decades.F & M: Residents Recommend Rehab
by Bill Spencer
A committee of local citizens met for lunch Thursday, February 16th to try to
reach a consensus on how to fix the old F & M Bank Building which is now the
home of Nocona ISD administrative offices, Montague Special Classes, and a
public meeting room. I was a youngster compared to many of the
long-in-the-tooth community members (term used affectionately) who attended, and I was somewhat humbled
by only having lived here for only half a century, compared to other attendees
who have me beat by decades.
However, the 25 participating citizen's credentials, cannot be measured by length of tenure in this small burg in north Texas, strategically positioned on HWY 82 right below where Red River takes a huge loop toward Oklahoma. The prime prerequisite for this committee is to have pride in the heritage of either being born here or adopting this place as home. In addition, everyone in attendance has a concern that local icons and landmarks need to be taken care of in a loving, careful way.
Committee members crept into the Board Room, apparently apprehensive about the role that they might be asked play in touting a cure for the old bank. As each guest eased through the food line, it was simple to see that committee members were not there to satiate any hunger pains; however, they were serious about finding a solution to the crumbling landmark.
Taking care of our heritage is like taking care of elderly parents. When our frail relatives get seriously ill, we get a family consensus, a care-givers' agreement, on where to get the best medical care available, then proceed quickly. Someone in the family might speak their mind about trying to be sure that no money is wasted on unnecessary tests, but this is to be expected. Subsequently, now the citizen's committee, acting as the old building's family, was asked to step in to provide guidance to NISD Trustees on how to get the F & M Building back in shape.
The committee, led by Harold Reynolds and Vickie Gearheart, listened to
experts in the field of restoration of old buildings, and then saw slides of
downtown Nocona that dated back to the turn of the century. Restoration
experts all agreed that the original bricks and mortar of any old building are
the best foundation to start from. They warned against changing original
designs so as not to take away from the elegance of old architecture.
Ironically, one building specialist stated that older brick and mortar were built
to last, while new construction sometimes only lasts for a few years.
The original F & M Bank (1926) was a long narrow box until it was combined with the Ellis & Wilford Dry Goods in 1959. The new building had grown to twice its original size now, and its capital worth was growing by leaps and bounds. The granite front was added to pull the two dissimilar architectural styles together. In approximately1980, brown metal was added to the top of the building. Ironically, local builders say that the metal siding is much more valuable than the polished granite slabs.
In 1994, the F & M Building was donated to the school district by a local bank that was building a new structure on HWY 82. Since then NISD has spent nominal amounts of money to make the space useable for offices and public meetings. However, leaving the old building in the care of the School District appears to have been a life saver for the structure. The District has adequately maintained the structure for over 10 years; however, now more than modest repairs are needed to keep the building in robust health.
In 2005, engineers said that the granite face might be hiding some structural problems; consequently the well known facade had to come off. The weight of the heavy slabs, plus the infiltration of rain water had weakened the foundation, and the front of the structure was starting to cant like a famous tower in Italy.
Several weeks of examination followed as the granite veneer was wrestled away from its 50 year resting place. Builders, engineers, architects and curiosity seekers ogled the bank's front. The feeling was like looking at a bearded man who just got a clean shave. While problems were uncovered, the overall appearance of the old F & M face was fairly attractive. Visitors were quick to notice that the visage hiding under polished granite looked simple and elegant. Maybe, just maybe, the natural beauty of the old counting house had something to offer.
School Administrators visited the Texas Historical Commission, and sought advise from other building preservationists. The direction of the project was beginning to take shape as school officials and local builders continued to gather relevant information. Feelers were put out to several historical societies to find financial help for whatever project the Committee and Board wanted to pursue.
Genuine community interest and cooperation was starting to move the citizens toward agreement that any repairs to the building should be done carefully, and with full citizen support. Therefore civic leaders, volunteers, and other interested parties were gathered to discuss options for restoration. Three options were discussed.
1. Reinforce the metal framework, fill in below with man made stone or suitable material leaving the top as it is.
2. Remove the metal on the front only and replace with suitable material. Do the fronts of both buildings with the same brick, artificial stone, or combinations of both.
3. Remove all metal from the front, and make it look like the original two different buildings (F & M and old dry goods store). This idea would capture the 1926 design. While the structure would look like 2 buildings, the old bank front would have false doors and windows to make it replicate its first design.
The last option nudged the total cost up to $50,000, so committee members were asked to think about all the options carefully. The main citizen concern was that all the money would have to be absorbed by making cuts to other educational programs by the School District. Superintendent Gearheart said that this was not going to happen, since the District had adequate building funds that cannot be used for anything but building repair and construction. This information made committee members breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Several area builders stated that they would donate equipment so that the construction could be done under budget. Two of these men were in the process of renovating other downtown buildings; consequently, they were asking that the District lead the way in downtown revitalization. One man said, " If the School plants the seed in rehabilitating the old F & M Bank, then surely others will follow with other renovation projects."
A common theme began to immerge from the mass of comments about renovation. Not only should this project be taken on for the good of the School District, but the whole community has a stake in it. The F & M is in the dead center of downtown and it is a historical icon. By improving on the old building, everyone in the community stands to gain. Economic spin-off will give all citizens in Nocona a piece of the pie.
An optimistic assessment might see downtown Nocona busy with traffic and pedestrians, just like it was on Saturday mornings in the 1950s. Couples strolling, window shopping, and admiring the old architecture of the buildings downtown would be a blessing to traders along Clay and its bisecting streets. The old bank building would be the natural hub for all this activity. Each committee member probably indulged in his or her own secret vision of how Nocona could become a more attractive and industrious place to live. But, all the dreams had to become a unified vision before any restoration project could start.
After discussion, all members seemed to be ready to endorse one of the plans, so Mr. Reynolds called for a show of hands. Apparently everyone in the room supported the third and boldest option. Restore the F & M to way it was in 1926, and let the old architecture, with clean lines, light colored brick, and molded arches, speak for itself. No one was left to vote for or against the other two plans. Solid support for the third option was obvious.
With this show of hands, the committee members were telling the Board of Trustees that returning the bank to the 1926 style seemed to fit their mind's eye snapshot of what the building should look like. Also, the committee was saying that naysayers might complain about the cost and belittle the vision, but this is how they wanted to invest their money, in making this historic building just like it used to be. Someone added, "If we don't do this correctly now, we will be sorry in 10 or 20 years." So now let the NISD Board of Trustees make the final decision.
Committee Members: Paul Gibbs, Charles May, Bill and Christi Holccomb, Don and Flo Armstrong, Wanda Russell, Harold and Sandra Reynolds, David Paine, Phil Staley, Dan Fenoglio, Tracy and Linda Mesler, Jamie Lipsey, Ben Hill, Tom Uselton, Bill Spencer, Bobby Storey, Josh Laserre, Vickie Gearheart, Bill Crowe, S.L. Brito, and James Yohe.