Ignite the Dream - LMFA Capital Campaign

An Inspired Vision of the Future of the Museum

LMFA is proud to release updated architectural renderings for the Ignite the Dream capital campaign. On February 25, 2021, the LMFA Board of Trustees with Executive Director Tiffany Nolan Jehorek purchased the former Longview National and Regions Bank building on Fredonia Street. Sitting in the heart of downtown Longview, the building, garden, and parking garage will become the new home of LMFA in 2024, increasing the footprint of the museum from 16,500 to more than 50,000 square feet and fulfilling the museum's vision of becoming the premier art museum in East Texas.

LMFA has brought in a specialized team to preserve the historic architecture and grandeur of the building which serves as a functional piece of art itself. Led by Jehorek, the renovation and creation of the new fine arts museum will be supported by experts in design, architecture, historic preservation, and marketing.

The historic and statuesque building was redesigned in the 1960s by Longview architect B.W. Crain, Jr. of Wilson, Morris, Crain, and Anderson Architects.

The former bank houses The Great Lone Star, a gold, aluminum, and stainless-steel wire sculpture by world-renowned artist Richard Lippold. A similar sculpture was installed at the Lincoln Center in New York City around the same year. The star was purchased by architect Crain in 1957 for $15,000 and was recently appraised at $175,000. This piece of work, which has been tucked away behind closed since Regions Bank closed its downtown location in 2018, will now be front and center when any guest enters the new museum.

The Great Lone Star

Richard Lippold

The 75-foot tile mosaic counter, appraised at $145,000, was designed by the late Herbert Mears, a Houston abstract artist. It is yet another work of art that has sat unseen for years. LMFA will not only preserve but incorporate this functional work of art into our Texas artfocused collection. We plan for the museum's permanent collection to be stored in a visual vault behind the Mears mosaic counter putting the permanent collection on permanent display for all visitors.

As the bank grew, the vaulted ceilings and black-and-white tile flooring, reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s, were covered to accommodate more office space and reduce noise. The building's Art Deco architectural elements have been inaccessible for nearly 50 years. LMFA brought in a specialized team to develop a plan that will showcase the historic architecture and grandeur of the 1940s building.

The former bank building includes a garden, teller windows, and a large, enclosed glass-walled kiosk where patrons banking in the 1960s could wait in comfort for their cars’ return. Upgrades will convert the garden into a public courtyard lined with sculptures and green spaces that the community can enjoy during the day and in the evening as they explore downtown Longview.

The drive-through entrance opposite the Gregg County Court House will become a pedestrian-friendly walkway lined by former teller windows which will be turned into public art viewing cases protected from the extreme Texas weather. The covered pathway, or porte cochère, will be lined with seating and comfortable spaces where we envision those in the area can escape from the blaring sun to enjoy an afternoon coffee or attend one of our biweekly yoga classes. We envision portions of this space being used for local artists to present their work at the City of Longview's ArtWalk, a free community event held multiple times per year

The next pre-construction phase of the project will be structural matching to ensure materials sourced today match the materials used in the 1940s and 1960s. This includes the teak paneling and terrazzo flooring. LMFA is also working with vibration and structural engineers to protect the historic artwork and make sure it is secure and protected during the construction phase which includes adding HVAC, egress stairwells, and other structural adjustments to comply to city and state building codes.

Together we can enrich lives and promote the City of Longview as a community that fosters beauty, creativity, and the arts.

Make a Contribution Today to Make the Vision a Reality! Visit www.lmfa.org/capital-campaign.