Single-car garage in Minneapolis transformed into ADU with West Coast flair

August's Home of the Month winner is an accessory dwelling unit that offers low-maintenance living and fits in with the Longfellow neighborhood.

By Laurie Junker For the Minnesota Star Tribune

August 24, 2024 — 8:15am

Leslie Seaberg has lived in the Longfellow neighborhood for nearly 30 years and loves her 1926 bungalow.

There's no place she'd rather be.

"I have incredible neighbors who are really connected with each other and engaged in the larger community," she said.

Working from home during the pandemic, Seaberg began to wish for a little studio in her backyard so she could still leave the house to go to work. Then she realized, with this new remote work reality, she could work anywhere and travel more.

That's when the idea of a lower-maintenance home began to take root.

"Having greater flexibility to work elsewhere became an attractive proposition I couldn't put down," Seaberg said.

With no desire to move from her neighborhood, she decided to replace her single-car garage with an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Seaberg interviewed a handful of architects for the project and selected Carl Gauley of Grayspace Architecture after being impressed with other ADUs he had designed. One of Gauley's challenges with Seaberg's property was its relatively short lot, which meant the new ADU would have to be closer to the main house than Minneapolis zoning code allowed, requiring a variance.

To soften the scale and impact of the structure and provide a continuous side-yard buffer, Gauley designed the ADU the same width as the house. He also didn't take it to the limit.

"It's 200 square feet less than what was allowed," he said.

This strategy, plus lots of communication with the neighbors, secured the approvals needed to move forward. The design also won the approval of the Star Tribune and American Institute of Architects Minnesota Home of the Month judges, who selected the project, dubbed "≥ADU," as a 2024-25 winner.

Gauley further reduced the visual weight of the structure with clever bump-outs and an angled roof with clerestory windows that make the interior feel spacious and light.

"A lot of houses in the neighborhood have these small bump-outs with built-in buffets that provide that extra bit of space, so we liked the idea of replicating that relationship," Gauley said.

He strategically placed additional windows to provide light and privacy, taking into consideration the ADU, main house and immediate neighbors. One of the small bump-outs is around the front door, a unique touch that makes the ADU feel like a truly independent living structure, not a bonus room in the backyard.

Once inside, an interior staircase leads to an airy studio apartment with a full-size kitchen, counter seating and a living space separated from the sleeping area by a screen wall. There's also an enclosed closet with a stackable washer and dryer and a full-sized bathroom.

"Leslie wanted a flexible layout so she could use the space as an apartment, office or art studio," Gauley said.

The bright and natural interiors of Sunset magazine partially inspired the interior finishes.

"I grew up on the West Coast and am drawn to that look," Seaberg said, adding she stained the cedar boards used on the ceiling and exterior herself, an activity that gave her a stronger connection to the project.

Below the apartment is a two-car garage with infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, part of a package of sustainable features. Others include energy-efficient LED lights, mini-split heating and cooling systems, a south-oriented roof for solar panels and a generous side yard for storm-water infiltration. The garage is an improvement on the previous space, where Seaberg could barely fit her compact car, canoe and scooter. Now she has room for all of them, plus a spot for her ADU tenant.

Speaking of tenants, Seaberg had no shortage of interested parties. Friends, co-workers and neighbors approached her even before construction finished.

"A lot of them were interested in doing the same thing on their property or had adult children who wanted to rent it," she said.

As a director with Project for Pride in Living, Seaberg wasn't surprised and is well acquainted with the shortage of affordable housing in the Twin Cities. Her work with the organization and the passage of the 2040 Plan in 2019, which made ADU projects more feasible, were other motivations for the project.

"I believe in affordability. I believe in density," Seaberg said. "I think community connection happens through proximity, and this was a way for me to put my beliefs into action."

She ended up renting to a colleague, and they've developed a nice rhythm sharing the patio and yard and encouraging their pets (three cats and one dog) to do the same.

"It's been so easy," Seaberg said. "We enjoy each other's company and still have a lot of privacy."

Down the road, when she retires, Seaberg can envision living in the ADU and renting out the main house for income, freeing herself from being in Minnesota year-round. But for now, it's just right: The same home and community Seaberg has enjoyed for decades but now with options for the future.