking for mid-century moderns in Minnesota. The markers are colored based on the decade in which the house was built, with yellow signifying the 1950s.
If you want to explore Golden Valley, a good place to start is Tyrol Hills, primarily on the east side of the intersection of Highway 100 and I-394. When this area was developed, the highways were roads rather than freeways, and my understanding is the neighborhood extended across the freeways, from Highway 55 on the north through the South Tyrol neighborhood south of I-394 to Saint Louis Park… and from Theodore Wirth Park on the east to Xenia on the west side of Highway 100.
You can see the clusters of homes on the map, but you will find many more homes that aren’t on the map as you explore the neighborhood. The stars indicate homes that are especially noteworthy. (Click on the map to expand and click on the markers for details about the specific properties.)
For South Tyrol Hills exit from Highway 100 onto I-394 and exit south on Penn… follow the frontage road to South Tyrol.
For North Tyrol Hills exit from Highway 100 onto Glenwood… lots to see on the east side, both north and south… and a few south on the west side.
But don’t stop there. As you can see on the map below, there is a treasure trove of modern homes along the southwest corner of Sweeney Lake (exit at Golden Valley Rd, go east and south), and there are some exquisite MCM homes north of Golden Valley Road. In fact, I have clients closing on a MCM home in that neighborhood in a few weeks. Use the registry map to get you started, then just meander and see what you find!
In these coronavirus days of social distancing, a city road trip exploring interesting neighborhoods can be surprisingly satisfying… when you find an interesting area, get out and walk.
Ok, my geekiness is showing!
If you would like some geeky help searching for mid-century-moderns, contact us… we would love to help!
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
RELATED POSTS
-
- Golden Valley’s prestigious Tryrol Hills… hilly, pastoral neighborhood only 10 minutes to downtown Minneapolis
- South Tyrol Hills… small, private, exclusive neighborhood close to the city
- Walking the hills of Golden Valley… Tyrol Hills North
- Buying a Mid-Century-Modern house in University Grove
- Where to find Mid-Century Modern Homes in Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Mid-Century-Modern blog posts
