Some preservation has already been necessary, after a destructive accident in February 1994. A runaway 25-ton front-end loader came barreling down the road and smashed into the prow of the building, reducing about one-fourth of the building to rubble.The Daily Evergreen February 11, 1994. After clean-up, both floors were left exposed and were closed off.The Spokesman Review February 11, 1994. It was determined that the building was still safe and structurally sound, since the floors and structural beams ran parallel to the collision, which ultimately saved it from demolition. After several months of reconstruction, the Flatiron was completed with new elements included. The front façade of the building featured new arched windows on both floors, and a front door framed with windows. Green awnings were added to the doorways along the ground floor, and lamps were placed in the walls. With these exceptions, Swindal chose to restore the façade as accurately as possible, to maintain the original historic look the building, including some use of intact bricks salvaged from the rubble. The resulting restoration can be seen in the 2010 photo above, however it is clear that the brickwork at the front does not match the original tapestry brick of the rest of the building.
