A piece of history reclaimed in Iowa

“It certainly has been an eyesore; it has had a very, very checkered history over past 40 to 50 years,’’ said Ann MacGregor, executive director of Wright on the Park Inc., the group behind a planned $18 million restoration.

The hotel is last remaining of six designed by Wright. The Park Inn Hotel will have 20 suites when it reopens to the public in early 2011, MacGregor said.

The restoration has caused discord in the city that was home to “The Music Man’’ creator Meredith Willson. His boyhood home has been made into a museum, and there’s a life-sized replica of “The Music Man’’ movie set in downtown Mason City.

Some wonder why the hotel designed by Wright, considered by many to be America’s greatest architect, hasn’t had the same support.

“There are naysayers for this project . . . who don’t appreciate or understand the architectural, historical nature of this property,’’ MacGregor said. “They question what it will do for downtown Mason City.’’

Market analysis shows there is demand for such a tourist destination, and a hotel management company based in Fort Atkinson, Wis., has been hired to ensure things operate smoothly, she said.

A former Mason City mayor, Jean Marinos, serves as president of Wright on the Park’s board and believes the hotel will help economic development. The group plans to invite presidential candidates to the hotel during the Iowa caucuses and hopes to host a televised debate.

“Five years from now, when this hotel is up and running, we’ll really have some great opportunities in the downtown for small businesses to come in,’’ Marinos said.

The hotel made national headlines in 2004 when the City Council put an ad on eBay to sell it for $10 million to anyone who promised to restore it. When that failed, Wright on the Park stepped in, and the city signed over the deed.

“It wasn’t that they didn’t want (the restoration) done,’’ Marinos said, “it was just they didn’t want the city to do it.’’

Wright enthusiasts have been in a race for funding. The state of Iowa came through with about $8.2 million through its Vision Iowa program, and various federal and state historic grants and donations will pay for much of the work. There’s only about $2 million left to be raised.