According to the The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, preparations are underway for the demolition of the Lockridge Medical Clinic in Whitefish, Montana, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1958.

The 5,000-square-foot commercial structure represents one of the few buildings Wright designed in Montana, and was completed posthumously in 1959. The building currently houses mixed-use professional offices and is slotted for demolition on January 10, 2018 to make way for a new commercial development.

"It would be the first viable Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building to be lost in more than 40 years." - The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy

While the news comes as a surprise to many, plans were underway for the demolition beginning in 2016, according to a concerned citizen who contacted the The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Efforts were made among both local and national conservationists to stop plans for demolition, noting that along with its historic status, the building remained in active use.

While the building is registered on the National Register of Historic Places, the designation does not legally protect the structure from demolition.

As of the writing of this article, the demolition is scheduled to move forward as planned unless a last-minute buyer steps forward, which is still a possibility. According to the Whitefish Pilot, the developer has “agreed to sell the building to anyone who puts $1.7 million in his hand by Jan. 10,” offering a small sliver of hope for a last-minute reprieve.

Serious inquiries can be made through the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy atpreservation@savewright.org.