Chase Koch’s Movement Musik buys historic Scottish Rite Center, but why?

Chase Koch’s Movement Musik has purchased another downtown property, and this time it’s the historic Scottish Rite Center at the northwest corner of First and Topeka.

At $3 million, the nonprofit was the high bidder at a sheriff’s sale Wednesday morning.

“We’re excited about the acquisition, and we believe it holds significant historical value for Wichita,” said Raffaele Fazio, a former Koch Inc. lawyer who is now leading Movement Musik.

In 2019, Arkansas-based Beaty Capital Group formed BCG Historic Wichita to buy the building and, with its affiliate, TempleLive Wichita, used it for various forms of entertainment and events and also leased a small space back to the Scottish Rite.

With last year’s closure of TempleLive Wichita at the building, Partners Bank of Little Rock foreclosed on the property when Beaty couldn’t pay its $4.3 million loan. Since the bank didn’t have title to the building, it had to use a sheriff’s sale to auction it.

“This came up very quickly, so we have not had a chance to think through how this fits into sort of our overall vision,” Fazio said.

In addition to being what Fazio called a spectacular building, he said, “Obviously, there’s a proximity element to it.”

The hub of Movement Musik’s plans centers around the nonprofit’s Somewhere Works music studio and Somewhere Works Music School at 235 N. Emporia.

Movement Musik is transforming the entire city block around the studio and school in three significant ways, including renovating the dilapidated Shirkmere Apartments at the southeast corner of Second and Topeka; building a new 3,000-person concert hall and event venue at the other end of the block along First Street between Topeka and Emporia; and creating an open community space in the areas in between.

Fazio said in addition to the proximity, part of the interest in the building is “that’s something . . . that is of value to the Wichita community.”

This is only the second time since 1898 that the Scottish Rite Center has sold.

The Romanesque building was built for the YMCA between 1887 and 1888, and the Scottish Rite Freemasons purchased it in 1898.

There have been renovations and additions through the years, and the building has been added to historic registries.

The 75,903-square-foot space has a more than 700-seat auditorium and a dining area for 450 people. There’s also a 3,000-square-foot commercial kitchen.

The Freemasons still have a three-year lease at the space.

“We haven’t thought through that yet,” Fazio said. “We will talk to them, absolutely.”

Look for more information when Movement Musik makes a plan for the space.

This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 11:09 AM.