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Developer plans to demolish Frank Lloyd Wright house in Phoenix, AZ
Two developers bought a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Phoenix, Arizona and plan to demolish it to build two new houses on the property to sell.
The David Wright House
Wright designed the house for his son, David Wright, and David's wife, Gladys, in 1952. David was the son of the first of Wright's three marriages, to Catherine Tobin .
The developers bought the house in June 2012, and say they didn't know who Wright was or the significance of the house. The previous owners had bought it from David Wright's granddaughters. A preservation group was in the process of working to preserve the house and had started the process of applying for recognition of the house as a landmark but, in Arizona, individual property rights often supersede preservation and conservation. Even if the house is designated a landmark, that protection will only extend three years and then the owner will be free to demolish the house, which is what they've said they'll do.
According to an article in the NY Times , an anonymous donor offered to buy the house for a "little over" $2M but the developers refused to sell it. The developers had bought the house for $1.8M just last June but say they are " looking to clear $2.2 million from any sale," . Some say a threat by the developers to demolish the house is an attempt to hold the preservation group up for a higher price.
A petition to the city of Phoenix to preserve the house has been started:
http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-phoenix-save-the-david-and-gladys-wright-house
And here are a couple of videos on yourube, from people who've toured the house:
The description of the house:
"The house, built in 1952, bears Wrights signature on a red tile by its front door equal parts seal of approval and certificate of authenticity. The wood on the cabinets, doors, desks, shelves and sofas, all designed by Wright, sparkled, having been brought back to life by coats of lemon oil Mr. Sells diligently applied early this week as a new real-estate listing went live.
Piano hinges, which line cabinets and doors from top to bottom, still hold strong. The floor, in colored concrete, has cracks that show its age but also lend it a degree of rugged charm.
...
" The house dances. The glass of its windows is mounted on frames that curve, following the flow of its spiraling walls. The furniture inside, all of it designed by Wright, is a study in symmetry. The kitchen tables round edges match the round edges of the fireplace, which match the round edges of the ramp that leads from ground to second level like an inverted U.
"The house surprises. Sheets of plywood hug support columns as they cross the innards of the closets in a childs bedroom, hiding them playfully as in a game of peekaboo. Inverted triangles carved out of galvanized steel hang from the edge of the roof, casting shadows on the ground that change as the sun moves."
A little interesting nugget that I didn't know was that one of Wright's sons, John Loyd Wright, who was also an architect, invented Lincoln Logs - http://www.incredibleart.org/links/jlwright/lloyd_wright.html
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great minds thinking alike ?
or fools refusing to differ??
LOL...re the White House...see my comment below in this thread
just got the interwebs back here in Scranton, mis-read the headline . I thought it said Whitehouse !!
There are UK buildings from mid-twentieth century which are listed (some of them hideous!). I'm pretty damn certain that any building by such an eminent architect as FLW would be listed in the UK.
No expert on these matters BUT:-
1) It seems that GSA will protect buildings less than 50 years old http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104832 But I imagine any additional protections will vary from State to State. It looks like for non Federally owned properties "only the State Historic Preservation Officer may officially nominate a property for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places". Although this provides limited protection as is evidenced by the following statement:-"As of 1999, there have been 982 properties removed from the Register, most often due to being destroyed. " Wikipedia Register of Historic Places
2) See above
3) Agreed ...and I'm sure that is the purpose behind the petition.
4) Again, agreed. One cant help suspecting that a certain amount of naivete might have been involved. I would suggest however that the priority right now must be to get that three year breathing space at all costs.
Diolch Gaynor...this kind of carpetbagging must be fought vigorously imho. Please consider sharing the post on FB. I dont know how effective the petition will be but at least it affords an opportunity for us all to express our revulsion!
Added my signature. It's appalling that this could happen.
Agrees with John Good. America is full of old ramshackle historic buildings. In some cases they were constructed prior to 1950!!!!! Surely that is unhygeinic? Any structure without granite counter tops in the kitchen is due for the wrecking ball imho.
Here are as few ugly old buildings that should come down :-
This blydi eyesore was built in 1814. A public health hazard if you ask me. Perfect spot for a strip mall.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL ( http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAnother_view_of_Monticello_(Jefferson_home)_IMG_4207.JPG">
Another festering old dump. This place was built in 1768. Dont be surprised if you catch beri beri walking around a place that old. A perfect spot for a brand new 7/11. It would help them fullfil their mission to make candy coffee available at 1000 yard intervals from sea to shining sea. Standing in the way of progress is futile. The United States of Generica baby
"It would be interesting to hear comments from the three granddaughters whose sale of the property initiated the jeopardy it now faces."
If you look at the articles, they sold it to someone who told them he was going to live in it and preserve it, and then he turned right around and sold it to the developers. It would have been nice if they and the preservation group and the city had worked together to do this in the beginning but I don't know what happened there or why they didn't.
Bring in the bulldozers,developers always know best.
ask anyone anywherefrom Ohio to Arizona
"Frank Lloyd Wright?Was he a pilot or what?"
Pull it down. Pull it down.Built a brand new retirement town
Place is fallinganywayand anyhow everyone knows
tomorrow stuff is much better than today's.Who needsgreyold aging heritage ?
Pull it down. Pull it down.We need another Starbucks in this town,
or maybe aWalmart full of cheapChinese checkouts
You know it'll bring in well-paid jobs,save money,clean up the mess
left by that crazyWelsh bastardwho called himself architect!
After being in America for about six years, I went home to Aberafan, South Wales for the first time, which when I left was a quaint, impractical lovely dirty town that still had a few medievalremnants next to pubs and markets, chapelsand civic buildings from every age thereafter. It had all gone under the auspices of the local council and greed. Please sign the petition