EDUCATION | ADVOCACY | PRESERVATION THE MAGAZINE OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BUILDING CONSERVANCY SPRING 2012 / VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1

IN THIS ISSUE Strategic Interventions

Guest Editor: Ron Scherubel uence an nvolvement ave been the channel SaveWright is a semi-annual publication of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Guest Editor: Ron Scherubel Executive Editor: Susan Jacobs Lockhart Managing Editor: Jeffrey Levine Copy Editor: Linda Botsford Contributing Editor: Janet Halstead Designer: Debra Nemeth The mission of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is to facilitate the preservation and maintenance of the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright through education, advocacy, preservation easements and technical services. tel: 312.663.5500 email: [email protected] web: www.savewright.org © 2012, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Ron Scherubel Guest Editor

it’s what we do it’s what Cover photo: Westcott House by Brad Feinknopf. Any images not credited are from the Conservancy’s collection. How does the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy go about doing what it does? Basically the what it does? Basically go about doing Building Conservancy the Frank Lloyd Wright How does for its in- know it better most of you probably although is an advocacy organization, Conservancy infl attempting to “Advocacy” means house tours. conferences and enlightening formative the the preservation and maintenance of of a cause. With a mission to “facilitate outcome in support think the Conservancy’s i designed by Frank Lloyd Wright” you’d remaining structures would be obvious—to step in and “save” a threatened Wright structure from demolition or deterioration step in and “save” a threatened Wright would be obvious—to in this issue, it’s more than that. SaveWright). But as you will learn (hence the brand identity a Preservation conference in 2001 in at a National Trust for Historic I represented the Conservancy sev- their recent success stories. After preservation organizations to describe session allowing different a historic building after three or four explained how they saved and restored eral executive directors by relating how the Conservancy rescued surprised the preservation-savvy audience years of hard work, I House; Gordon House; houses in four years. Each of these saves—Westcott four doomed Wright a different strategy and type of intervention Goetsch-Winckler House—involved Friedman House; and of its work. and they are the cornerstones on the part of the Conservancy Conservancy intervenes that are not so obvious or high There are many other ways in which the saves are not readily apparent. For example, when a preservation- exposure. What counts as a save? Many Wright on the Market, can rst learns of an endangered Wright building through minded new owner fi the purchaser might otherwise have been a developer, or one the Conservancy count this as a save? If There clearly led to that house being saved. insensitive to preservation, then Wright on the Market to appropriate new owners through Wright on the Market. have been dozens of houses transferred for which the Conservancy might not h Additionally, there are those properties but where its intensive advocacy efforts preserved the house’sthat brought the new owner to the table, that perfect buyer came along. availability or prevented its demolition until Conservancy is more about the word “facilitate” in its mission As you will see from these articles, the or “maintenance.” The Conservancy is less directly involved statement, than the words “restoration” type of restoring, or in actually doing the paint analysis, artin the bricks-and-mortar, hammer-and-nail preservation, restoration or maintenance. It is all about tappingglass repair, or wood treatment aspects of nd creative solutions; recommend potential problems; fi a national expertise to proactively identify people together; locate new sensitive owners; network Wright- strategies, processes or methods; bring the process of restoring or maintaining Wright structures. restoration experts; and oversee and assist better after reading the articles in this issue and appreciate I hope you understand the Conservancy attendance at conferences, tour fees, and donations. what you are supporting with your memberships, Thank you. Quick Action Saves Goetsch-Winckler House A Perfect Hollywood Script: Renaissance of the Ennis House Peering into Wright: How Peer Review Each Challenge Requires a Unique Strategy Letter from the Executive Director: At the Nexus President’s Message: Saving Wright One Building at a Time An Auspicious Start: Auldbrass Rebirth From Boarding House to House Museum:

10 25 19 22 Contributes to Restoration and Construction 6 14 1 Formative Days of Conservancy Nurtures Metamorphosis of the Westcott House 2 editor’s WELCOME editor’s Ron Scherubel served as executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy during the sec- ond decade of its existence. A native of Chicago and an attorney, he came to the Conservancy after retiring as Vice President and General Counsel of Sara Lee Foods. He is currently a member of the Conservancy’s board and remains actively in- volved in its advocacy efforts and legal matters, as well as those of several other preservation organizations. ABOUT THE EDITOR CONTENTS president’s MESSAGE

saving wright one building at a time

It is a pleasure to write my fi rst SaveWright president’s letter, and it is appropriate that it is for this particular issue. Our mission is to preserve the extant buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright and during my 23 years of in- volvement with the Conservancy I have had the oppor- tunity of observing, and at times participating directly, in a wide variety of efforts to accomplish this mission. Many of the Conservancy’s success stories have been shared in conference presentations and the pages of the Bulletin—the predecessor to SaveWright. You will

read new details of several of our well-known “saves” PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. in the pages that follow. This issue also provides an opportunity to address some of the less dramatic but equally important achievements that sometimes take place quietly behind the scenes. critical preservation programs at Frank Lloyd Wright properties. At the time, none of us could have antici- In July 2004 I had the opportunity to participate in pated that Senator Clinton would one day be secretary presenting a Wright Spirit Award to then-Senator of state! As we move forward in our World Heritage Hillary Rodham Clinton. Senator Clinton was, as I Nomination, which the State Department would perceived it, initially a bit confused about why we transmit to UNESCO, it is encouraging to know that were presenting her with an award. She had never had the current secretary of state cares about historic direct contact with our organization. We explained preservation and has knowledge of some of the Wright that our acknowledgment was based on her work in buildings we care about. There is good cause to hope creating the Save America’s Treasures program while this will be helpful as our nomination works its way First Lady. At the time, Save America’s Treasures had through international channels. Preservation work is contributed to saving many buildings, including fi ve often about relationship building. Wright buildings. In the following years, seven ad- ditional Wright buildings would receive funding for a Our online Wright on the Market program is another total of 14 Save America’s Treasures Grants awarded extremely important vehicle in helping accomplish to Wright Buildings. The meeting gave us an opportu- our mission. Many preservation-minded buyers have nity to explain that the Conservancy is the organiza- found their Wright buildings through our website. tion that steps in when a Wright building is threatened Once they learn about the availability of the building, and does not have an advocate or has an advocate that the door often opens to helpful dialog about how to is in need of specifi c assistance. We were honoring her restore, preserve and protect the Wright building that for her foresight in creating the Save America’s Trea- has captured their interest. Other preservation-minded sures program and, specifi cally, for its contribution to purchasers have learned about the availability of spe- cifi c Wright properties through personal contact with Conservancy board members. The work of the Conservancy is complex, far-reaching and SUCCESSFUL. Each of us has just reason to be proud of this organization’s many accomplishments. None of them would be possible without the partici- pation and faithful support of each of our members. YOU are sincerely appreciated.

Larry Woodin Ron Scherubel President, Guest Editor Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy

Larry Woodin and Deborah Vick presenting then First-Lady 1 Hillary Rodham Clinton with a Wright Spirit Award. PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES. The Stevens Residence on Audlbrass Plantation with swimming pool, pergola and private lake in background.

An Auspicious Start: Auldbrass Rebirth Nurtures Formative Days of Conservancy BY LINDA BOTSFORD

One of the most celebrated interventions brought about by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy was actually accomplished before the Conservancy was formally incorporated under its current name.

The target was Auldbrass Plantation (1939-1941), nestled in the lowlands outside of Beaufort, South Carolina. This collection of buildings, a hidden treasure unique to the South, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his client C. Leigh Stevens in 1939. Thanks to its current owner, movie producer Joel Silver, much love and effort has ABOUT THE AUTHOR brought this plantation back to what Wright originally intended. The preservation suc- cess story of Auldbrass Plantation grew out of a sequence of events that began in 1986. Linda Botsford is a retired It involved a number of administrators of other Wright-designed properties who identi- managing editor and reporter fi ed the plantation’s plight and united with other preservation organizations to save it. who likes to keep her hand in on a volunteer basis. Her Industrialist C. Leigh Stevens built Auldbrass Plantation in the 1940s as a self-suffi cient other interests and avocations modern plantation for farming, hunting and entertaining, but it was mostly used as include old houses, American a retreat. Besides the main house, it included a barn, stables, kennels, a manager’s history, gardening, museum residence and several cottages. Stevens also held additional plans for a guest house and volunteering and teaching a dining barge on the cypress pond near the main building. Stevens owned Auldbrass English as a second lan- guage. Linda, her husband until his death in 1962, when it passed to his daughter, Jessica Stevens Loring. Tom, and poodles Oliver and Max live in Alexandria, Virginia, and North Chatham, Massachusetts.

