The massive former Masonic Temple in Little Falls, NY has just gone on the market for just $499,900. (If it looks familiar, I also wrote about it in 2017, the last time it went on the market: 'When The Profane World Protects Treasures We Toss') It’s not just one lot, either—it comes with four parcels bundled together. That definitely seems like a steal for what you’re getting, as long as you're ready to relocate to Little Falls, which definitely has its charm. After all, it's the home of the Yogi Berra Museum.
Built in 1914, this imposing building perches majestically at the corner of Prospect and School Streets, offering killer views of the Mohawk River and valley hills. Designed by architect William Neil Smith in the French-Medieval style, the building is brick, stone, half-timber, and cement stucco, all rolled into one. The lodge room is intact along with a Templar Commandery drill hall/banquet room (we served "banquets" then, not cold spaghetti on paper plates with plastic sporks).
Built in 1914, this imposing building perches majestically at the corner of Prospect and School Streets, offering killer views of the Mohawk River and valley hills. Designed by architect William Neil Smith in the French-Medieval style, the building is brick, stone, half-timber, and cement stucco, all rolled into one. The lodge room is intact along with a Templar Commandery drill hall/banquet room (we served "banquets" then, not cold spaghetti on paper plates with plastic sporks).
The current owners have clearly treated this gem like their playground. On the main level, they installed a slick bar just begging for soirees. They plopped a $150K full-motion projection system (yes, movie nights in the castle!), draped it with custom ballroom curtains from France, and added a partial but gorgeous custom kitchen. There’s even living quarters with soaring ceilings, two bedrooms, and killer views. Bonus: they’re leaving behind stacks of building materials for whoever's next to bring the vision home.
Even the former Commandery's glass-front uniform lockers are still there in the Armory. All still preserved, but now with a new living space, bedroom, and modern kitchen on one floor. It is artistically beautiful, and architecturally unique.
And it all used to belong to us.
It doesn't anymore.
It doesn't anymore.
Out here in the Midwest where we make our human sacrifices to the Corn Gods, the modern-day choice of Masonic hall construction is pre-fad steel pole barns that might as well be a swine barn, soybean warehouse or veterinarian's office. William Moore thought this Temple noteworthy enough to mention it in his book, Freemasonry, Ritual Architecture, and Masculine Archetypes. The New York Masons were building for the Ages.
This place is enormous—16,960 square feet (about 12,000+ square feet inside). Think cathedral ceilings, epic entertaining spaces, and enough room to get wildly creative. The lower level once had its own bowling alley with two huge lanes—accessed from School Street. The first floor social and club rooms are accessed through the main entrance through a charming tower at the street corner. The second floor features a kitchen, a ballroom complete with a bar and stage, plus a foyer leading to mezzanine dressing rooms, coat rooms, and lockers.
For this much updated epicness, the price is pretty amazing at $499,900, which breaks down to roughly $29 per square foot, and I'll make a bet you couldn't build a new steel pole barn architectural eyesore in a corn field for that today.
In 1995 as the lodge suffered from declining membership, they sold the building to a prominent local couple who turned it into their own private home and pottery business. They allowed the Masons to continue meeting in their original lodge room for several years. The local lodge moved out in 2004 when they consolidated with a lodge in Dolesville. At its height, the lodge was home to 350 Masons and 173 Order of Eastern Star members. Over the years it’s been a nursery school, pottery and art studio, a dance and music venue.
This place is enormous—16,960 square feet (about 12,000+ square feet inside). Think cathedral ceilings, epic entertaining spaces, and enough room to get wildly creative. The lower level once had its own bowling alley with two huge lanes—accessed from School Street. The first floor social and club rooms are accessed through the main entrance through a charming tower at the street corner. The second floor features a kitchen, a ballroom complete with a bar and stage, plus a foyer leading to mezzanine dressing rooms, coat rooms, and lockers.
For this much updated epicness, the price is pretty amazing at $499,900, which breaks down to roughly $29 per square foot, and I'll make a bet you couldn't build a new steel pole barn architectural eyesore in a corn field for that today.
No comments:
Post a Comment
ATTENTION!
SIGN YOUR NAME OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN YOUR COMMENT POSTS IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT.
Your comments will not appear immediately because I am forced to laboriously screen every post. I'm constantly bombarded with spam. Depending on the comments being made, anonymous postings on Masonic topics may be regarded with the same status as cowans and eavesdroppers, as far as I am concerned. If you post with an unknown or anonymous account, do not automatically expect to see your comment appear.