AAG Building – a brief history*

Contributed by Don Kirschner

Rick Lussier, one of the AAG Building's architects

Click here to download Building Floor Plan

Click here to download Site Location

Click here for Brick Donation Fundraiser

Click here for Wall of Honor

In 1972 the Guild property at 4th Street and Townley was purchased for $16,000. Meetings and some workshops took place in a small house on the property.  Instrumental in purchasing the property were Jewel Bales, Janice Bell, Frances Cole, Gloria Gemmill, Isabelle Hall, Dick Hodge, Bob Oliver, Gladys Searles, Zoraida Twitty and Bette Wusich.  Prior to the purchase, Guild meetings were held in a rented building on Eva Street.

In 1977 President Mary Deloyht-Arendt initiated efforts to construct a pre-fab building at 8912 N. 4th Street.  The total cost of $27,124 included a personal loan from Bette Wusich and her husband because the Guild did not have enough money.   The building had seating capacity for about 100 members; the AAG celebrated its 50th Anniversary on November 12, 1978 in the new building.

In 1985, AAG founder Peggy Reed (for whom the building was named) included a bequest in her will donating $50,000 to the Guild.  The money was invested in certificates of deposit and mutual bond funds.  By 1995 the "building fund" had grown to $88,581.  At the recommendation of a "Guild Investment Committee" the monies were repositioned under the guidance of Don Kirschner and invested in stock mutual funds to take advantage of the late 1990's bull market.  During the next 4 1/3 years the building fund increased to $183,504. In February, 2000 all monies were transferred into a money market fund in anticipation of a market downturn.

As membership approached 500 in 1999, it became apparent to everyone that our building was no longer large enough to accommodate our activities.  A "Site Selection Committee" composed of Mary Deloyht-Arendt, Betty Braig, Cynthia Ganem, Michael Goodwin, Gerry Grout, Shirley Kleppe, Don Kirschner, Rick Lussier, Diane Maxey, Trish Mayberry, Bob Oliver, Charlie Rosenthal, and Joan Thompson was formed to look for a new home for the AAG.  After an extensive search a one -acre parcel of land was purchased on North 7th Avenue south of East Union Hills Drive in North Phoenix.  Although the owner of the property was asking $275,000, we were able to purchase it for $185,845 in the fall of 2003 (Interstate Bakery Corp. – Wonder Bread/Hostess etc. – paid $349,000 in 1999 for their acre next to ours).   Shortly thereafter, under the leadership of Val Leonard, a new building fund drive was launched while Guild members Rick Lussier and Sam Morse, both architects, and Don Kirschner began a process of designing a new building with input from all AAG members who attended numerous meetings held during the past two years.

We were able to net  $296,942.75 from the sale of our property plus what has been donated to date ($146,104.99) increases the building fund to $443,047.74. (This money is invested in a Vanguard Money Market Fund.)  The Board of Directors and the New Building Committee voted on January 11 to have Rick Lussier obtain construction specifications and drawings to determine exactly what our new building will cost.  AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE DATA, A GENERAL MEETING WILL BE HELD TO DISCUSS ALL DETAILS WITH THE MEMBERSHIP.

* historical information obtained from:  A History of the AAG by Garnette Widdifield