2 Auldbrass outbuildings prior to restoration. PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES. Farm buildings after restoration.

Unfortunately, Auldbrass suffered considerably over Auldbrass outbuildings early in the restoration process. time from ill treatment by subsequent disinterested owners. By the 1980s, the place was in total disrepair. The barn had burned down in the early 1950s; the for- est had grown to within a few dozen feet of the house; droppings from the nearby oak trees had severely What was once a signifi cant grouping of Wright’s buildings in the damaged the copper foil roof, which was then replaced with composition material; most of the cypress walls southeast second only to Florida Southern College in Lakeland, had deteriorated; the furniture and fi xtures had been Florida, had been reduced to a camping site for duck hunters. removed; and a famous New York interior designer, at the behest of the wife of one of the owners, had painted some of the interior a pastel green. In 1985, Thomas Schmidt, who was director of Fall- The following spring, Schmidt received a phone call ingwater (1934-1937) in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, and from Donna Butler, a real estate appraiser in Savan- vice president of the Western Pennsylvania Conservan- nah, Georgia, who had expertise in historic proper- cy (the owner and steward of Fallingwater), attended ties. Butler was in search of information needed for one of the Conservancy’s earliest meetings—before it appraising Auldbrass and she had heard that Kentuck was called the Conservancy—in Los Angeles. At the Knob, a Wright property not far from Fallingwater, meeting, he saw a video of Auldbrass shown by was for sale. She wondered if there was any pertinent Roy Palmer, owner of the Gabrielle and Charlcey information applicable to her search. Lending urgency Austin House (1951), Broad Margin, in Greenville, to her project was the fact that the then owners of South Carolina. It was also at the LA meeting where Auldbrass, a group of businessmen who operated it as Schmidt fi rst met Joel Silver, owner and painstaking a hunting club, wanted to divest the property before restorer of the Wright-designed John Storer House the end of 1986, when favorable capital gains treat- (1923-1924), one of three textile-block houses in ment was due to expire. the Hollywood hills. Schmidt, who was destined to become the Conservan- cy’s fi rst president, had planned to attend a conserva- tion conference in Savannah the following month and

INTERVENTIONS

The Conservancy has provided assistance to over 100 Wright buildings through various meetings, telephone consultations, hearing appearances, letters of support, preservation easements, U.S. Landmark and World Heritage nominations, rescues, and restoration advice. The following Wright structures have received a Conservancy intervention in one form or another since its inception.

Allen Friedman House Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Auldbrass Plantation American System-Built Homes, Anthony House Bach House Milwaukee Arnold House Bachman-Wilson House 3 Painted ceiling being stripped before restoration. Ceiling restoration nearing completion. Dining area mid-restoration.

Schmidt went to work immediately. He called Butler to confi rm that Auldbrass was still available and to fi nd out if the owners would be willing to donate the Because of that early gathering of preservation-minded lovers of property as a charitable contribution. Butler made Wright’s architecture that eventually evolved into the Frank Lloyd some further inquiries and reported back to Schmidt Wright Building Conservancy, Auldbrass thrives once more. that the owners would consider such a donation. The only missing element was a charitable organization to receive the property. Schmidt then contacted a long-time personal friend, he asked Butler if he could visit Auldbrass. Driving up John Trask, at the Beaufort County Open Land Trust, to the plantation, Schmidt was immediately impressed to ask if the Trust would accept a donation of the by the complex of buildings but his enthusiasm soon Auldbrass property. Trask agreed, and the donation waned when he took a closer look at the property. was completed before the end of 1986, providing Schmidt remembers that when he fi rst toured the the owners with a charitable tax deduction. With the property’s main building, he was greeted by a row of hunting club owners now out of the picture, Schmidt bunk beds and piles of fallen leaves. What was once telephoned Silver. Schmidt said he made the call “with a signifi cant grouping of Wright’s buildings in the real trepidation” and notes that the name Fallingwa- southeast second only to Florida Southern College in ter got him through to the producer. Schmidt began Lakeland, Florida, had been reduced to a camping site the conversation by noting the extraordinary job for duck hunters. Silver had accomplished with the Storer House. He then asked Silver if he would “like to acquire another Frank Lloyd Wright building.” PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES. 4 Living room after restoration with custom furniture. Stevens Residence midway through restoration. Part of the Stevens Residence roof being restored.

Silver said he was fully committed to the ongoing res- These meetings afforded opportunities to network and toration and furnishing of the Storer House, but after share concerns. “Joel and I met, I saw the magnifi cent hearing Schmidt’s description of the property in great restoration job he had done on the Storer House, and I detail, Silver was intrigued. A few weeks later, Silver was able to connect Joel with Auldbrass.” fl ew to South Carolina and met Butler, who took him It was because of that early gathering of preservation- through the Auldbrass complex. Silver was hooked, minded lovers of Wright’s architecture that eventually and the deal moved forward. Silver assumed the evolved into the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conser- outstanding mortgage of the former owners and made vancy that Auldbrass thrives once more. signifi cant contributions to the Beaufort County Open Land Trust and to Historic Charleston. The treasury of expertise to be found among Conservancy supporters continues to be the organi- A tough preservation façade easement, similar to the zation’s most important tool. Of special importance model adopted by the National Trust for Historic today, Schmidt says, are the Conservancy’s annual Preservation, was given to Historic Charleston, with conferences and smaller gatherings where devotees a requirement that Silver restore Auldbrass within a of Wright’s architecture meet, exchange news and short period of time and allow occasional public view- information, and continue to foster preservation of ing of the site. Silver then assembled a restoration team Wright’s work. ■ headed by architect Eric Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandson. Since 1986, Silver has restored the existing buildings, some of which were extensively altered, and he has reconstructed buildings previously destroyed by fi re. Today, work continues at Auldbrass under Silver’s loving guidance. He often jokes that he needs more hit movies to continue with the restoration. He also generously opens Auldbrass for events to benefi t the Conservancy and Beaufort County trust. Why was the Auldbrass rescue so very successful? Schmidt says there were many factors. First, each party—sellers, buyer, and public charities—achieved their goal. Second, all parties were business people who understood tax rules and were prepared to act quickly to meet the legal deadline that applied. Third, Schmidt says, the Wright building owners’ conferences had supplied an “absolutely indispensable element.” PHOTO BY ANTHONY PERES. Restoration of pool and pergola completed.

Baker House Buehler House Balch House Bulbulian House Coonley House, Gardner’s Cottage Beachy House Burleigh House and Coach House Bogk House Charles Brown House Copeland House Boynton House Charles Roberts House Dana House Bradley House and Stable Charnley Cottage Darwin Martin House 5 Brandes House Christian House Davenport House PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. PHOTO BY BRAD FEINKNOPF. The Westcott House, pergola and garage after restoration.

From Boarding House to House Museum: Metamorphosis of the Westcott House BY JOHN G. THORPE AND EDITH K. PAYNE The preservation of the Burton J. Westcott House (1906-1908) in Springfi eld, Ohio, offers an excellent illustration of how use of Conservancy resources can meet the urgent needs of a homeowner dedicated to preservation but fi nancially unable to fully undertake such an effort. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Burton J. Westcott was a Springfi eld businessman whose family was in the farm implement, carriage and later the touring car business. Wright designed the only John. G. Thorpe is a restora- Prairie house in Ohio for Westcott and his family, siting it on a relatively small corner tion architect in Oak Park, lot on High Street, the grandest address in Springfi eld at the turn of the 20th century. Illinois, who has worked and consulted on many Wright It is one of the fi rst architectural designs in which Wright focused on terracing a hillside projects, including the Frank site with retaining walls and using a pergola to connect the house with the large garage/ Lloyd Wright Home and stable situated at the rear of the property. According to Harvard professor Neil Levine, Studio; Arthur Heurtley co-chair of the Advocacy Committee: “As one of a handful of his Prairie houses that House, Unity Temple, Avery Coonley Estate, Isabel form part of a larger landscape plan, including other ancillary structures, [the Westcott Roberts and Robie Houses. House] provides a rare opportunity to appreciate how the architect sought to integrate He is vice president of the building and site into the overall community framework.” Conservancy and co-chair of both its Advocacy Committee Today, High Street retains a substantial number of its great houses, but as in many and its Architectural Advisory older city neighborhoods, some of them have been converted to commercial uses, Committee. including the large residence next door to the Westcott House, which is operated as Edith Payne is an appellate a funeral home. The Westcott House itself did not escape commercialization. In the judge and Conservancy 1940s, it was converted into a rooming house and subdivided in a fashion that board member. As a Wright destroyed the architectural integrity of Wright’s design. Moreover, after several owners homeowner, she maintains and almost 50 years, its use as a boarding house had become economically marginal, an active interest in historical and the condition of the property had severely deteriorated. preservation. She has served both as counsel to and a The Conservancy fi rst heard about the plight of the Westcott House in 1996 and board member of the Newark discussed it at a board meeting during the Conservancy’s annual conference in Seattle, Museum, in New Jersey. Washington. The owner at the time, Sherri Snyder, was a young widow who cared 6 deeply about the house but could not afford the structural and architectural work the property required. Having received a great deal of local pressure regarding the house’s PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE.

