Staff Reports | Community Updates
A nonprofit organization is seeking community support to preserve a longtime architectural landmark that has been part of the Paradise Valley skyline for more than six decades.
Save the Spire, a community-led 501(c)(3) organization, has launched a campaign to raise $750,000 to permanently install the former spire of Ascension Lutheran Church on the Paradise Valley Town Hall campus. The project would preserve the structure as public art and a piece of the town’s architectural history, according to a press release.
The campaign invites individuals and organizations to become Preservation Partners through tax-deductible contributions to support the project’s completion.
“The spire will stand as a beautiful reminder of Paradise Valley’s history, character and sense of community,” Paradise Valley Mayor Mark Stanton said. “Future generations will look at it and appreciate that we cared enough to save a special piece of our town’s story.”
Designed by William Wesley Peters of Taliesin Associated Architects, the 78-foot steel spire reflects the principles of organic architecture. Peters was a protégé, chief engineer and son-in-law of Frank Lloyd Wright and played a significant role in advancing Wright’s architectural vision.
For more than 60 years, the spire served as a recognizable landmark in Paradise Valley. Its future became uncertain when the Ascension Lutheran Church property was sold and slated for demolition.
In response, a group of residents, preservationists, architects, engineers and community leaders formed Save the Spire and worked to preserve the structure. Over two years, the group secured donated expertise, materials and volunteer labor to carefully remove and protect the spire before placing it in the care of the Town of Paradise Valley.
The effort reached a major milestone in May when the Paradise Valley Town Council approved Paradise Valley Town Hall as the spire’s permanent home. Construction planning is now underway.
Save the Spire is encouraging residents, businesses, architecture and design professionals, preservation advocates and others throughout Arizona to contribute to the installation effort.
“The spire represents architecture, art, history and community coming together,” Jordan Rose Walton, founder and president of Rose Law Group, said. “Hundreds of hours of professional expertise and community support have already gone into saving it. It’s been a beautiful collaboration so far. This campaign is about completing that journey and bringing the spire home.”
Leadership donors will receive recognition based on contribution levels, including permanent recognition through bronze pieces handcrafted by local artisans. Organizers said contributions at all levels will help move the spire from storage to its permanent location.
Save the Spire has already secured $180,000 in leadership donations toward the project.
Once installed, the spire will serve as a public art piece and a visual reminder of Paradise Valley’s architectural heritage and community-driven preservation efforts.
Organizers also hope the campaign will encourage broader conversations about historic preservation as development continues throughout the Valley.
“Preservation does not mean standing still,” Scott Jarson, owner and founder of AZ Architecture, said. “It means recognizing what is worth carrying forward. Every gift matters, and every supporter becomes part of the spire’s next chapter.”
