10-06-10-PC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Shorewood Drive My Story I accepted a job in Arden Hills in the fall of 2001. It took me only a couple of hours, with the assistance of Yahoo Maps, to know that I wanted to buy a house on Shorewood Dr. It is an amazing, short, dead end street winding quietly between two lakes after passing by a soccer field and a stand of woods. I knew I had discovered the perfect, idyllic setting for my new home. My disappointment was the lack of a for sale sign in any yard. In the months prior to beginning employment in January of 2002 I watched for any house listing on Shorewood Dr. There were none. My first day on the job in dialogue with my new colleagues I explained that I lived at Fairfield Inn awaiting an opportunity to buy a home on Shorewood Dr. They laughed. But Garry told me of two of his friends that lived there that spent 10 weeks in FL each winter. He introduced me to them and I moved out of the Fairfield Inn and lived in Ben and Bobbi's home for tens weeks, while they basked in the Florida sun. Those ten weeks convinced me more than ever that I had to just bide my time until a house became available on Shorewood Dr. I alerted most of the neighbors of my desire to reside on the street. Doris, the matriarch of Shorewood Drive, called me in August while I was out of town and told me that her neighbor had passed away and that I should call his daughter. So, I made a rather awkward phone call and expressed my interest in purchasing her home. She took my name and number and told me I was number twelve on the list. I was crushed. Fortunately, with a bit of perseverance, I was privileged to purchase the home. I have considered myself very blessed to reside on Shorewood Drive for the past 8 years. We have neighborhood, backyard picnics together on the Fourth of July and Labor Day, as well as an additional open house or two during the year just to get together. Many of us regard our neighbors as some of our closest friends. We live in an age where the much needed spirit and meaning of community appears to be disappearing. On Shorewood Drive, we have developed a community; an important and meaningful community for each individual and family that calls this neighborhood home. While Presbyterians Home's proposal involves creating a potential new community, it would be wrong to create it in a way that harms an already existing community. Shorewood Drive is probably just one of the many wonderful neighborhoods in Arden Hills, but in our biased opinion there is nothing else like it in the twin cities. There have been two homes sold on this street in the last seven years. Both became available after the care needs of long time residents forced them to move. Neither house was listed with a realtor. Both houses sold very quickly, one within a day or two by word of mouth. The other sold within a few days after Jeri, a neighbor, placed a for sale sign in the yard. This proposal will significantly alter the character of our neighborhood. If there had been a 294,000 square foot building looming four stories above this secluded neighborhood eight years ago, then my story would read very differently. If you think this does not quite ring true, then come and take a walk through our neighborhood and enjoy the views of the two lakes and the many trees. You will quickly forget that you are in the twin cities. And finally, stop in at Doris' home for a cup of tea and she will share with you some of the marvelous stories that have come from living on Shorewood Drive for the past forty years. Peter Dybvad, 3151 Shorewood Dr. Arden Hills, MN