Restoration of the south side façade.

condition, she contacted the Conservancy for help and advice. In response, Levine contacted local organiza-

tions, and John Thorpe, also co-chair of the Advocacy PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. Committee, called the Springfi eld Building Department Removal of the embellishments (top) and in-fi ll of the original pergola (above). and then Snyder herself. Snyder was able to make cer- tain code repairs which, along with the Conservancy’s involvement, appeared to satisfy the city for a time. oped. Board member Donna Butler, a historic property In 1997, the Conservancy asked one of its architectural appraiser from Savannah, Georgia, also studied the advisory committee volunteer architects, Craig Henry, tape. Working with a Springfi eld appraiser arranged from The Ohio State University, to meet with Snyder through Cline, Butler was able to prepare estimates of and to videotape and assess the condition of the prop- the value of the Westcott House, both as a single-fami- erty. That fall, the Buffalo conference was attended by ly residence and as an income property. Those apprais- Jim Davidson, a 21-year tenant in the Westcott room- als were sent to Snyder in December 1998. ing house, a Conservancy member and an avid Wright buff. The Conservancy also connected with Matt In May 2000, Cline reported the Westcott House was Cline, a Springfi eld software developer and fan of the continuing to deteriorate. The Conservancy determined house. Working with Cline, the Conservancy infor- that it was unlikely that a purchaser seeking to use the mally sought to identify a potential new owner for the house as a single-family residence and willing to invest property with resources suffi cient to restore the build- heavily in its restoration was going to appear. It was ing and return it to use as a single-family residence. time to consider approaching Snyder and the Spring- Although a few inquiries came from out of town, no serious prospects appeared. The house was not for sale at that time, anyway. In 1998, the Conservancy asked Snyder if she would It was time to consider restoring the property as a historic house be receptive to receiving estimates of the restoration museum—a less preferred alternative but one that must be costs and the appraisal value of the property, to which considered when the long-term survival is an issue. she agreed. Henry’s videotape was reviewed by several board members and a construction budget was devel-

David Wright House Foster House Glore House DeRhodes House Francis Little House Goetsch-Winckler House Duncan House Freeman House Gordon House Ennis House Fricke House Greenberg House Eppstein House George and Clifton Lewis House Guy Smith House Fallingwater German Warehouse Haynes House 7 Feiman House Glasner House Heller House PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. 8 Restoration effortsbeginningindiningroomarea. Revolving FundtopurchasetheWestcottHouse. Conservancy useitsrecentlyestablishedLewis-Haines Given theeconomicrealities,itwassuggestedthat fi rst-fl oorkitchenthatmadeinvoluntarydescentinto Among otherthings,therewereholesinthefl condition insomeareasthanthevideohadshown. Snyder. Likemanyhistoricbuildings,itwasinworse and Henrytouredthehouseforthreehourswith property andmeetSnyderinJuly2000.Thorpe,Levine The Conservancyarrangedanopportunitytovisitthe est insuchaproject. number ofcommunityleadersandreportedhighinter- converted tosuchuse.TaylortalkedwithClineanda including anumberofthegreatmasterworks,hadbeen given that,nationally,over30Wright-designedhomes, House toahousemuseumwasdiscussedwithTaylor, The possibilityofrestoringandconvertingtheWestcott cultural institutionsandotherresourcesinthearea. tionist andlocalhistorian,Taylorwasfamiliarwiththe Society, becameinvolved.Asanexperiencedpreserva- Springfi eldandaleaderoftheClarkCountyHistorical History DepartmentatWittenbergUniversityin Through Cline,ProfessorTomTaylor,chairofthe by Wrightisanissue. when thelong-termsurvivalofaresidentialstructure original purpose,butonethatmustbeconsidered less preferredalternativetoutilizingthehouseforits erty asahistorichousemuseumopentothepublic—a fi eldcommunityaboutsavingandrestoringtheprop-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. inspects theskylightwithElwin Robison, structuralengineerandarchitecturalhistorian. Lauren PinneyBurge,AIA,principal-in-charge fortherestorationofWestcottHouse, oorofthe operate thehouseasamuseumandeducationalcenter. Westcott HouseFoundation,whichwascreatedto and othersbegantheestablishmentofnon-profi t to asthesaleprice.Atsametime,Taylor,Chepp Within twoweeks,theappraisedvaluewasagreed the totalrestorationofWestcottHouse. underwrite notonlythefuturepurchasepricebutalso stay involved,theTurnerFoundationwouldpledgeto meeting, LandesssaidthatiftheConservancywould Westcott’s visionandWright’sgenius.Attheendof restore andoperatethehouseasapublictributeto based not-for-profi tfoundationthatwouldpurchase, House, andtheConservancy’svisionforacommunity- the Conservancy’soffer,significance oftheWestcott The groupdiscussedSnyder’sprovisionalacceptanceof Turner Foundation,alocalphilanthropicorganization. of Art,andJohnLandess,thenewdirector Mark Chepp,thendirectoroftheSpringfi eldMuseum berg withTaylor,Clineandsevenothers,including That evening,theConservancygroupmetatWitten- come tohope. offer providedthesolutionforwhichshehadrecently and herinabilitytomaintainit,theConservancy’s that givenherinterestinthepreservationofhouse house asacommunityasset.Snyderagreed,stating and workwithlocalleaderstorestoreoperatethe Conservancy wouldputapreservationeasementonit to purchasetheWestcottHouse,atwhichtime its recentlyestablishedLewis-HainesRevolvingFund situation, itwassuggestedthattheConservancyuse of theproperty.Giveneconomicrealities probable restorationcostsandtheappraisedvalue her apartmentintheWestcottHousestabletodiscuss Following theinspection,groupmetwithSnyderin budget increasedasthedayprogressed. the basementanall-too-realpossibility.Therestoration PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. Discussion of dining room lamps and unupholstered dining room chairs. PHOTO BY BRAD FEINKNOPF. The dining room after restoration. PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CLINE. Living room hearth with built-ins removed during construction. Working with attorney board members Tom Schmidt in Pittsburgh and Ron Duplack in Chicago, negotia- tions were completed with Snyder and the new founda- The Conservancy would work with tion, which agreed to purchase the house. In September 2000, the Conservancy closed with Snyder on the local leaders to restore and operate Conservancy’s purchase of the residence. the house as a community asset. During the Conservancy’s 18-month ownership, it stabilized the Westcott House and prepared for its In 2001, the Burton J. Westcott House was sold to the future. The rooming house operation was continued Westcott House Foundation, with the Conservancy for a period of time, with Cline as property manager retaining a preservation easement and some oversight and Wright-advocate Davidson and others remaining over the restoration, and the Lewis-Haines Revolving as tenants. Through Cline, the Conservancy conducted Fund was replenished. emergency structural, electrical, roofi ng, and other repairs, termite abatement, installation of a security Restoration and furnishing of the Westcott House system, and the removal and protective storage of project was completed by the Westcott House certain valuable building elements, including windows, Foundation and the Turner Foundation in October of at the Springfi eld Museum of Art. The Conservancy 2005, and the house was opened for the community to ordered land surveys and obtained the full set of tour as well as for educational and social purposes. It Wright drawings from Taliesin. Finally, it hired the res- has become a national model of preservation advocacy, toration architectural fi rm of Chambers, Murphy and of shared vision and cooperation, a tribute as intended Burge in Akron, Ohio, to prepare the comprehensive to Wright and Westcott as the result of hard work Historic Structure Report that formed the basis for the by many talented and generous people in the restoration. Conservancy and in Springfi eld, Ohio. ■

Henderson House Johnson Wax Administration Building Lindholm House Heurtley House and Research Tower Lindholm Service Station Hickox House Jones Estate Llewellyn Wright House Hollyhock House Kier House Lloyd Lewis House Isabel Roberts House Kissam House Loveness House Jacobs I House Lamp House Marin County Civic Center 9 Jiyu Gakuen Girls’ School Laurent House McCartney House An early view of the Goetsch-Winckler house from the ravine.

Back of the Goetsch-Winckler House as viewed from the ravine as it looks today.

