Kauffman: Ascension Lutheran Church Spire – a public Thank you
Posted
Catherine Kauffman | chair, Town of Paradise Valley Historical Advisory Committee
In 2023, upon learning of the sale of Ascension Lutheran Church, four residents of Paradise Valley — Doug Jorden, Christine Labelle, Scott Jarson and myself — came together to explore options for preserving the building. The church, designed by Taliesin architects William Wesley Peters, John Rattenbury and Charles Mantooth, is a significant piece of architectural history. However, when it became clear that the building could not be saved, we quickly shifted our focus to preserving the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright spire that topped it.
With the assistance of architects, archivists and design professionals, we developed a plan and presented it to the Paradise Valley Town Council. On June 24, 2024, the council passed a resolution to accept the spire as a Town artifact.
After standing as a beacon in Paradise Valley for 61 years, the spire was carefully removed and is now stored at the Public Works Department, awaiting a final location. While we were unable to save the entire building, we are thrilled to have preserved this piece of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural legacy. This effort has inspired us to continue identifying and protecting other historic and architecturally significant properties in our town.
The Town of Paradise Valley will now have a beautiful piece of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design heritage, and the Ascension Lutheran Church can take comfort in knowing that the spire will remain a part of our community. We hope that when re-erected, this spire will serve as a place of inspiration, reflection and respect for all.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the following individuals, companies and their respective staff, whose contributions made this possible at no cost to the Town: Ryan Patten of Arcadia Custom Builders; John Anderson of 180 Degrees Design + Build; Erik Peterson of PHX Architecture; Henry Hendrix of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation; Doug Jorden of Jorden Law Firm; Scott Jarson of azarchitecture; Andrew Ching, Paradise Valley Town Manager; Isaac Chariva, Public Works Director; Paradise Valley Police Department; Christine Labelle, Town Council Member and Liaison to the Historical Advisory Committee; and the entire Town Council for accepting the spire.
This achievement was a true community effort, and we look forward to finding a suitable site for the spire and raising any necessary funds to bring this project to fruition.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
