BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Owners closed the Price Tower’s doors nine months ago. Quiet, abandoned and locked up, Bartlesville residents don’t know what’s next.
“The community really misses it,” Andrew Olson, who works at nearby PDG Creative, said.
2 News Oklahoma’s Brodie Myers listened to Olson and Natalie Turner outside the Tower. Just like everyone else, they can only observe the tower from the outside. Although recently, they got a peek inside thanks to the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy.
SEE THE PICS >>> Officials from the Conservancy shared pictures from inside the Tower
Conservancy officials secured a visit through the attorney representing the bankruptcy.
Members of the conservancy say they “found that key historic interiors and collections at Price Tower are overall in fair to good condition. However, the next owner will need to make significant investments in the building. The conservancy will continue to be an active advocate to ensure that it is preserved for future generations.”
A spokesperson for the conservancy declined an on-camera interview citing ongoing litigation.
“I wasn’t sure with everything that had been going on. It’s great to hear that it’s in good shape and I really hope it keeps in good shape,” Turner said.
Olson, meanwhile, offered some tips for the next owner.
“It’s really hard to sell a room in the Price Tower,” Olson said, “But it’d be really easy to sell an experience in and around Bartlesville using Price Tower as sort of a staple in that.”
The Price Tower has been on a proverbial rollercoaster since its closure. Deals tied up in court cases, buyers coming and going, all amid controversy. Still, neighbors hold on to hope for their icon.
“When you go outside of Bartlesville, like people know what it is,” Turner saidm “I imagine if you live in New York, the Empire State Building isn’t that big of a deal to you, but it’s a big deal to everybody else. It’s actually really cool to walk by and see people loving on [Price Tower]. It’s a great staple here in Bartlesville. I love it.”
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