Quick Action Saves Goetsch-Winckler House BY RONALD DUPLACK

The Goetsch-Winckler House is a seminal Usonian designed by Wright in the late 1930s for Alma Goetsch and Katherine Winckler, art professors at what was to become Michigan State University (MSU). It was the fi rst house in a planned cooperative community in Okemos, Michigan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The in-line, two-bedroom house was built in 1940 and is the only house actually constructed at the site of the proposed community. It was featured on the cover of Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s In the Nature of Materials (1942) and is regarded as one of Ronald P. Duplack is a partner in the Chicago law the most beautiful and signifi cant designs of the last two decades of Wright’s career. fi rm of Rieck and Crotty, P.C. Both professors died without heirs and the house passed through several hands. It Duplack and his wife, Tannys Langdon, AIA, restored was acquired in 1996 by a Brazilian architect, who used the house as a residence while and live in the Henry Peters teaching at MSU. After his teaching appointment ended, he returned to Brazil and House, the fi rst independent rented the house to students on an ad hoc basis. The house often sat vacant and did commission completed by not receive necessary maintenance or care. Walter Burley Griffi n following his exit from Wright’s Oak On Monday, July 9, 2001, the Conservancy received two unrelated communications Park Studio in 1906. They also about the house. One came from a passerby concerned about the house’s apparent restored two Edgar Miller-Sol abandoned, run-down condition and a large blue tarp covering the roof. The second Kogen residences as well as the 1851 George Woodward was from Susan Bandes, executive director of the Kresge Art Museum at MSU, who House in the National Regis- had written a book on the house and, along with the Conservancy, had been monitor- ter Historic District of Galena, ing it for a number of years. Bandes had just learned that the house was in mortgage Illinois. In addition to the foreclosure proceedings and that the close of the redemption period was in four days. Conservancy, Duplack serves The Conservancy’s advocacy committee immediately sprang into action. as an offi cer or board member on a number of Chicago- On Tuesday, July 10, 2001, board member Ron Duplack identifi ed and contacted the based civic and development Brazilian owner’s local attorney, based on information gleaned from the foreclosure organizations. notice posted on the house. The attorney indicated that the owner was making a last-ditch effort to fi nd someone willing to save the house. He was concerned that the 10 Front view of the Goetsch-Winckler House, emphasizing the cantilevered car port.

Florida-based bank holding the mortgage might sell to a developer interested only in the property, By the end of the third day, the board had agreed to purchase located in a rapidly developing area. He said that his client would entertain any reasonable offer that would the house, the offer was presented to the owner, and satisfy his mortgage. He added that although the roof discussions were underway with a serious take-out buyer. leaked and there were heating problems, some origi- nal furniture remained and the house was otherwise in good condition. He promised that a sale could be fi nalized quickly if a buyer could be found within the next three days. provided the mortgage could be redeemed before the Friday, July 13, deadline. A verbal offer to purchase The Conservancy’s executive committee immediately was made to the owner’s attorney before close of held a lengthy conference call to review all relevant business on Tuesday, July 10, a single day after the considerations and alternatives. It recommended that Conservancy received its fi rst calls about the house. all efforts should be made to save the house, relying upon funds from the Lewis-Haines Revolving Fund to On Wednesday, July 11, 2001, board member and purchase it, and at the same time beginning an imme- restoration architect John Thorpe learned that a local diate search for a take-out buyer to purchase the house contractor had placed the tarp over the building to from the Conservancy. This strategy had worked well protect it. The contractor was interested in the house in the purchase and re-sale of the Westcott House in and intended to purchase it after the mortgage foreclo- Springfi eld, Ohio, in 2000, the only other time the sure process was concluded. He was unaware of the Lewis-Haines Revolving Fund had been used to date. imminent deadline and would not have been prepared The full board immediately approved this recom- to close in time. He was delighted to learn that the mendation and Executive Director Ron Scherubel and Conservancy could meet the redemption deadline and board member Ron Duplack, both attorneys, were reiterated his hope to purchase the house from the authorized to negotiate the purchase of the house, Conservancy upon conclusion of that transaction, pro-

McElwain House Price Tower Storer House Millard House Richard Smith House Sutton House Miller House Robie House Sweeton House Palmer House Ross House Taliesin Park Inn Hotel and Rubin House Taliesin West City National Bank Building Schwartz House Tomek House 11 Parker House Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Tracy House The dining room after restoration. Early views of the dining room (top) and living room (above).

Friday the 13th turned out to be a lucky day. At the A preservation easement was placed prompting of Scherubel and Duplack, the seller’s attor- ney was able to convince the bank to waive its aban- on the house and property guaranteeing donment claim and accept the Conservancy’s redemp- tion and purchase offer. Purchase documents were its protection in perpetuity. quickly drafted and the Conservancy ultimately closed and took possession on August 8, 2001. During the three weeks preceding the closing Scherubel, Duplack and Thorpe continued negotiations with the contrac- vided he could obtain adequate fi nancing. By the end tor so that the property could be sold to him shortly of the third day, the board had agreed to purchase after the closing. He lived nearby and intended to rent the house, the offer was presented to the owner, the house as a guest cottage, in an arrangement similar and discussions were underway with a serious to the practice at the Seth Peterson Cottage (1958) in take-out buyer. Mirror Lake State Park, Wisconsin. As a contractor, he On Thursday, July 12, the Conservancy’s offer was appeared well equipped to make the necessary repairs accepted, a title search was completed and funds were and to manage the property. He also agreed to grant wired to enable redemption of the mortgage. The a preservation easement in favor of the Conservancy, seller’s attorney agreed to take care of the redemption ensuring the house’s permanent protection. Unfortu- the following morning. The only threat to the entire nately, the Conservancy’s luck then ran out. process was a provision in Michigan law allowing The contractor was unable to secure the fi nancing a bank to claim that a property in default has been he needed to purchase and restore the house and “abandoned,” thus shortening the redemption period the Conservancy was forced to seek other interested signifi cantly. Proof of abandonment only required parties, a long-distance process that lasted for more posting notice on the property and delivery of the than a year. A widely publicized request for proposals notice to the last known mailing address of the owner, (RPF) was initiated, resulting in a half-dozen submis- which of course was the empty house itself. These sions for public, semi-public and residential uses from notices had been posted several months earlier, but all over the country. However, none of the submissions the bank had made no attempt to contact the owner’s fully met the timing, fi nancial, use, conservation and attorney. The bank was in a position to claim that the easement requirements outlined in the RFP, and some redemption period had already expired and the Con- included unacceptable conditions. Advertising on the servancy’s offer to purchase was too late. This height- savewright.org website, the Wright on the Market sec- ened concerns that a developer had already begun tion of the Conservancy’s Bulletin, and in other media negotiations with the bank. 12 generated additional inquiries that nearly resulted in Enclosed lanai off the master bedroom.

Fund when the sale was closed. A preservation ease- ment was placed on the house and property, guaran- teeing its protection in perpetuity. The house was sold again a few years later and the current owners, Audrey contracts on several occasions, but in each instance and Dan Seidman, also connected to Michigan State the negotiations fell short of an actual contract. University, plan a complete restoration over time. Several Conservancy trips were made from Chicago The Lewis-Haines Revolving Fund, coincidence, speed, to Okemos during this period to meet prospective patience, luck, experience, and hard work by dedicat- buyers, one of which afforded Duplack and Thorpe ed board and staff members converged to accomplish a wonderful opportunity to camp out in a Wright a feat noteworthy in the annals of historic preserva- house, sleeping on the built-ins in sleeping bags in tion—the rescue of an important Frank Lloyd Wright front of the fi re on a cold night. house from foreclosure and possible demolition in less Finally, Linda Chambers (now Linda Demmer), who than one week. ■ already lived in the area, submitted a proposal. She was a perfect fi t due to her own preservation experi- ence, her intention to reside in the house, and her devotion to maintaining its integrity. And, like the original owners Goetsch and Winckler, she was an accomplished artist. Negotiations led to a contract contingent on the buyer’s sale of another property. While awaiting that contingency to be fulfi lled, several other proposals were received which had to be rejected once the contingent property was sold. The Conservancy had made several repairs to the house, including the installation of a new boiler, and had incurred carrying costs during the 16 months of its ownership, but was able to recoup substantially all of them and fully replenish the Lewis-Haines Revolving Modern kitchen installed within the footprint of the original.

