Issue 343 February 1st 2023

The Headlines

What's Wrong With The Kalita Humphreys Theater Restoration Master Plan?

The Dallas Park and Recreation Board was supposed to hear a briefing Jan. 26 on the Kalita Humphreys Theater Master Plan — but that didn’t happen. In fact, sources close to the project tell us such a meeting has been delayed until March at the earliest, and possibly as late as summer.

District 14 Park Board member Rudy Karimi represents the area on Turtle Creek Boulevard where “the Kalita” has been home to the Dallas Theater Center since 1959. Karimi said he was told the Dallas Theater Center asked for more time to review the latest master plan proposal.

“Presumably, this is a result of the current proposal’s recent criticism by the press, the City Council’s quality of life committee, myself, and many others,” Karimi said.

Karimi spoke with the Dallas-focused real estate news site CandysDirt.com last week and provided background on the proposed master plan, what he thinks is wrong with it, and how implementation could be funded. Karimi's primary concerns about the current master plan are:

• Gross commercialization of the park.

• Over-programming of this park.

• The financial and operational sustainability of the DTC. Parking lots are oftentimes half-full during performances. Revenues were down as much as 27 percent year-on-year before the pandemic. The road to recovery in a post-pandemic world isn’t happening.

• The fiduciary responsibility we as Park Board members have for our public parkland.

• Impact to the environment.

• The cost. $49 million of the implementation cost is set for underground parking for 350 spaces, at a cost of $140,000 per parking space. When you consider that 219 parking spaces are currently on the campus, this is a net gain of 131 spaces at a rough cost of $374,000 per net-new space.

• The quality of life for citizens living closest to the park who are rightfully concerned with extra noise, traffic, and smell (from the restaurant).

• Inequity of the plan. The Turtle Creek corridor is one of the most affluent areas of Dallas. Why here? Why not in east, south, southeast, west, or even far north Dallas where there are fewer entertainment districts? This area is already saturated with them.

Find out more about the concerns regarding the proposed Kalita Humphreys Theater Restoration Master Plan here.

Westcott House Awarded National Endowment For The Arts Grant

Since opening to the public in 2005, the Wescott House has received several grants from the NEA, and has been recipients of grant support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for Humanities. Wojcik said since these grants are competitive and funding is limited, it’s “always a great honor” to be selected.

The Westcott House Foundation has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant will be used to plan and offer a series of design educational programs for kids and adults called “Westcott Design Hub,” said Executive Director & Curator Marta Wojcik.

Wright designed the Westcott House in 1906, and it was built in 1908. Nearly four decades later, the building was altered into a multi-unit apartment building that no longer reflected Wright’s design.

The efforts of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy and the Westcott House Foundation led to extensive preservation and restoration work that ended with the museum opening nearly 18 years ago. More here.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral's Historical Windows Shattered After Vandals Strike Louis Sullivan-Designed Church

Several windows at a historical Orthodox church were damaged Thursday, January 26th, after someone threw rocks into the building.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral, 1121 N. Leavitt St., is one the few houses of worship designed by famed Chicago architect Louis Sullivan.

Built in 1903, the church is a holy site for Orthodox Christians and a popular destination for architecture buffs and historians. The cathedral and rectory have been an official Chicago landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1970s.

But sometime Thursday morning, three windows at the front and rear of the church were smashed-in by rocks, said Rev. Alexander Koranda, the cathedral’s dean and administrator.

The vandalism comes after Holy Trinity recently completed an extensive exterior renovation of the historic property. Finished mostly by late summer 2021, the rehabilitation project replaced cracked stucco walls, refurbished its extensive metal ornamentation and installed new windows in the church’s rectory, among other upgrades.

After he discovered the damaged windows Thursday, Koranda salvaged much of the broken stained glass, which is original to the building. He said the church will work with its restoration company to repair the windows.

In addition to his spiritual duties, Koranda said he feels a special obligation to maintain and take care of Holy Trinity, both for parishioners and visitors. The church freqently hosts tours and is a regular site in the Chicago Architecture Center’s annual Open House Chicago event. More here.

If you'd like to support helping to restore the damage, please make a tax-deductible donation here.

Steelcase And Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Launch New Collaborative Collection

Steelcase will launch a new work from home collection as part of their relationship with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Celebrating an icon of modern work, the Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Collection by Steelcase reintroduces, reinterprets and reimagines the classic furniture designs of Wright, originally produced by Steelcase for the SC Johnson Administration building in Racine, Wisconsin in 1939.

