While states in the Midwest such as Illinois and Wisconsin may be stippled with more Frank Lloyd Wright-designed projects than there are dimples on a golf ball, Montana is certainly not a state overflowing with the designs of the legendary American architect. In fact, there are only three buildings designed by Wright in the entire state, and that number may be dropping down to two in that not too distant future, Curbed reports.
One of Wright’s later buildings, designed in 1958 and not completed until 1959 after Wright had died, in the town of Whitefish, Mont., is at risk of being demolished if the Whitefish Architectural Review Committee decides to grant formal approval and a building permit for a new three-story commercial development on the site.
If formal approval is granted and a building permit is issued, Wright’s structure will be demolished and replaced with a three-story commercial development that includes retail space, offices, and four residential units on the top floor. The decision will be made when the committee meets on Dec. 6.
However, that meeting might not be as important for the Wright-designed building as initially thought. Not to eleiminate any dramatic tension, but the committee may have one less thing to consider come Dec. 6, as a story from the Whitefish Pilot posted to dailyinterlake.com, claims the developer has scrapped his plans for the commercial development amid backlash from the surrounding community and the Chicago-based Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy over the decision to demolish the Wright structure.
Mick Ruis, the developer who purchased the building for $1.6 million, tells the Whitefish Pilot he was unaware of Frank Lloyd Wright’s significance or the rarity of his buildings in Montana. He also says it was never his intention to destroy anything of any importance.
The 5,000-sf building was originally constructed as a brick and cast-concrete medical clinic with a brick fireplace, double clerestory windows and a 64-foot-long wall of floor-to-ceiling glass. Since its completion in 1959, some of the original details and features have been changed or removed. Ruis now plans to put the building back on the market at the same price he purchased it for; $1.6 million.
The hope is someone who will preserve the structure will buy it. In 2012, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but that does not protect it from demolition, meaning there is still a chance someone who will not be swayed by public opinion could purchase the building and demolish it. But, as of right now, it seems as though Montana’s count of three Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings will hold steady.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 19, 2023
World’s first prefab operating room with fully automated disinfection technology opens in New York
The first prefabricated operating room in the world with fully automated disinfection technology opened recently at the University of Rochester Medicine Orthopedics Surgery Center in Henrietta, N.Y. The facility, developed in a former Sears store, features a system designed by Synergy Med, called Clean Cube, that had never been applied to an operating space before. The components of the Clean Cube operating room were custom premanufactured and then shipped to the site to be assembled.
Performing Arts Centers | Jul 18, 2023
Perelman Performing Arts Center will soon open at Ground Zero
In September, New York City will open a new performing arts center in Lower Manhattan, two decades after the master plan for Ground Zero called for a cultural component there. At a cost of $500 million, including $130 million donated by former mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (dubbed PAC NYC) is a 138-foot-tall cube-shaped building that glows at night.
Codes and Standards | Jul 17, 2023
Outdated federal rainfall analysis impacting infrastructure projects, flood insurance
Severe rainstorms, sometimes described as “atmospheric rivers” or “torrential thunderstorms,” are making the concept of a “1-in-100-year flood event” obsolete, according to a report from First Street Foundation, an organization focused on weather risk research.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 13, 2023
Walkable neighborhoods encourage stronger sense of community
Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to interact with their neighbors and have a stronger sense of community than people who live in car-dependent communities, according to a report by the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego.
Sustainability | Jul 13, 2023
Deep green retrofits: Updating old buildings to new sustainability standards
HOK’s David Weatherhead and Atenor’s Eoin Conroy discuss the challenges and opportunities of refurbishing old buildings to meet modern-day sustainability standards.
Contractors | Jul 13, 2023
Construction input prices remain unchanged in June, inflation slowing
Construction input prices remained unchanged in June compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices were also unchanged for the month.
Government Buildings | Jul 13, 2023
The recently opened U.S. Embassy in Ankara reflects U.S. values while honoring Turkish architecture
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has recently opened the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The design by Ennead Architects aims to balance transparency and openness with security, according to a press statement. The design also seeks both to honor Turkey’s architectural traditions and to meet OBO’s goals of sustainability, resiliency, and stewardship.
Affordable Housing | Jul 12, 2023
Navigating homelessness with modular building solutions
San Francisco-based architect Chuck Bloszies, FAIA, SE, LEED AP, discusses his firm's designs for Navigation Centers, temporary housing for the homeless in northern California.
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Jul 12, 2023
Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings [AIA course]
Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.
Building Owners | Jul 12, 2023
Building movement: When is it a problem?
As buildings age, their structural conditions can deteriorate, causing damage and safety concerns. In order to mitigate this, it’s important to engage in the regular inspection and condition assessment of buildings for diagnosis.