Turkel House Weisblat House Wynant House Unitarian Meeting House Westcott House Ziegler House Unity Temple Willey House and more to come... Walser House William Martin House Walter Gale House Willits House 13 A Perfect Hollywood Script: Renaissance of the Ennis House BY LARRY WOODIN

The Ennis House project is an extraordinary example of how the Conservancy initi- ated the cooperation between several prominent preservation organizations and highly infl uential individuals to accomplish a near-miracle.

The Charles and Mabel Ennis House (1923) was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the owners of a Los Angeles men’s clothier. The main house and a second structure connected by a wide bridge and incorporating the garage, chauffeur’s quarters and

ABOUT THE AUTHOR service facilities, enclose approximately 6,200 square feet. Extensive terraces and the broad motor court add to the expansive footprint of the building that overlooks Los Angeles from its prominent perch in the Hollywood hills. Larry Woodin is president of the Frank Lloyd Wright The construction system (textured concrete blocks molded on site with steel reinforce- Building Conservancy. ment) presented practical problems from the start. Too much common soil was includ- He received his Master of ed in the concrete mix, causing the blocks to be less dense than Wright intended and Architecture degree from the University of Washington and the stepped wall facade allowed moisture infi ltration into the blocks and thence to the has maintained an award- reinforcement. Water migration contributed to the deterioration of many of the blocks winning independent design over time. practice. Woodin is the founder and director of the Charles Ennis died in 1926. His wife Mabel lived in the house until 1936. The house EcoHome Foundation and, passed through several owners and in 1968 August (Gus) Brown and his wife became among many special proj- the eighth owners. In an effort to fi nance repairs and maintenance, Brown formed ects, played an instrumental the Trust for Preservation of Cultural Heritage (TPCH), transferred the house to that role in saving the Gordon House. He is also the author non-profi t and retained the right to live in the house. Brown promoted the house as the of The Gordon House: A Moving Experience. PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. West end of south retaining wall with chauffeur’s quarters above. PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. 14 South retaining and living room walls prior to restoration. PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. South walls after restoration.

Ennis-Brown House and the building was open for It soon became clear that the TPCH board was faced tours on a limited schedule and was used as a set for with challenges beyond its abilities to raise the money over a dozen movies and numerous commercials and needed within the time limitation given by FEMA. photo shoots. The TPCH, through no fault of the existing board, had reputation issues lingering from the period when On January 17, 1994, the 6.7 magnitude Northridge Gus Brown was the face of the organization. Several earthquake struck Los Angeles. The quake killed 57 infl uential and potentially helpful organizations had people, injured 8,700 others and caused an estimated quietly adopted a “hands off” attitude toward the $20 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest Ennis-Brown House. natural disasters in U.S. history. The Ennis House suffered signifi cant damage, most notably the collapse Throughout 2004, Conservancy board members of large portions of the multi-level terraced retaining Deborah Vick and Larry Woodin had been making wall on the south side of the house, causing fear that regular trips to Los Angeles as co-chairs of a planned the south portion of the dining room might collapse. 2005 Conservancy conference. Franklin de Groot, A Getty Museum grant paid for the installation of executive director of TPCH, had been attending Con- steel beams to support the dining area. servancy events and discussing strategies for saving the beleaguered building with anyone who would listen. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) De Groot invited Vick and Woodin to visit the house ultimately determined that the Ennis House was and meet with board members during one of their entitled to $2.5 million in restoration funds as a result conference planning trips. Successive meetings began of the quake. FEMA designated a project list to be in earnest. completed within a specifi ed time or the grant would expire.

Then, in 2005, Los Angeles experienced an unprec- The city was so concerned that it temporarily “red- edented amount of rain. Years of deferred mainte- nance led to extensive leaks. Excessive storm runoff tagged” the building, preventing anyone from entering saturated the hillside on which the house sits, causing it until its stability could be confi rmed. the further collapse of the retaining wall. The city was so concerned that it temporarily “red-tagged” the building, preventing anyone from entering it until its stability could be confi rmed.

15 PHOTO COURTESY OF RON SCHERUBEL. Actress Diane Keaton makes a poignant plea to the Hollywood fi lm community to help save the Ennis House.

Actress Diane Keaton called on the Hollywood community to

step up and help save the Ennis PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. Exterior view of the dining room art glass window and textile block House in its time of need. prior to restoration.

Vick and Woodin tactfully suggested that TPCH con- tion was written by program director Audra Dye and sider inviting several new individuals with appropriate board members Carol Wyant and Deborah Vick. skills and connections to join the board. To its credit, The nomination was successful and Ennis was among the board responded enthusiastically. Several mem- the 11 Most Endangered in 2005. Scherubel then sug- bers volunteered to resign and the remaining board gested that a major media event be held to coincide members began reaching into the local professional with the release of the 11 Most Endangered list and community to seek new members with appropriate bring widespread attention to the perils facing the connections and skills. house. On June 3, 2005, several media representa- Vick, who had contacts within several key organiza- tives and numerous preservation enthusiasts from the tions, meanwhile brought her considerable negotiating National Trust, Los Angeles Conservancy and the skills to the delicate task of contacting various con- local community gathered in the living room of the stituents, explaining the signifi cant risks to the Ennis Ennis House for the announcement. The Conservancy House and the importance of their participation—lest was represented by board members Jennifer Emerson this iconic treasure be lost. She proposed a roundtable (owner of the Wright-designed Storer House (1923- meeting to discuss strategies for moving forward. She 1924), Vick, Woodin, and Scherubel. Actress Diane succeeded in persuading representatives from the Getty Keaton, a preservation enthusiast who later joined the Museum, Los Angeles Conservancy and the National Ennis House Foundation board, made an impassioned Trust for Historic Preservation to meet with represen- presentation. She called on the Hollywood community tatives from the Conservancy and TPCH. that had gained so much from the use of the Ennis House in fi lms to step up and help save it in its time As this strategy was evolving, the Conservancy of need. She quoted from a 1924 letter from Wright received an invitation in the mail to nominate an to Charles and Mabel Ennis: “You see, the fi nal result endangered Wright building to the National Trust’s is going to stand on that hill a hundred years or more. America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List. Long after we are gone it will be pointed out as the Executive Director Ron Scherubel suggested the Ennis Ennis House and pilgrimages will be made to it by House and with the board’s concurrence the nomina- lovers of the beautiful—from everywhere.” 16 PHOTO COURTESY OF RON SCHERUBEL. Marla Felber, Anthea Hartig, Jennifer Emerson, Robert Leary, Eric Lloyd Wright, Stephen McAvoy, Linda Dishman and Ron Scherubel break ground for the car court and retaining wall restoration on June 11, 2006, the one year anniversary of the founding of the Ennis House Foundation.

While all of this was being carefully coordinated, Con- servancy founding president Tom Schmidt and Scheru- bel met with Hollywood movie producer Joel Silver to discuss the Ennis project. As former owner of the Stor- er House and current owner of Auldbrass Plantation (1940-1951), Silver was a recognized Wright enthu- siast. They considered the impending FEMA deadline and the image problem remaining from an earlier era. Silver agreed to present the project to potentially inter- ested friends, provided three preconditions suggested by the Conservancy could be met. First, the house should offi cially be called the Ennis House instead of the Ennis-Brown House; second, the TPCH must PHOTO COURTESY OF RON SCHERUBEL. reorganize as the Ennis House Foundation (EHF); and EHF board meeting in the Ennis House. third, the new board must contain two representatives each from the Conservancy, the National Trust and the Los Angeles Conservancy. All of these suggestions were immediately put into to the table willing to guarantee a $4.5 million line of action, and under the guidance of attorneys identifi ed credit that would allow the work necessary to release by the Los Angeles Conservancy, TPCH was legally the FEMA funds to be undertaken. Los Angeles reincorporated as the Ennis House Foundation. As the businessman Ron Burkle had agreed to help. Burkle new board was created, Schmidt and Emerson became had a demonstrated interest in architectural preser- the Conservancy’s representatives. Longtime Conser- vation. He had previously owned and restored the vancy member and supporter Robert Leary also joined widely publicized John Lautner-designed Elrod House the board and was elected its president. He became an in Palm Springs and was currently living in the beauti- essential link between the EHF and the Conservancy, fully restored Beverly Hills mansion built for silent the Los Angeles Conservancy and the National Trust. fi lm star Harold Lloyd. With literally no time to spare, Eric Lloyd Wright, son of Lloyd Wright and grandson the reorganization was accomplished and Burkle co- of Frank Lloyd Wright, also joined the board and signed for the line of credit. FEMA approved release became an important voice in the project. of its grant funds. During this fast-paced series of events, Silver an- To hasten the process, the Conservancy drew from nounced that he was prepared to bring an individual its Lewis-Haines Revolving Fund to pay outstanding architectural and engineering fees so the EHF could 17 PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. Car court after restoration seen from bridge to garage and chauffeur’s quarters.

