- March 24, 2025
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According to Christopher Wilson, the scholar in residence at Architecture Sarasota, the famous quote of architect Victor Lundy, was that his buildings are more roof than wall.
“He's known for being more expressive than a typical modernist architect,” Christopher said.
That description applies to the three buildings Lundy designed for St. Paul Lutheran Church, which decided to undertake the costly project of renovating the Education Building in 2024.
The church hosted a rededication of the building Jan. 26, as well as a celebration of Lundy's life on Feb. 1, on what would have been Lundy's 102nd birthday, and also recognizing the church's 70th anniversary.
Designed by Lundy is the fellowship hall (the original sanctuary) built in 1959, the education building created in 1962 and the current sanctuary, built in 1969.
Pastor Ashley Nicolls told the Observer in 2024 that when the congregation was consulted on whether it wanted to undertake a restoration of the Education Building, which was experiencing leaks and decay to some posts, the answer was "a resounding yes."
She said the total cost, which was aided by a matching grant from the state obtained through the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, was about $756,000.
The dedication also recognized the inclusion of the church's buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, as of 2024, due to the help of the alliance.
"Today's dedication is not just a recognition of this building, its new beings, decking and roof, but of the history and the people whose stories are woven into its walls," Nicolls told attendees. "St. Paul is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Today we stand in gratitude and reverence for what this place represents and for the generations that have passed through its doors and those who will pass through these doors for hopefully the next 70 years."
Known for his use of modernist architecture, Lundy, who died last year on Nov. 4, is considered one of the leading members of the Sarasota School of Architecture.
During his time in Sarasota, from 1954 to about 1960, he contributed buildings, including the Blue Pagoda originally intended for the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, with his most prominent work nationally being the U.S. Tax Court Building.
Nicolls says that the distinctiveness of his work and his distinctive, curving ceiling beams has led to many Lundy buildings being demolished over time.
“We're the first people to take out Lundy beams and try to recreate it rather than just tearing it down, which a lot of Lundy’s buildings have had happen, so that was a bigger cost than they expected, a lot more time and a lot more specifics of how to do it,” Nicolls said previously.
Wilson complimented the renovated building.
“I'm not necessarily a preservationist myself, I'm an architectural historian, but that building looks like it did in 1962," he said. "It's fantastic, and for me, it's about the building, but of course, it's about the community, this whole three-building campus here that people love, and they love it because of the architecture, I think. I like to think that.”
Carl Abbott, 88, who is considered the last member of the Sarasota School of Architecture, served as Lundy's "eyes on the ground" during the design of the building, and recalls Lundy as someone who would push him to have staff get the building correct, but also "a very nice guy, nice person.”
“I know he really cared about what he did,” he said. “He clearly was an artist, and he cared for his buildings as though they were children, I think, and he really wanted to get the maximum for that building," he said.
However, Abbott said later on, when air conditioning ducts were added to the fellowship hall and education building, blocking the view of part of the beams, Lundy became discouraged that his artistic vision wasn't being realized, declining to return to the location.
Abbott said the ducts could have been installed in the floors, which would normally be cheaper. Nicolls said the congregation had looked into installing the air conditioning according to Lundy's vision, but it was cost-prohibitive.
"I actually wouldn't be surprised if that is true, that he didn't want to come back to see it again," Pastor Nicolls told the Observer, stating she understood his feelings about the changes as an artist.
She said she had heard different stories of whether Lundy was consulted about the changes. Abbott said Lundy was not, while Nicolls said some people associated with architecture have said Lundy was not, while some church members have said he was.
However, Nicolls said she is glad for the chance to "enjoy his masterpieces, and take them for the best they are, knowing that our congregation did the best they could, too."
"Those are things that we as a congregation would love to revisit, to bring it back to more of his original design and vision, if there were the resources, financial resources, to do it," she said.
Church member Mike Scherr said he was glad to see the project completed.
"It's something that has to have been done, and we're glad we can finally get to it and then finally get it done," he said. "Even with the grant, it was a lot, but I'm pretty happy about it, and I'm sure everybody is, and it's great for the community, it's great for our school and great for our campus."
