From BI:
Conservationists are battling to declare the David and Gladys Wright House in Arizona a landmark before it is destroyed forever.
Back in June, developer 8081 Meridian paid $1.8 million for the Phoenix residence, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1950s. 8081 Meridian now plans to demolish the home in order to make way for two brand new mansions in the Arcadia neighborhood, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.
Frank Lloyd Wright, the man behind Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum, built the house for his son David. Because it is the only Wright residence in existence that is based on the circular spiral plan, several architectural historians and critics consider the David and Gladys Wright House to be among the architect’s 20 most significant buildings.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is leading the crusade against the building’s destruction by petitioning the City of Phoenix to grant historic preservation and landmark designation to the house. If that fails, the organization is also working to find a preservation-minded buyer for the property, as well as considering a lot split allowing new homes to share property with the famous building as a last resort.
If it is demolished, it will be the first intact Wright building to be torn down in almost 40 years.
’cause, you know, there’s not a lot of land in Arizona to build a new house.
Here’s a JtR style video of the house…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHslpE3B5PI
While I understand this property really should be preserved. For the buyer where would you go to find crews that could restore something like this? I’m thinking 500k+ just to get it back to livable?
What the preservation foundation should do is line up local craftsman that can fix it. I’d be lost trying to balance keeping the house original yet modern enough to live in.
Remember, once its demolished it cannot be re-created.(blowing up old buildings is Johannesburgs favourite sport…..very few buildings left that are over 100 years old. Dont destroy your heritage.
I’m a FLW fan and all, but where were the preservationists when this was for sale? It was listed for $2.1 and they took $1.8. If it was so important to them, how come they didn’t buy it?
The new owner should not be unduly restricted from using his property as he sees fit. If it is special, step up and write the man a check!
Jim has the point exactly it is only worth preserving if someone is willing to pay to preserve it. If no one is willing to pay to preserve it then it clearly is not worth preserving. Since it is not in the top 10 of FLW designs it does not deserve as much as a top 10 house. Take good records and you can build a virtual tour for those who wish to see it in the future.
(56th St. & Camelback is prime real estate – best in town)
A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Phoenix home became the focus of national attention after the city conditionally granted its prospective owners a lot split, causing preservationists to fear that the land could be redeveloped.
The David and Gladys Wright House – one of only six Wright homes in the Valley – was built in the early 1950s in the Arcadia neighborhood.
Built for Wright’s son, its circular spiral plan is Wright’s only residential design reminiscent of New York’s Guggenheim Museum, which Wright was also designing during that period.
slideshow Photos: David Wright House | Frank Lloyd Wright homes in metro Phoenix
For now, the new owners, luxury-home developers who have since closed on the property, are in a holding pattern. They have been meeting with preservation and city officials and are considering options for preserving the house but haven’t ruled out further developing the large lot.
‘A Picasso in the fire’
In a year marking the 75th anniversary of Taliesin West in Scottsdale and a major exhibit of Wright’s life and work at the Phoenix Art Museum, it’s surprising to some that a work by such an architectural giant would face such a threat.
“It’s like throwing a Picasso in the fire,” said Alison King, a historic-preservation activist and founder of Modern Phoenix with her husband, Matthew.
When such properties are lost, “we lose poetry,” said Victor Sidy, dean of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, based at Taliesin West and Spring Green, Wis. “We lose the authenticity of such projects.”
In mid-June, fearing that all or part of the David Wright home would be demolished, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in Chicago and local Wright enthusiasts came together to request a landmark designation and historic-preservation status from the Phoenix Planning Commission.
The commission initiated the historic overlay process, which allows it to talk with the buyers, Steve Sells and John Hoffman, about ways to preserve the property. Before the overlay becomes final, it faces four more public hearings which, as of earlier this week, had not been set.
Possible outcomes
Sells and Hoffman, whose company is 8081 Meridian, paid $1.8 million for the property, southwest of 56th Street and Camelback Road.
They have been meeting with city officials, preservationists and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to come up with development and preservation possibilities, and they are spending the next 60 days working toward a solution.
“However, it’s not a given that the house can be preserved,” Hoffman said, noting that the house has stood empty for several years and needs a lot of costly work to return it to its 1950s splendor. “We are not in the historic-preservation business. That’s not our forte.”
Ideally, he said, he and Sells would like to sell the Wright house to someone who would restore it. One option is that the home could remain in Arcadia; another is that it could be moved and reconstructed at another site, as was done with the London Bridge, he said.
Hoffman and Sells also would like to redevelop the lot, which is 2.25 acres, into three parcels, adding two new homes on the other two parcels, he said. Such a move would require numerous zoning variances and likely would meet with neighborhood opposition, he said.
Although preservationists seemed relieved last week that the new owners were open to talks and that a historic designation was being pursued, such a designation is not a guarantee.
In Phoenix, historic-overlay status delays for a year any construction or demolition that a property owner may want to undertake. Landmark status, which is given to buildings of exceptional significance, delays construction or demolition for up to three years. Within those periods, property owners can appeal.
Even after the delays, property owners can request that the historic-overlay and landmark status be removed.
“There is no permanent way to keep someone from demo-ing,” said Michelle Dodds, Phoenix’s historic-preservation officer. “What that delay does is give us time to work with the property owner” and discuss preservation.
King, whose website is modernphoenix.net, is an expert on Midcentury Modern and contemporary architecture and has witnessed a lot of these battles. Among those lost: the Ed Varney-designed Washburn Piano building and the Al Beadle-designed Mountain Bell Building in Phoenix, both of which were torn down.
The age of these midcentury and more recent buildings is part of the problem, King said.
Typically, to be considered for historic-preservation status, properties have to be at least 50 years old.
“People don’t believe it’s history because it’s their lifetime,” King said.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/decor/articles/20120627frank-lloyd-wright-houses-purchase-causes-stir-reminds-preservation-can-long-battle.html#ixzz24yjJcBeZ
The last thing they want is their “right” to tear it down.
Scenario 1: They go through a multi-year process (which they were fully aware of) before demo’ing a FLW and owning a $1.8M lot.
Scenario 2: Hold the FLW hostage for a sale to preservationists and a quick lot split, resulting in two lots with a basis of $1.8M minus the FLW sale.
Excercising their “property rights” is the last thing they want.
I’m with Jim.
FLW was a pretty amazing architect but also a crappy engineer. His houses leak and are not all entirely as stable and durable. If this house is anything like a couple others of his that I have seen, it could be on its last leg.
Think of it as performance art – enjoy it while it is here, but his stuff wasn’t really built to last.
The owners should have just demolished it without warning.
totally agree with sdduuude. good architect does not always mean good house decades later.
Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. tear it down !