Wright Chat

[peterm]

certainly much easier and more economical than replicating something like van dekker...

[Roderick Grant]

Two explanations for the condition of Dekker: A former co-worker was a close friend of the last owner, who was in his mid-90s, frail and not in a very good financial situation; and Schindler often used materials that were never meant to last as long as this house has been around, nor be exposed to weather. The DeKeyser House, downhill from FLW's Freeman House, had building paper on the roof facia exposed to the weather. It lasted for decades, but when Mrs. DeK sold the house, the new owners who restored the house, just peeled the soggy mess off. The roof of the Packard House in Pasadena used tar paper for roofing. Van Dekker was a high end job, but with RMS, one could never be certain what he would do. Esther McCoy once told me that Schindler was a great designer but a lousy builder, and I can believe that.

[peterm]

Schindler fans: Van Dekker has been radically reduced!

http://losangeles.tvoa.net/address.php?property_ID=1350

[Roderick Grant]

Although I doubt Van Dekker would soak up as much restoration money as the $30,000,000 Joel Silver has reportedly spent on Auldbrass, the $695K would just be a start. It needs a sensitive owner who can provide plenty of sweat equity of his own.

[Craig]

I think we are talking about viruatally rebuilding this house. The stonework is probably the only part which isn't rotting away. I saw the place years ago and I can't recall is the garage is even standing.

Would love to see Marmol Radziner get the job for this. They have worked wonders on historic homes like this one.

Isn't there someone in all of LA for whom this would be pocket change?
_________________
ch

[peterm]

There are of course many, but the real problem for the people who would have the resources to do it, would be the Woodland Hills location.

More 'burbs than mover and shaker...

[peterm]

Are you sitting down? Brace yourself.

The interior as of August, 2009:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/teamperks/sets/72157621999987643/show/

I nearly wept...

[DRN]

Ouch.
It looks as if there might be some asbestos on the pipes in what appears to be a lower level...though that seems to be least of this house's problems.
I wish owners of these properties would recognize when their ability to maintain them (both physically and financially) is slipping, so that the properties could pass into caring hands before they reach this state.

It must be painful to give up living in a designed house, and there may be issues for the owner of where or how to move, but the good of the property has to be kept in mind by the owner...it is part of the responsibility taken on when the house is purchased. I don't look forward to the time when I am faced with the need to move from the Sweeton house, but I will be sure to remember the pics of this house.

[Roderick Grant]

A former co-worker of mine knew the owner, who was in his 90s. He had few options and was reluctant to leave after having lived in the house for so long. The same was true of the Freemans who lived in their house for 60 years. Owners don't see how things change over time. It's such a gradual process.

[rightwaswright]

[Reidy]

The downside to this is termites. They destroyed at least one Schindler house (Sorg).

[Craig]

[Reidy]

I heard this several years ago in a lecture by Stephanos Polyzoides, a well-known architect and a Schindler enthusiast. He practices in Pasadena, adjacent to San Gabriel, where the house was.

[peterm]

Sorg was a collaboration with Richard Neutra (Architectural Group for Industry and Commerce) from 1926:

https://digital.lib.washington.edu/architect/publications/6847/

[ozwrightfan]

It is very sad to see the house in this condtion and even sadder to see the squalour that the elderly owner was living in.