Despite diligent efforts over several years to establish Despite diligent efforts to establish the restored Ennis House as the restored Ennis House as a museum, the EHF ulti- a museum, the EHF ultimately determined the best result would mately determined that “the site needed more resourc- es than could be generated by a small not-for-profi t” be to return the building to its original use as a private home. and the best result would be to return the building to its original use as a private home. After considerable marketing efforts the Foundation was fortunate when Burkle offered to purchase the house in the summer obtain necessary building permits. Leary proudly pre- of 2011. His experience in historic restoration and sented the check to repay the Lewis-Haines Revolving enthusiasm for the Ennis House will assure a thorough Fund at the 2006 Conservancy conference. high quality completion of the many restoration tasks that lie ahead. The Los Angeles Conservancy holds Leary and Foundation Secretary Treasurer Stephen a preservation easement on the property and will be McAvoy tirelessly worked hand-in-hand with the a skilled partner as the project moves forward. The EHF, the Los Angeles Conservancy headed by Execu- Conservancy looks forward to watching, and where tive Director Linda Dishman, and the National Trust, appropriate, being a useful resource to the new owner represented by its West Coast Director Anthea Hartig, and the restoration team. and scores of dedicated volunteers to steer the project through the many challenges it faced. Construction We can now be confi dent that Wright’s statement to continued from mid-2006 to mid-2007 and included Charles and Mabel Ennis will hold true, “…long after building a new structural frame to support the motor we are gone it will be pointed out as The Ennis House court, chauffeur’s quarters, and the collapsed south and pilgrimages will be made by lovers of the beauti- retaining wall. The project also replaced the roof and ful—from everywhere.” ■ repaired and restored interior woodwork, fl oors, ceil- ings, art-glass doors and windows and a mosaic glass tile mural. Nearly 3,000 of the home’s 27,000 concrete blocks were repaired or replaced with new blocks that were cast from the original molds. 18 PHOTO BY AND COURTESY OF MARK HERTZBERG. View of the Robie House as seen looking west.

Peering into Wright: How Peer Review Contributes to Restoration and Construction BY JOHN G. THORPE AND EDITH K. PAYNE

A major component of the Conservancy’s mission is to provide advice to individual Wright building owners on restoration and preservation issues through daily conversations with the offi ce staff and the architectural advisory committee.

The Conservancy has been able to offer other services as well, providing valuable input into the restoration of nationally recognized buildings through the contribution of its members to peer review committees. Three notable examples are the Robie House (1908-1910) ABOUT THE AUTHORS in Chicago, Illinois; Fallingwater (1934-1939) in Mill Run, Pennsylvania; and the First Unitarian Society Meeting House (1946-1952) in Madison, Wisconsin. Each of these had John. G. Thorpe is a restora- a different, yet signifi cant, purpose. tion architect in Oak Park, Illinois, who has worked and Robie House consulted on many Wright projects, including the Frank After its last residential owner departed in 1926, the Robie House was utilized for varied Lloyd Wright Home and purposes by a series of institutional owners and on several occasions it faced imminent de- Studio; Arthur Heurtley molition. In 1963 the house was donated to the University of Chicago. In 1998, the Frank House, Unity Temple, Avery Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust in Oak Park, Illinois, undertook tour operations and full Coonley Estate, Isabel Roberts and Robie Houses. restoration of the site pursuant to a three-way agreement between the Preservation Trust, He is vice president of the the University of Chicago, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Under the aegis Conservancy and co-chair of of the Preservation Trust, a Master Plan and Historic Structure Report for the house were both its Advocacy Committee prepared. In November 1998, the Preservation Trust hosted a Scholars’ Conference and and its Architectural Advisory peer review by historians and architects to discuss the Master Plan. Five of the participants Committee. were Conservancy board members: John G. Thorpe, restoration architect, Preservation Edith Payne is an appellate Trust board member, Restoration Committee chair and Scholars’ Conference chair; Neil judge and Conservancy Levine, Emmet Blakeney Gleason professor of history of art and architecture, Harvard Uni- board member. As a Wright versity; Jack Quinan, distinguished service professor of 19th and 20th century architectural homeowner, she maintains history, SUNY Buffalo; Frank G. Matero, professor of architecture and historic preserva- an active interest in historical tion, University of Pennsylvania; and Randall Biallis, chief historical architect, National preservation. She has served Park Service. both as counsel to and a board member of the Newark The focus of the peer review committee was a pivotal issue in historic preservation—what Museum, in New Jersey. should be the target date of the restoration? On one hand, as the result of the interior photographs taken for the last residential owner, Marshall D. Wilber, in 1916, a signifi cant amount was known about the house at the time. In contrast, considerably less material 19 was available regarding its appearance when construc- Museum of Art in Pittsburgh in April 1999 to consider tion was completed in 1910. In 1910 and 1911, when the Silman plan from an engineering, architectural and the Robies lived there, the house represented most fully historical preservation perspective. Also evaluated were Wright’s design concept for it, even though construction the waterproofi ng plans developed by Wank Adams was primarily supervised by Marion Mahony. Following Slavin Associates. Members of the peer review panel in- considerable debate, and at the urging of Levine, 1910- cluded Biallas; Levine; Thorpe; Eric Lloyd Wright, archi- 1911 was chosen by the panel as the target date for the tect, honorary Conservancy board member and grandson restoration. With that crucial decision made, planning for of Frank Lloyd Wright; Nick Gianopulos, preservation the restoration could continue, and in 2001 work com- engineer; Bruno Thürliman, professor emeritus of struc- menced on the exterior of the house. Restoration of the tural engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, interior continues to date. Zurich; and Martin Weaver, director of the Center for Preservation Research, Columbia University. Fallingwater As is typical of a peer review, each panelist had questions A far different issue led to the convocation of a peer and comments on the problems, as well as the technical review panel for Fallingwater. There, the issue was the aspects and appropriateness of the proposed solutions. defl ection observed in the cantilevered reinforced concrete During discussion of the proposed engineering solution, balconies that extend over the falls of Bear Run. By 1994, one panelist noted that as early as 1902 Wright’s Heurt- concern for the structural integrity of the balconies had ley and Cheney Houses in Oak Park each had post-ten- led the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, owner of the sioning of attic wood beams with steel rods to create the house, to retain the engineering fi rm of Robert Silman open spans in the living spaces below. Associates to evaluate the problem. Following an ex- The Fallingwater peer review panel approved the pro- tensive structural study, Silman concluded that without posed plan for structural repairs as necessary, scientifi - remedial action, the cantilevers would ultimately fail. cally well-conceived and architecturally appropriate. The Consequently, in 1997 temporary shoring was installed work was later fully funded and completed with no trace between the creek and the house while a plan for struc- of the repairs visible. tural repair was formulated. Silman proposed a solution consisting of post-tensioned cables attached to the sides of the existing beams within the fl oor cavity—a costly, First Unitarian Society Meeting House but seemingly essential remedy. A third peer review panel was convened to consider plans Because of the architectural importance of Fallingwater, for the expansion of the First Unitarian Society Meeting a peer review and forum were held at the Carnegie House in Madison, Wisconsin. The original church had a sanctuary holding 250 people under an iconic steep copper roof. Designed on a grid of equilateral triangles, it was constructed of native limestone and oak, with considerable glass and a red concrete fl oor. Following PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY. Temporary shoring installed in 1997 as plans for structural strengthening were developed. The structural strengthening took place between November 2001 and April 2002.

