At $5M, Minnesota's largest for-sale condo offers luxe design and riverfront views

Lisa and Keith Helming took no shortcuts when it came to their condo.

When the pandemic stalled shipments of supplies, they waited. When big metal frames that now make up the solarium, staircase and mezzanine were installed, builders shut down the street below, craning in the large pieces through one of the condo's three balconies.

"We probably could have got it done sooner, but we just didn't want to push anything," Keith said of the nearly three-year project. "That way, the architects were able to take their time and get everything."

The couple had no issues taking their time. Both retired, they still lived in their house in Eden Prairie. Now, they've listed the condo at the Whitney Landmark Residences so they can move closer to their grown sons, who have since moved to Florida, and to also be closer to their granddaughter.

Spanning 5,776 square feet, the four-bedroom, five-bath home is the largest condo on the market in Minnesota. The couple hope to find someone who will appreciate its splendor as much as they have.

"When our son had our granddaughter last year in Florida, that changed our ideas about things because we wanted to be with her," Lisa said. "If I could pick up this place and move it down to Florida, I would. I absolutely love this place."

Redesign

When the Helmings purchased the condo, there were brick walls, uneven concrete floors and support posts throughout the space. Originally, the condo was two individual units that the previous owner had turned into one, Lisa said.

Though it was a "raw space," the Helmings knew they could design it however they wanted. Plus, it was in a convenient location by the Stone Arch Bridge with views of the Mississippi River and within walking distance to U.S. Bank Stadium for Vikings games or concerts.

They worked with Wayzata-based luxury builder Streeter Custom Builder starting in November 2019. It was completed in August 2022.

The Helmings originally purchased the condo for $3 million and estimate they've put another $3 million into building out the space. The hefty price tag included gutting the interior to fix structural issues, install steelwork and create custom designs.

Support posts throughout the house were the only things that Helmings couldn't replace, so the builders had to work around them.

"They were building rooms and closets around them, trying to get our posts in the wall," she said. "That was one of the biggest hurdles they had in the whole thing."

The couple's favorite part of the condo is a glass-walled solarium that overlooks the Mississippi with double doors that open to a balcony. Doors that lead into the room can be closed off and it feels like being outside, Keith said.

To make it feel more like an outdoor-indoor hybrid space, the couple also commissioned the builder to make a terrarium table, for $10,000, that has succulents growing under the glass tabletop.

"We had the glass and round bells made and the architects did an amazing job figuring out how to put this together," she said. "[Some of] the glass was inspired by the first World Fair in London."

Next to it, the primary bedroom has a canopy hanging over the sleeping space that was hitched up a few feet down from the 16-foot-tall ceilings to give it a cozier feel. The spacious attached bathroom has a rain shower and a smart television that appears in the mirror, a handy thing when getting ready for the day, Lisa said.

A big perk of the entire main floor is there are no thresholds even between the primary bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet area, making it accessible for wheelchair users. Plus, it has heated floors. By the stairs, there's a workout room where the couple have a framed jersey signed by former Vikings player Eric Kendricks.

Up the stairs, the mezzanine has another bedroom built with a glass wall, overlooking the solarium. Extra open space on the mezzanine is used by Lisa as an art studio.

Storied history

With the complete makeover of the home, the couple thought it was important to keep the building's storied history alive.

There's a seating area on the main floor with built-in desks, and cubbyholes the couple built represent the era when the building was the Whitney Hotel. (It was converted to condos in the early 2000s.) Lisa even found the hotel's original line of matches on eBay.

Then there's a statue she commissioned for $10,000 to honor the building's past as a flour mill, complete with a tiny Pillsbury Doughboy mascot.

"We knew when we were looking for a condo, we were going to build something that was finished. And when we came here, we could see the possibilities," she said. "It's so nice to see it finished."

Isaac Kuehn (651-238-1277, Isaac@drgmpls.com) of DRG Realty has the $4,999,900 listing.