While the David and Gladys Wright House has been saved, the threats to Phoenix's heritage continue. The latest on the endangered list is the Phoenix Swim Club, an institution that for decades has produced championship swimmers at its facility near 28th Street and Campbell in the Biltmore neighborhood. An impressive total of nine medalists in the 2000 Olympic Games came from the club.

For the past decade, the club's historic facility has been owned by Brophy College Prep. A month ago, Brophy announced a plan to sell the property to developers who intend to demolish the swim club and build housing on the land. See the link below. While more residential density may be desirable in the Biltmore area, it should not come at the expense of historic institutions.

Since the club is private property, the City has limited options here. It would be neither feasible nor desirable to preserve the club by fiat. Nevertheless, appropriate facets of city government can play an advocacy role in at least exploring possibilities for saving the club. Opportunities may exist for the Mayor's Office, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the Historic Preservation Office to bring appropriate parties to the table.

To anticipate a potential response from preservation skeptics, a Kickstarter-style group purchase of the club sounds great in theory, but is incredibly difficult to make happen from both a financial and legal point of view. A more realistic strategy might include the following:

-- Direct outreach to Brophy to appeal to that school's sense of community responsibility.

-- Explorations of possible partnerships involving Brophy, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, and perhaps the Hubbard Family Swim School, which originated at the Phoenix Swim Club.

Is the Phoenix Swim Club architecturally significant on the same level as the David and Gladys Wright House? No, but it is an important part of Phoenix's heritage and options for saving it should be explored.