As is typical of a peer review, each panelist had questions and comments on the problems. PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY. 20 After restoration, Fallingwater’s cantilevers were able to once again soar above the waterfall of Bear Run. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KUBALA WASHATKO ARCHITECTS, INC. Panoramic view of the original Unitarian Meeting House (right) and Unitarian Meeting House Addition (left).

its construction, two additions designed by Taliesin that of the Meeting House was accepted, as was the idea Associated Architects were built: William Wesley Peters’s of creating new entrances to the addition that would not Religious Education Wing in 1964 and Thomas Casey’s upstage Wright’s design. The fi nal scheme utilized a semi- Lower Meeting House in 1990. All were placed along the circular footprint along the opposite edge of the parking rim of a plateau that serves as the parking area. lot, dropping the mass of the new auditorium and ancil- lary spaces below that edge, to present a one-story glass The continuing growth of the congregation made facade embracing and refl ecting the view of the original further expansion necessary. The architectural fi rm of building from across the parking area. Kubala Washatko Architects (KWA) from Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was retained for that purpose. They envi- The result is an architecturally signifi cant, understated sioned an environmentally sensitive green design that green structure in the spirit of Wright, a complementary met the needs of the congregation while respecting and extension that quietly embraces the plateau across from appropriately complementing the signifi cance of the original building. Wright’s seminal creation. During the 2010 Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conser- In 2006, following their submission of preliminary de- vancy conference, Thomas Kubala gave a presentation signs for the new construction, KWA contacted the Con- on the addition to the Unitarian Meeting House. The fol- servancy to involve Wright experts in the design review lowing year, a Wright Spirit Award was presented at the process. Thorpe as Advocacy Committee chair proposed 2011 conference to KWA, in the professional category, convening a peer review panel. As fi nally constituted, for its successful completion of this sensitive addition to a the panel included Thorpe; Levine; current Conservancy Wright masterwork. board member Gunny Harboe, preservation architect; In furtherance of its mission, the Conservancy, its board past board member John Eifl er, preservation architect; members, and its expert colleagues in architecture, Anne E. Biebel, architectural historian, Cornerstone architectural history, restoration and preservation stand Preservation; and Jim Sewell, preservation architect, ready to assist all Wright building owners with any sized Wisconsin State Historical Society. The panel was sup- project, from the choice of a proper fl oor wax to a major plied with preliminary designs and materials before it ■ met in Madison, toured the property, and reviewed and structural intervention. discussed such critical issues as program space, site, abutters and design compatibility. Following a roundtable discussion with the architects, the panel met with KWA and a large group of congregation stakeholders, includ- ing their working committees, to consider further the all-important question of respect for and compatibility with the original Wright design. New lines of commu- nication among the parties interested in the expansion project were forged through this three-way design process that included congregational working committees, the architectural fi rm, and the peer review team. Like many complex projects, the design process for the recent addition to the Madison Unitarian Meet- ing House took more than a year, during which several design variations were presented and discussed. Among the suggestions made by the peer review panel was a proposal to lower the height of the new 500-seat audito- PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KUBALA WASHATKO ARCHITECTS, INC. rium to subordinate its green fl at-roof mass to that of the The new 500-seat auditorium in the Unitarian Meeting steep origami form of the original Meeting House. The House Addition. panel’s suggestion of differentiating the addition from the original by not adopting a geometry reminiscent of 21 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GORDON HOUSE.

The Gordon House on the move; beginning the 28-mile journey from Wilsonville, Oregon, PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GORDON HOUSE. to its current home in Silverton, Oregon. Gordon House Conservancy Board Member, Lois Riopelle, shows copies of Wright’s original house plans to guests at a 2001 Open House in Silverton, Oregon.

Each Challenge Requires A Unique Strategy BY RON SCHERUBEL

Sixth century BC Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”

This issue describes some of the successful tactics the Conservancy has employed when faced with a situation threatening a Wright building. Before every intervention comes the crafting of a strategy for success. The strategy is different for each case, but they all begin with the fi rst notice of a potential problem. The Conservancy learns about problems from many sources: members, homeowners, reporters, websites, other organizations. No matter how the alarm comes in, the fi rst call from the offi ce is to the chairman of the Advocacy Committee. This committee is comprised of several dedicated members with particular experience and expertise in architecture, architectural history, preservation and legal matters. A small working team is quickly assembled and the all-important strategy planning begins to determine which of the Conservancy’s available tactics is best suited for the given situation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Much of the Conservancy’s work is handled in a low-key fashion, behind-the-scenes and in direct discussions with the parties involved. Most interventions never receive Ron Scherubel served as public attention. Offi ce staff and members of the Advocacy or Architectural Advisory executive director of the committees spend countless hours in meetings or on conference calls answering Frank Lloyd Wright Building questions, gathering information, providing preservation or restoration advice or Conservancy during the recommending specialists. second decade of its exis- tence. A native of Chicago Advocacy can sometimes be confrontational, but the Conservancy has elected to and an attorney, he came to remain as respectful as possible in controversial situations. The good will of Wright the Conservancy after retiring building owners is the Conservancy’s greatest asset. For example, if the Conservancy as vice president and general learns of insensitive restoration plans, it attempts to reach a suitable compromise counsel of Sara Lee Foods. He is currently a member of through education, persuasion and by offering assistance where possible. Frequently the Conservancy’s board and the Conservancy’s architectural expertise can suggest alternatives that deviate less remains actively involved in from the building’s historic character than an owner’s well-intentioned but less-than- its advocacy efforts and legal appropriate plans. matters, as well as those of several other preservation In a demolition scenario the two views are irreconcilable, but the situation is still organizations. not hopeless. The Conservancy was able to prevent the loss of a Wright building by intentional tear-down in at least three instances through negotiations. In 2000, the purchasers of the Gordon House (1956), in Wilsonville, Oregon, attempted to remove the property from the Clackamas County List of Historic Structures in order to obtain a demolition permit. They intended to build a new mansion on the desirable 22 site with a clear view of snowcapped Mt. Hood. Likewise, in 2003, the executor for PHOTO COURTESY OF WRIGHT IN KANKAKEE. The Bradley Carriage House and Stables after restoration.

the deceased owner of the Duncan House (1957), a Wright-designed Erdman prefab in Lisle, Illinois,

realized that the small house in the middle of the PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK REED. Glasner House during restoration, removal of non-original expensive subdivision that had grown up around it stairway to restore original facade along the ravine. could not be sold as a residence and offered it to a developer as a tear-down. In each of these cases Conservancy attorneys were able to negotiate a donation of the building to the Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) organization. Thus the In the cases of the Duncan and Friedman houses owners realized signifi cant tax benefi ts instead of mentioned above, and the Glasner House (1905) in incurring demolition costs. The stipulation in each Glencoe, Illinois, the national media had a strong in- case was that the building would have to be moved terest in publicizing the peril of immediate demolition off the premises within a short time. of a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Newspaper publicity A third example arose in 2001, when the contract generated by the Conservancy extolling the importance purchaser of the Allen Friedman House (1956) in of these houses and asking for help ultimately reached Bannockburn, Illinois, inquired about obtaining a the preservation-minded individuals who purchased demolition permit. A reporter alerted the Conservancy and restored these properties. and the advocacy team immediately arranged a meet- The Conservancy’s most effective channel for attract- ing with the prospective buyer and his attorney to ing sensitive new owners has been the Wright on the discuss alternatives. An intensive search was initiated Market section of its website. Averaging over 700 page to locate another suitable lot for his new mansion. The views a day from Wright enthusiasts, this publicity is threat of demolition received considerable local and more likely to draw the attention of an international national media attention, which persuaded the poten- audience of interested buyers than any local real estate tial buyer that he did not want to be exposed as the advertising. Dozens of Wright houses have found new, fi rst person in over 30 years to intentionally demolish sympathetic owners through this medium. a Frank Lloyd Wright house. He cancelled the scheduled closing and built elsewhere. Another effective use of publicity is the national dissemination of requests for proposals (RFPs). While each of these examples resulted in a house being This approach was successfully employed to locate saved from the bulldozer, the Conservancy’s work was an organization able to purchase the Gordon House not over. The strategy necessary to save these houses from the Conservancy after it had received title by from demolition left open the need for another strat- donation. The horticultural Oregon Garden submit- egy—that of fi nding a new owner willing to properly ted the winning proposal and carefully dismantled care for each of them. This strategy utilizes one of the the house, moved it to a new location, and accurately Conservancy’s most valuable tactics—publicity. It has reconstructed it under the Conservancy’s guidance. been said that publicity saves houses, but used indis- The house now stands as an impressive testament to criminately, it can negate the Conservancy’s preference the Conservancy’s successful planning, and provides for non-confrontational advocacy. The prospect of enjoyment to thousands of visitors each year in Silver- negative publicity may have encouraged some buyers ton, Oregon, 28 miles up the Willamette River from or developers to consider alternatives to demolition; its original location. RFPs also effectively led to the however, the use of publicity in a positive manner has removal and reconstruction of the Duncan House in been the most effective. 23 PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN EASTMAN. The Coonley Coach House during roof renovation.

