A Journal exclusive

It’s a house like few others, located just off 70th Street South and Keats. Not quite the Von Trapp family residence from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music from the mid-1960s, but not bad either.

More specifically, it’s the Cedarhurst Mansion once lived in by attorney Cordenio Severance and his wife Mary as a farm comprising hundreds of acres, before ceding many of those to build the present-day city of Cottage Grove.

Given access September 1 after showing up at a Council and staff tour, the Journal managed to get an exclusive look inside the property, with an email update from Mayor Myron Bailey on just what will be needed to preserve the local jewel. This, in part, is that summary.

“The outcome of the visit to Cedarhurst was that the building needs significant work to save it and to be reused as some type of venue in the future,” Mayor Bailey shared. “The main barns are not salvageable,” he went on, then balancing this with some good news. “However… the carriage/horse barn is in decent shape and they are looking at trying to save it to use on the site for some type of public use,” he wrote. “The home that is actually attached to the back south side of the mansion will be removed. it is not historic. It is currently being used as a kitchen for previous catering events. They do plan to add a new building in the same area that would be for a modern commercial kitchen for a possible restaurant use in the future,” Bailey said. As to nearby homeowners and meeting to discuss plans, Bailey had the following to say regarding the Cedarhurst mansion.

“I have actually met with a variety of homeowners in the area to discuss the most current design that turns the townhomes on the back side, removes the small buildings in the front of the mansion, and creates two 5-story apartment buildings along Keats Ave,” he said. “The one on the 70th Street Side would have commercial on the main level and apartments above it. Since they pushed them up to Keats, it takes them farther away from the single-family homes,” Bailey said as to development at Cedarhurst and the surrounding area.” That wasn’t all, as Bailey shared the feedback provided by residents around Cedarhurst as he had received it. “The current thoughts and comments by the homeowners is better than the original ‘box’ plan they had originally seen. They appreciated the fact that we are listening and adjusting the design to have a better look and buffer between the development and the single-family homes. I/We discussed better buffering, berms, trees and shrubs to make sure no lights are going into the back yards of the homeowners,” he said. So what’s the plan moving forward with the former Severance residence at Cedarhurst? Mayor Bailey had more to say on this as well.

“Going forward…I am not sure if there will be another neighborhood meeting or if the design plan will go before the Planning Commission and City Council in the next few month,” he said. “I have not seen a specific timeframe yet. There will be a public hearing,” the Mayor shared of Cedarhurst and its pending redevelopment. Reached for comment on the additional buildings end, Jeremy Novak from 360 Development out of La Crosse had more to say on the plans at Cedarhurst.

“We don’t have a name officially established,” Novak said, with a previous name offered at a June presentation being ‘The Square at Cedarhurst.’ Whatever comes to the forefront, though, 360 Development is listening and interested. “We will continue to listen and share with neighbors what the vision is for Cedarhurst,” Novak said of the La Crosse-based firm. As to a further public presentation of the plans, Novak had more to share.

“This will happen at some point,” he said of reinviting the public to another presentation. “We are still working on a site plan based upon feedback from neighbors, community members and elected officials. Through the planning process there will be several public meetings. The community sentiment on preserving the mansion is positive so that continues to be the focal point of the development,” he said. Novak concurred with Mayor Bailey that the farm outbuildings “will likely not be able to be saved” given their deteriorated state. So what of the mansion itself and future uses?

“There are several ideas, but nothing firm at this point,” Novak said of repurposing the Mansion from a private residence turned event venue into something more. “Our group thinks a ‘upscale’ restaurant is the best use, but we need to find an operator that is willing to champion that aspect of the project,” Novak said, adding, “Other uses are possible as well.”

In the meantime, the photos from inside Cedarhurst aren’t all that bad. Perhaps you have an idea of your own or know an operator willing to champion upscale restaurant use?

Whatever the case, ideas are endless for the old Cedarhurst mansion of Cordenio and Mary Severance off 70th Street at Keats, in northwest Cottage Grove.

Phones have a wider reach nowadays, but are they this elegant? If so, we haven’t seen them. Photo by Joseph Back

The Kellog-Briand Pact may have been ill fated, but the library is stylish—with an old school heating apparatus.Photo by Joseph Back

A carpeted stairway with knock out wall color leads to the second floor.Photo by Joseph Back

Making sure to use all necessary space, this stairway to the third-floor attic also has dresser drawers along with a closet.Photo by Joseph Back