When boutique condos were built at 301 Kenwood Parkway next to the Walker Art Center, there was a lot of mystique surrounding the building with just over a dozen units and million-dollar views.
Now, the only condo unit in the building that is multi-level and comes with a walkout is up for grabs. The 2,850-square-foot, two-bedroom, three-bathroom abode recently listed.
"This unit in particular functions as a townhouse in that you can walk outside right from your front door and that it has two stories," said listing agent Jessica Prudden. "Then there's the fact that the condo is basically walls of glass and has a second floor where you've got nice views of the Basilica [of St. Mary], downtown and the beautiful foliage."
When Brian Austin and his husband, John Knudsen, purchased their unit in 2003, they were one of the first residents to move into the eight-story building.
They loved the contemporary architecture, design touches such as solid cherry wood doors and paneling as well as the layout that included an eat-in kitchen and formal dining area. Nor did they have any complaints about amenities such as top-end appliances, floor-to-ceiling windows and the fact that the unit was two stories.
"It really allows for the upstairs, which is carpeted, to be quiet and private," Austin said. "And then downstairs, which is hardwood flooring, it's a more social setting with more great views out into the city."
The unit also features some private greenspace. There's a 500-square-foot patio, where hearty lilac bushes frame the perimeter to the secluded yard.
The location also sold them on the place. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is steps from the couple's front door. In addition to views of the Walker Art Center, the condo came with panoramas that included the downtown skyline.
"It has all that cadence of the city. You see people pulling up to the Sculpture Garden to take pictures with the 'Spoonbridge and Cherry,'" Austin said. "Then it's very outdoorsy where you cross the street and you're on the running and biking trail."
Knudsen said another great thing about 301 Kenwood has been the residents.
"It's very intimate with only 13 families living here," he said.
Neighbors are so friendly to the point that there are regular invitations, including to watch the Walker Art Center's famous Rock the Garden live music series from those with upper balcony units facing the festival grounds.
"It's a very welcoming community," he said.
The couple are selling the condo because Knudsen, a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for the past 30 years, is retiring, while Austin, a marketing and cultural insights consultant, can work remotely. As a result, they've decided to downsize, keeping their cabin for their local property while enjoying more time at their other home in Palm Springs, Calif.
In the meantime, they'll enjoy the picturesque views from their condo, especially from their favorite room, a second-floor workspace where the windows climb all the way up from the lofted living room below.
"It has the best views of the sculptures and city skyline," Knudsen said. "Yet when we're up here, it feels very private because of the way it was designed."
Jessica Prudden (612-875-4675; Jessica@pruddencompany.com) and Peter Prudden (612-805-5466; Peter@pruddencompany.com) have the $1.8 million listing.