Local preservation commissions and state historic preservation

offi ces bring many issues to the Conservancy’s attention and the Historic Preservation Commission’s hearing. An provide invaluable knowledge, contacts and expertise. outpouring of public disapproval derailed the demoli- tion process long enough for new owners to purchase and restore both the house and its carriage house. Considerable discretion is exercised before using two Acme, Pennsylvania, and the selection of an appropri- other sensitive preservation strategies available to the ate buyer for the Goetsch-Winckler House (1939) in Conservancy—the use of its Lewis-Haines Revolving Okemos, Michigan. Fund and the practice employed by some preservation organizations of moving a building. Almost every strategy includes engaging and cooper- ating with local preservation commissions and state The donation of a restricted fund in 2000 by Bruce historic preservation offi ces. They bring many issues and Lynette Haines, owners of the Lloyd Lewis House to the Conservancy’s attention and provide invaluable (1939) in Libertyville, Illinois, has enabled the Conser- community knowledge, contacts, expertise and the vancy to purchase the deteriorating Westcott House in legal machinery through which the Conservancy often 2000, to rescue the vacant Goetsch-Winckler House acts. In the Gordon House project alone, the Conser- in 2001, and to assist the Ennis House Foundation vancy gained valuable assistance from the EcoHome in 2005 in obtaining the permits necessary to Foundation, the Portland chapter of the American commence its award-winning restoration of the iconic Institute of Architects, the Historical Preservation 1923 house in Los Angeles. Strict rules have been League of Oregon, the Oregon State Historic imposed on the use of this fund. It can be used only Preservation Offi ce, the Wilsonville Library Founda- to provide emergency fi nancial assistance to acquire tion and others. or protect Wright-designed structures threatened with loss or destruction, and a plan must be in place for the Conservancy members often provide written or prompt repayment of funds disbursed within a reason- personal appearances in legal, regulatory or commis- able time, to prevent any permanent depletion of the sion hearings. In cooperation with Landmarks Illinois principal. In all cases, money expended from this fund and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has been replenished within the required time frame. Conservancy members testifi ed in 2005 at a hearing of the Riverside Illinois Historic Preservation Commis- Similarly, the Conservancy is averse to moving a sion against a petition to install inappropriate roofi ng Wright building from its original site. To date, this materials on the Coonley Coach House (1911). This technique has only been used by the Conservancy on delaying strategy, coupled with serious negotiations two occasions, after it was determined that there were with the Cook County Public Guardian’s Offi ce, which no alternatives to the total loss of the building. The was managing the affairs of the ageing and infi rm Gordon and Duncan houses unquestionably would owner, ultimately led to a transfer of ownership have been razed if they remained on their original and the complete restoration of the building, while sites, and the Conservancy took great pains to assure providing a life estate to the elderly owner. that the Gordon house was accurately rebuilt and sited on its new lot according to its original orientation. In 2001, local activists notifi ed the Conservancy of an application fi led by the owner of the Bradley Planning these preservation strategies is intellectually House (1900) in Kankakee, Illinois, to demolish the stimulating, but seeing them successfully executed carriage house and stable behind this important Prairie and appreciating the Wright structures that would not house. In addition to generating both front-page and otherwise be standing is the motivation behind the television coverage, members of the Conservancy’s Conservancy’s efforts. ■ Advocacy Committee testifi ed against demolition at 24 executive director’s LETTER

at the nexus

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is the only organization focused exclusively on the preservation of all the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Conservancy owns no property but strives to ensure the survival of almost 400 buildings located from Lakeland, Florida, to Issaquah, Washington, and even stretching across the Pacifi c to Japan. That is a tall order. How do we accomplish our mission? One part of the equation, and probably the most potent tool developed by the Conservancy, is its networking partners are the Wright public sites and homeowners, power. These interconnections of information and regional Wright organizations and general preservation access have been forged through years of collaboration, organizations at the local, state and national levels. The research and knowledge shared on projects and subjects Conservancy’s position at the nexus of these resources that touch every aspect of preservation. The remark- allows us to provide specialized information, mobilize able breadth of expertise available directly through the and take action to save and effectively preserve Wright’s Conservancy’s individual board members and past board built work, as the case studies in this issue illustrate. members is further amplifi ed by their personal networks of contacts. The Conservancy also consults with members Member support and dedication combined with of its advocacy and architectural advisory committees for volunteerism, expertise, and leadership keep the many projects. Conservancy’s impressive network creative, productive and strong. In addition, a geographically dispersed group of preser- vationists—Wright Watch—functions as an early warning system to help identify risks to Wright buildings so the Janet Halstead Executive Director, Conservancy can develop strategies to address the situ- Frank Lloyd Wright ations before they become major problems. The extraor- Building Conservancy dinary aspect of the Conservancy’s success is how much is accomplished through these connections and purely volunteer efforts. Other strategic resources and key board of directors and staff

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Jim Blair Debra Nemeth Deborah Vick PRESIDENT Owner, Sondern-Adler House Owner, Guy C. Smith House Former Owner, Ray Brandes House Larry Woodin Design Director, Swimmer Design Board Member, Frank Lloyd Wright Executive Director and Founder, Ron Burkle Associates Marin County Civic Center EcoHome Foundation Chairman, The Yucaipa Companies Conservancy Edith K. Payne VICE PRESIDENT Christian A. Busch Owner, Richardson House Tom Wadlow John G. Thorpe Owner, Suntop Home Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey President, Smith Wadlow, LLC Restoration Architect, Owner and Founding Principal, Scott W. Perkins Lynda S. Waggoner John Garrett Thorpe and Associates 20th Century Preservation, LLC Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Vice President, Western Pennsylvania SECRETARY Ronald P. Duplack Price Tower Arts Center Conservancy Richard Longstreth Partner, Rieck and Crotty, P.C Director, Fallingwater Jack Quinan Director of the Graduate Program Dale Allen Gyure Distinguished Service Professor, HONORARY BOARD in Historic Preservation, Associate Professor of Architecture, Department of Visual Studies George Washington University Elizabeth Wright Ingraham Lawrence Technological University State University of New York at Buffalo Vincent Scully TREASURER Senior Curator, Martin House William Tracy* T. Gunny Harboe, FAIA Leo Koonmen Restoration Corporation Eric Lloyd Wright Founder and Principal, Commercial Real Estate Thomas Wright Harboe Architects, PC Mary F. Roberts Investment Consultant Executive Director, Martin House Joanne Kohn *deceased IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Restoration Corporation Chairman of the Board, The Frank Susan Jacobs Lockhart EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park Ron Scherubel Board Member, Janet Halstead Retired Vice President and General Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Neil Levine Counsel, Sara Lee Foods STAFF Emmet Blakeney Gleason Professor of Retired Executive Director, Frank Lloyd History of Art and Architecture, Wright Building Conservancy Jeffrey Levine Communications MEMBERS AT LARGE Harvard University and Events Manager Diane Belden Patrick J. Mahoney, AIA 25 Senior Sales Representative, President, Graycliff Conservancy Justin Phillips Tai Ping Carpets Americas Inc. Lauer-Manguso & Associates Architects Operations Manager t Non-profi Postage U.S. PAID No.3912 Permit IL Chicago, n, William Drum- The deadline for Conference registration is September 17. cently restored Historic Park Inn In addition to daily speaker presentations, the confer- In addition to daily speaker presentations, structures, ence will feature tours of several Wright including the magnifi House, Alvin Hotel and City National Bank, Stockman Grant Miller House, Walter House and the rarely-seen City will House. Two days spent touring locally in Mason include works by Walter Burley Griffi Besinger among mond, Francis Barry Byrne and Curtis tours will others. Optional pre- and post-conference include works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and Frank Gehry.

Douglas and Jackie Grant House (1946) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Douglas and Jackie Grant House (1946) PHOTO BY JOHN CLOUSE. JOHN BY PHOTO . rst and foremost 2012 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012 ANNUAL

Historic Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank (1909-1911) in Mason City, Iowa. PHOTO COURTESY OF WRIGHT ON THE PARK. THE ON WRIGHT OF COURTESY PHOTO

Mason City, Iowa – October 10-14, 2012 Mason City, Iowa – October PHOTO BY BOB MCCOY. BOB BY PHOTO Head Wright to Mason City Head Wright to Visit www.savewright.org for details or to download the full conference brochure and registration. That region was not only his home and the setting for That region was not only his home and place to which he the majority of his work, it was also a his long responded with particular acuity throughout and zeit- career. It is the topography, climate, landscape geist of its people that inspires the theme of this year’s conference, Frank Lloyd Wright and Midwest Modern. While his work has long been considered While his work has long been considered Lloyd Wright quintessentially American, Frank can also be examined as fi an architect of the Midwest

Lowell and Agnes Walter House (1945) in Quasqueton, Iowa. Lowell and Agnes Walter House (1945) in PHOTO BY JOHN CLOUSE. JOHN BY PHOTO FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WRIGHT LLOYD FRANK CONSERVANCY BUILDING Chicago, Illinois 60604 Illinois 1120 | Chicago, Suite Jackson Boulevard, 53 W. | [email protected] www.savewright.org events Living room of the Stockman House (1908) in Mason City, Iowa.