Iconic Architecture in the Valley Pt. 2
Luhrs Tower
By Lauren Wong
Five more architecturally important buildings to check out in the Valley.
115 N 6th St, Phoenix
Built: 1895
This isn’t just a historic building, it’s a whole residential block that’ll bring you back to what it was like living in Phoenix during the 20th century. What’s pictured is the Rosson House Museum, a restored 1895 Queen Anne Victorian house, offering tour goers a chance to take in this frozen moment in time.
Heritage Square sits on Block 14 of the original townsite and stands out against everything else in the city. Owned by the City of Phoenix, the site is run by the 501c-3 non-profit, Heritage Square Foundation and the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.
In addition to the museum, there are nine other fully restored buildings. You can stop inside different galleries, restaurants, a coffee bar, and museum store. There’s also the Lath Pavilion to check out!
45 W Jefferson St, Phoenix
Built: 1929
If you were part of the elite during the opening of the Luhrs Tower, you may have known this building to be home of the prestigious Arizona Club. The tower made history as Phoenix’s first ever 10-story high-rise building. Designed by Trost & Trost, an El Paso architectural firm, Phoenix business man, George H.N. Luhrs founded the Luhrs.
Listed on the Phoenix Historic Property Register, the building has been restored, and now is home to a 14-story Art Deco masterpiece.
6836 N 36th St, Phoenix
Built: 1967
The construction of this home just shows how much influence Frank Lloyd Wright has, even in the present day. This 3,200 square foot home, designed by Wright, sits on over 1.3 acres of land and is currently available for rent.
The whole design is built in a circle; the home itself with rounded windows and walls, and a crescent-shaped pool. It sits on the edge of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, resulting in stunning views every which way. It’s made to feel as though it’s built right into the landscape.
12621 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, Scottsdale
Built: 1937
Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter getaway house is definitely worth the visit. Named after his home in Wisconsin, Wright built this place to compliment Arizona’s natural beauty. Inspired by the seemingly infinite desert, the building features low, sweeping buildings full of natural light.
The foundation for the building itself even consists of desert masonry. It’s a beautiful attribute to our scenery that the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has worked to preserve. The most iconic part, in my opinion, is the grand triangular pool that points out over the desert.
Taliesin West is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark.
5025 E Van Buren St, Phoenix
Built: 1928
A Phoenix Point of Pride, Arizona Centennial Legacy Project, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is this (almost) century-old gem, or as they call it, a “Jewel in the Sonoran Desert.”
The four-story, 5,000 square-foot castle appears to pop up out of nowhere in the barren desert. Alessio Carraro, an Italian immigrant, built this cake-like castle to be a resort surrounded by a cactus garden. E.A. Tovrea and Della, his wife, ended up purchasing the building until the city of Phoenix gained ownership.
Rumor has it that the castle is haunted and was once a gangster hideout. Tour tickets are distributed by a Lottery Ticket System.
