The famed Singing Tower carillon and 1932 Pinewood Estate at Bok Tower Gardens will soon get much-needed restorative work, thanks in part to Historic Preservation grants awarded by Florida’s Division of Historical Resources.
As part of the project, the decorative tile grilles on the upper third of the National Historic Landmark will be restored.
J. H. Dulles Allen, founder of Enfield Pottery and Tileworks near Philadelphia, created the massive, intricate and colorful grilles that adorn the openings of the bell chamber, as well as the tile mosaic floor of the Founder's Room just inside the Tower. The frames on the grilles are rusted, as are the supporting steel frames embedded in the marble and brick.
Beginning next summer, specialists will remove lead paint and rust, prime and re-paint with special epoxy paint and repair cracked marble.
Bok’s Singing Tower was designed by architect Milton Medary, also known for the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge National Historic Park and the 1927 Fidelity Mutual Life Building in Philadelphia.
The Pinewood Estate, built by Charles Austin Buck in 1932 and acquired by Bok Tower Gardens in 1970, also requires critical restoration work. Funding from a second Historic Preservation grant awarded by Florida’s Division of Historical Resources will help cover these costs.
The project includes restoration of the Moongate Garden on the northwest corner of the residence, restoration of the estate’s original copper gutters and restoration of lighting fixtures and rewiring of interior and exterior fixtures to reduce fire hazard.
Voted Florida’s best garden, Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located 60 miles east of Tampa and 55 miles southwest of Orlando near Lake Wales. It is open every day of the year from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last admission at 5 p.m.
Admission is $12 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Members and children under 5 are admitted free.