BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Another lawsuit is coming out of Price Tower, which is the only skyscraper built by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The 50 page lawsuit was filed on Monday. It claims the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is interfering with the owner of Price Tower's ability to sell the tower.
In August, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy filed legal statements against Blanchard.
The statements were filed because the conservancy believes it has legal interest in the items inside Price Tower including the ones sold earlier this year.
“Our mission is to ensure all the remaining buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are protected,” said Barbara Gordon, executive director of the conservancy.
Now the owner of Price Tower, Cynthia Blanchard, has filed a lawsuit against the conservancy.
In 2011, the owners at the time, Price Tower Arts Center, made an agreement known as a preservation easement with the conservancy laying out guidelines in preserving the building.
FOX23 interviewed Gordon in July.
She said the easements stays with the tower regardless of the owner.
“Right now, a year ago it was sold to a private entity so no longer the donor in 2011 owns it, but still runs with the land like all easements do. They will run with the land and no matter who owns it or who sits in my seat. It is our legal obligation to enforce the easement and to be partners in this to make sure we are upholding the original desire,” Gordon said.
The lawsuit points out Section 20 in the easement.
“In the event of any cessation of operations or dissolution of either party, or termination of Grantee’s not for profit status as a section 510c3 organization that easement shall continue in favor of any successor or assignee designated by such party provided that such successor or assignee is an entity qualified as a section 501c3 organization dedicated to preservation of historic structures.”
Blanchard has said multiples times she believes the easement doesn’t stand because her company is a not a nonprofit.
If a judge rules in her favor, they would agree that the easement is over.
Blanchard also wants the conservancy to pay more than $750,000 in damages.
In response to the lawsuit, the conservancy released a statement.
The statement said the conservancy has been in communication with Blanchard and her companies since mid-August when they notified them of their intent to file a lawsuit to enforce the easement.
It goes on to read the following in part:
“The Conservancy decided not to file a suit at that time, because Green Copper asked to settle our differences outside of court. They assured us that they would not sell additional items from the collection in contravention of the easement, and would permit the Conservancy to discuss the easement with potential buyers of the Price Tower, which is currently slated for auction in November. The Conservancy continued good faith discussions in the interest of preserving the Price Tower and its collection, while Green Copper was apparently preparing a suit instead.”
The conservancy said in that statement they will respond to the allegations in the lawsuit and intend to seek enforcement of the easement.
The lawsuit comes weeks after the auction of the historic building was put on hold.
The auction was put on hold because Blanchard is being sued by the McFarlin Building Company claiming Blanchard broke a contract to sell the tower to them.
You can read the full statement from Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy below:
"On October 21, the owner of the Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma— Green Copper Holdings, LLC— along with Copper Tree, Inc. and Cynthia Blanchard (collectively, "Green Copper"), filed a lawsuit against the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy and Price Tower Arts Center, Inc., claiming that the easement held by the Conservancy on Price Tower and certain items within its collection is null and void. The Conservancy strongly objects to the baseless claims of the lawsuit and stands by the terms of its easement.
Indeed, the Conservancy has been in communication with Green Copper since mid-August, when we notified Green Copper that the Conservancy intended to file its own lawsuit to enforce its preservation easement and prevent Green Copper from continuing to sell easement-protected collection items. The Conservancy decided not to file a suit at that time, because Green Copper asked to settle our differences outside of court. They assured us that they would not sell additional items from the collection in contravention of the easement, and would permit the Conservancy to discuss the easement with potential buyers of the Price Tower, which is currently slated for auction in November. The Conservancy continued good faith discussions in the interest of preserving the Price Tower and its collection, while Green Copper was apparently preparing a suit instead.
The Conservancy will respond to the allegations in the lawsuit filed by Green Copper and intends to seek enforcement of the legally binding easement. The Conservancy remains committed to preserving the Price Tower and the easement-protected items from the collection and ensuring that the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright and his creation in Bartlesville endures.
Given the ongoing nature of this legal matter, this is the only statement the Conservancy is prepared to make at this time."
For now, the auction is set for mid-November.