Editing Unity Temple (section)

==== Design changes ====
[[File:Unity Temple - Oak Park IL 16 (3224994948).jpg|thumb|The auditorium's skylights]]

In December 1905, the planning committee received Wright's plans and recommended that the board of trustees approve them.<ref name="Siry p. 74" /><ref name="Sokol p. 39" /> The same month, Gale gave the congregation a {{Convert|20|ft|4=-wide|adj=mid}} strip of land on Kenilworth Avenue.<ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=80 }}</ref> By the beginning of 1906, the site of the original building had been sold for $6,500.<ref name="Sokol p. 45" />{{Efn-ur|Equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=6500|r=-3|fmt=c}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} The congregation decided to proceed with construction, even though it had received only one bid for the general contract, which exceeded the church's budget by $8–10 thousand.<ref name="Sokol p. 45">{{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=45 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=127 }}</ref>{{Efn-ur|Equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=8|r=0|fmt=c}}–{{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=10|r=0|fmt=c}} thousand in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} Thomas Skillin, who led the board of trustees, reported that the temple was to cost $40,000 but that there was only $31,000 available.<ref name="Sokol p. 47">{{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=47 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|pages=127–128 }}</ref>{{Efn-ur|The cost was equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=40000|r=-3|fmt=c}}, while the money on hand was equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=31000|r=-3|fmt=c}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} The trustees considered modifying the plans, splitting work into two phases, or borrowing money.<ref name="Sokol p. 47" /> Wright offered to reduce the cost to $35,000{{Efn-ur|Equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=35000|r=-3|fmt=c}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} by revising the plans and deferring installation of the furnishings.<ref name="Siry p. 128">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=128 }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=51 }}</ref>

Skillin objected that the auditorium was too small and dark.<ref name="Cypret 1975b">{{Cite news |last=Cypret |first=Randy |date=July 24, 1975 |title=Unity designed to solve problems |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-journal-unity-designed-to-solve-pro/164860702/ |access-date=February 6, 2025 |work=News Journal |pages=33 }}</ref><ref name="Siry p. 128; Sokol p. 52" /> At its meeting on January 18, 1906, the board asked Skillin and Johonnot to discuss possible modifications with Wright.<ref name="Siry p. 128; Sokol p. 52">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=|page=128}}; {{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=52 }}</ref> Subsequently, Wright revised the auditorium's design,<ref name="Siry pp. 129—130; Sokol pp. 52–54">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=|pages=129–130}}; {{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|pages=52–54 }}</ref> and he invited 75 members of the congregation to see the drawings and models for Unity Temple at his studio.<ref name="Siry p. 128" /><ref name="Oak Leaves 19910807">{{cite web |last=Guarino |first=Jean |date=August 7, 1991 |title=Wright community never materialized |url=https://riverforest.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&d=01011991-12311992&e=unity%20temple&m=between&ord=e1&fn=forest_leaves_usa_illinois_oak_park_19910807_english_81&df=11&dt=20 |access-date=February 7, 2025 |work=Oak Leaves |page=81 }}</ref> The board approved Wright's revisions on February 7,<ref name="McCarter2 p. 10" /><ref name="Siry pp. 129—130; Sokol pp. 52–54" /> on the condition that no more than $36,200 be spent.<ref name="Siry pp. 129—130; Sokol pp. 52–54" />{{Efn-ur|Equivalent to ${{inflation|start_year=1905|index=US-GDP|value=36200|r=-3|fmt=c}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} Details of the design were reported in the local media on February 24,<ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=|page=130}}; {{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=55 }}</ref> and a brochure describing the final plan was published on March 4.<ref>{{harvnb|Sokol|2008|ps=.|page=56 }}</ref> Wright's assistant [[Charles E. White Jr.]] said the planning process had been marked by "endless fighting".<ref name="Siry p. 130">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=130 }}</ref><ref name="Schrenk p. 151">{{harvnb|Schrenk|2021|ps=.|page=151 }}</ref> Wright continued refining the design details even after the final plans were accepted and (in some cases) partially completed.<ref name="Siry p. 137">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=137 }}</ref> Despite initial objections to Wright's design, Oak Park residents eventually came to like it.<ref name="Oak Leaves 19910807" />