An Indiegogo campaign to help fund the restoration of the historic 104-year-old Wurth House will end Tuesday after raising about $24,000, falling short of its goal of $79,000.
Kimber Lanning, the founder of Local First Arizona, has spearheaded the Wurth House project. She said the $24,000 figure is not a disappointment, but a good start to the much-needed fundraising for the project.
The $79,000 goal set on the Indiegogo campaign website is the amount that will be needed to fully restore the Wurth House.
“We wanted to put up and show what this realistically would cost,” Lanning said.
The online crowdfunding campaign earned $18,000 from 182 donors over two months. The $24,000 total comes after adding in checks and other donations Lanning has received in that time period, she said.
The ultimate goal of the Wurth house restoration project is to open it as a welcome center for Roosevelt Row that will also act as offices for Local First Arizona. The welcome center will focus on locally owned businesses, arts and culture, according to Greg Esser, the founder of Roosevelt Row CDC who collaborated with Lanning on the project.
The Wurth House has already faced a series of challenges. It had to be moved from the north side to the south side of Roosevelt Street. Much of the needed funds will be used to restore the majority of the house.
Most of what remains is the original structure, but the inside was largely covered by graffiti. The house also needs to be modernized by adding plumbing, air conditioning and more according to Lorenzo Perez, co-founder of Venue Projects, the developing company which has advised Lanning through the construction, restoration and development of the property.
More fundraising is still needed to continue the restoration. The Indiegogo link will still be available for donations despite the official end of the fundraising. There will also be upcoming fundraisers, including an event at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix and a campaign through Sutra Studios, both on Jan. 27.
The variety of people who came together as a community have helped make the Wurth House project possible. Individual $10 contributions have made the biggest impact on funding, Lanning said.
“All types of people have come together to say, ‘we want to keep this historic building.’ The building and culture are very important to people,” Lanning said.
Perez agreed that the Wurth House is a great example of the history and culture of downtown and people’s desire to save it.
“There’s passion to not lose a sense of Roosevelt Row’s soul. We see so much demolition. It really is what makes a vibrant and interesting downtown is a variety of ages, sizes and structures,” he said.
Perez encouraged continued support of the Wurth House, which he considers a vital project in creating a vibrant downtown.
“A lot of people are critical of all the demolition and how things are changing downtown. This is a great opportunity for them to vote with their dollar and show support for more preservation,” Perez said.
Esser sees this project as a chance for positive impact too, he said.
“This is an opportunity and a point where we really need people to step up and play an important role in order to bring the building to a point where it can be used and occupied,” he said.
The Wurth House website and Facebook page will continue to have updates on progress and new ways to donate.
Contact the reporter at Kara.Carlson@asu.edu