Merging beauty and function in his philosophy of organic architecture, Wright's unique furniture for the SC Johnson building's Great Workroom pioneered a new way to work. As part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Collection, select Signature pieces will faithfully match the style and finishes of the original furniture, with subtle adjustments to the collection's proportions and scale to support modern living.

"From its beginnings over 80 years ago, Steelcase's relationship with Frank Lloyd Wright has helped to revolutionize design for work," says Meghan Dean, General Manager, Ancillary Merchandising and Partnerships at Steelcase. "Now, we continue that mission into the home, as there's never been a better time to revisit design principles that have always been ahead of their time."

Guided by Wright's design principles, the modern Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Collection reinterprets the original line of furniture for use across a wider range of spaces and settings while capturing the spirit and groundbreaking look of his designs. This expanded collection translates Wright's clear aesthetic for today's work life, with new desk and guest chair sizes that feature broader dimensions and proportions; an expanded material palette to provide more design choice; and the first-ever public introduction of a lounge chair that Wright designed for the SC Johnson building in 1939. More here.

Imperial Hotel Offering Stay In Frank Lloyd Wright Suite in Celebration Of 100th Anniversary

Tokyo's world-famous, 132-year-old Imperial Hotel, Tokyo is now celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of its second main building (commonly known as the Wright Building) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. To celebrate the anniversary, the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, is offering an exclusive Frank Lloyd Wright Suite stay available from January 24, 2023, to March 31, 2024 (special periods such as New Year's Day are excluded).

The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite is a 214-square-meter (2,303-square-feet) luxury suite featuring original designs and architectural motifs from its world-renowned 1923-1967 Frank Lloyd Wright hotel building and other landmark Wright structures. To be marketed as the Frank Lloyd Wright (R) Suite, the JPY1,400,000 or approximately USD10,850 (as of January 20, 2023, exchange rate) per night accommodation overlooks Hibiya Park and Imperial Palace gardens in central Tokyo from a higher floor of the hotel's main building and houses a living room, a dining room and a bedroom (consumption tax and service charge included, accommodation tax excluded). By using the Imperial Floor Deluxe Twin connecting room adjacent to the suite, guests can use these accommodations for up to four people at one time (JPY1,410,000 for three persons and JPY1,420,000 for four persons).

The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite is the only suite in the world to bear the name of the U.S. architect under a name use agreement with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation of the United States. The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite incorporates the design of the former Wright Building of the Imperial Hotel, using Wright's original carpets, furniture and lighting, as well as the design of his private residence in the United States, and reconstructs them in a hotel room. Upon entering the room, one can feel Wright's unique compression and release techniques. The walls of the entrance foyer are decorated with reliefs of Oya stone, reproduced from designs from the Wright Building, and the carpets are based on the design sketches Wright drew when he created the Wright Building. Wright's designs are used throughout the building, including as wall decorations, ceiling moldings, furniture, and lamps. In addition to the decorations and furniture design, the suite also captures the flow of light and air, rather than confining them to a single space, with latticework on some walls and glass and air passageways in the doors, allowing the room space itself to reflect the life of Wright.

The suite opened in 2005. This is the first time it will be offered in an exclusive stay; the package includes daily breakfast, in-room check-in and check-out, and guest attendant service. The hotel's exclusive concierge service will assist patrons with their trip from the moment they make their reservation. One drink service is available daily at the Old Imperial Bar, which includes the original 1923 Wright design. Also included is tea service in the Toko-an, a tea ceremony room designed by Togo Murano, an architect famous for his sukiya-style work (Japanese architectural style). An all-you-can-drink minibar with seasonal domestic juice, beer, wine, whiskey and Japanese sake is included. Usage of the laundry, pool and fitness center is available. More here.

REMINDER: John Lautner’s Pearlman Cabin & Walstrom Residence Exhibition

Just a reminder! Plan to attend the opening of the second edition of John Lautner’s Pearlman Cabin & Walstrom Residence exhibition at Architekton, in Tempe, AZ in collaboration with the Organic Architecture + Design Archives, TSOA, and the John Lautner Foundation. This exhibition, featuring two unique residential works by Lautner, a renowned American architect and early apprentice of the Taliesin Fellowship, first opened to the public at TSOA's Arcosanti campus in the Fall of 2022, and has been re-located and re-organized by TSOA students at the offices of Architekton in Tempe, Arizona.

The latest edition opens Friday, February 3 from 5PM–7PM. The opening event is open to the public. An RSVP is required. A closing event on March 31, 2023, will reflect on the two projects, the two exhibitions, the creative process, and future potentials of future exhibitions as the collection of materials continue to travel and grow. More details here.

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