Another Modern Building Demolished

[Hometown]

St. Andrew's Presbyterian has probably all been torn down now.  Just about half of it was gone last Friday when I drove by after work.

I always regret seeing the loss of a good Mid-Century Modern building.  Tulsa has lost a lot of important Modern buildings.  They aren't old enough yet for us to realize that they are historic or old enough for their designs to once again capture our attention.

But the loss of St. Andrew's Presbyterian at 36th and Yale is personal to me because that is where I received my catechism.  

Back then people often referred to St. Andrew's as the Church with the purple doors.  It was a good example of Mid-Century Modern architecture where form followed function and ornamentation was eschewed.

I don't know why the church was demolished and their congregation probably had compelling reasons but perhaps if there was wider appreciation of Modernism there would have been more impetus to save the structure.

[Conan71]

HT, I noticed that last night.  Last Sunday I noticed there was some broken stained glass and thought it seemed odd to have not been boarded.  Then last night the whole church was gone and piled up into slabs.

There is some sort of banner over the church sign.  I'm wondering if Little Lighthouse is expanding?  The banner has pictures of kids on it.  When I've been going by I've been on my motorcycle and I try not to let myself get too distracted with roadside "attractions" when I'm on the bike.

[carltonplace]

I've heard that LL is expanding

[waterboy]

Yeah, I saw the broken glass too. A good reminder that when something doesn't look right, there's probably a story there somewhere.

Went to my first church youth group party there. Nice little ballroom. We loved the purple glass.

[MsProudSooner]

St. Andrews combined with another Presbyterian Church near Peoria, just north of 36th, I believe. Little Light House bought the property and is expanding.

[zstyles]

The LLH is expanding they thought about remodeling the building but it would have cost more than it cost to build a new building to fix what had been left to rot in the old building..it took them almost 6 months just to tear the place down!

[patric]

Looks like Google Street View dead-ends at that corner.

[mrB]

TW article
Little Light House to buy St. Andrew's Presbyterian

Modern Tulsa Committee
The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture is proud to announce the creation of the Modern Tulsa Committee, chaired by Shane Hood, Assoc. AIA. Operating as a committee of the TFA, Modern Tulsa strives to enhance the appreciation of Tulsa's 20th Century Modern Design and Pop-Culture Heritage via promotion, preservation, and education. For more information, including pictures and photographs from the TFA Archives, visit moderntulsa.net
http://www.moderntulsa.net/

[Hometown]

Thank you MrB.  

Perhaps Shane Hood can talk to the City of Tulsa about the imminent destruction/remodeling of one of our most significant Modern Jewels -- the Convention Center.

I for one would greatly appreciate his help in that regard.

And don't stop there.  Tulsa's treasure trove of Modern buildings is being diminished right and left.  

Maybe one day we (and especially the TulsaWorld) will realize that history didn't end with Art Deco.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

Thank you MrB.  

Perhaps Shane Hood can talk to the City of Tulsa about the imminent destruction/remodeling of one of our most significant Modern Jewels -- the Convention Center.

I for one would greatly appreciate his help in that regard.

Just FYI, Shane Hood who was involved in moderntulsa, and who was "president" of my neighborhood association (Lortondale), no longer lives here in Tulsa and took a new architecture job in Springfield MO.  Websites regarding these groups are probably out of date and need to be corrected.

[cannon_fodder]

Little Lighthouse is expanding moving whatever.  They had signs up at 36th and Yale for a long time about it.  I have no details (nor do I even really know what the LL is).

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Little Lighthouse is expanding moving whatever.  They had signs up at 36th and Yale for a long time about it.  I have no details (nor do I even really know what the LL is).

Little Lighthouse