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The saga continues. Panic over the future of the David & Gladys Wright House in Phoenix began over the summer, when the property landed in the hands of 8081 Meridian, a Nevada-based developer that expressed plans to redevelop the land, split the property and “relocate” of all existing structures on the site.
The historic home at 5212 East Exeter was built by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1950s for his son, David. The Wright family sold the house to JT Morning Glory Enterprises LP in 2009 (for $2.8 million) and was recently sold again to 8081 Meridian for $1.8 million.
In this week’s print edition of Phoenix New Times, columnist Robrt Pela talks to Wright’s granddaughter and community members working to save the historic property.
See more: – Majestic Ruins: Phoenix’s First Baptist Church and More – Vintage My Florist Sign Saved — For Now – Future of Phoenix Frank Lloyd Wright House Is Up to the Buyer … Here are Seven More FLW’s on the Market
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If you hadn’t heard of the David and Gladys Wright House until recently, it’s because its late owners — the son and daughter-in-law of pioneering 20th-century architect Frank Lloyd Wright — did their best to keep their home off the radar of Wright fanatics and local looky-loos. And if you haven’t recently heard about this very unusual (and very endangered) house at all, then perhaps you’ve been in a coma.…It’s a story that’s been told again and again — far too often by me in this column — but this time, local preservationists are hopeful that the national attention and public outcry (“Tear down a house Wright built for his own family? What’s wrong with these people?!”) will do more than just shaming city officials into backing off one more time.
Check out photos of the house by local photographer Andrew Pielage below and the full column in this week’s print issue of New Times and in the online arts section.
