Wright Chat

[mdgraham]

Sorry as I meant to post in a general topic, not Mark Mills

http://www.architectmagazine.com/architect-newswire/nj-wright-for-sale--move-to-hamptons-included.aspx?cid=ARCH110401003

New Jersey–based Tarantino Architect bought Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1954 Bachman Wilson House in Millstone, N.J., in 1988. Ian Ratner reports that the firm is now offering the renovated home for sale—and relocation—within the Houses at Sagaponac development in New York’s Hamptons. The $5 million price tag includes the house and a new guesthouse and pool designed “in keeping with Wright’s aesthetic.” The listing states that Tarantino Architect will “incorporate new sustainable building technologies, such as geo-thermal mechanical and solar energy systems.” Such a deal!

[JPB_1971]

What is the matter with its current, presumably original site? Was it constructed in a floodplain? Are they moving it to facilitate sale of the original acreage for new development?

[mdgraham]

I think he (the current owner) is a clueless architect, or doing this as a "spec house" in a better zip code to make money. I hope he has no takers but if they do, the house is NOT damaged in the move.
The following from the article
"Just when you think you've seen and heard everything from the Houses at Sagaponac, the modernist Sagaponack North development goes and unleashes another game-changer. News just arrived that Tarantino Architect is willing to move an authentic Frank Lloyd Wright house to the development! Yes, pick up and move the circa 1954 Bachman Wilson House from Millstone, New Jersey, to one of the wealthiest zip codes in America.....Tarantino Architect purchased the home in 1988 and put it through a "complete restoration," which included redoing the kitchen "according to Mr. Wright's original drawings," restoring the Wright-designed furniture, and reupholstering everything with appropriate 1950's fabrics. Now, over 20 years later, the architects are willing to part with the home and send it off to our neck of the woods.......The relocated home, which is listed with Brown Harris Stevens, is asking $5 million. But this price reflects a house with much more than running (falling?) water. According to the listing, Tarantino Architect will "incorporate new sustainable building technologies, such as geo-thermal mechanical and solar energy systems." They'll also construct a separate guest house and pool, which will be in keeping with Wright's aesthetic. And hey, after leaving New Jersey in the dust, the commute to Sagg Main will be a hell of a lot shorter.

[egads]

Late to the party:

http://www.savewright.org/wright_chat/viewtopic.php?t=5266&sid=0fe00dfef4731cf8c41a2937e38bfd70

[mdgraham]

Sorry - pony express just pulled into Florida.

[pmahoney]

The current owners have tirelessly restored this house several times after major flooding. The original siting is extremely problematic. Continuing to restore this house in this location is beyond logic. Raising the site even 4 feet would not protect the house.

[mdgraham]

P Mahoney -
Thank you as that may explain it and be justified. The flooding again this year in NJ has been devastating and the Passaic River was most recently in the news. The email news blast that the AIA sent out today including this along with other articles. I am glad the savewright posters gets the 'news' while its hot!!
Mary
FLL,FL

[Tim]

The move is a good one. Why? It preserves the house and will allow the house to serve its main function: a place to live.

It is clear that the house will continue to be assaulted by water. The current owners will either tire of the matter or they’ll go broke. The same fate would hold for any other owner. (If they could raise the house, who the heck wants to live in a place that requires frequent potential evacuations. The list is probably small.)

Regarding where they move it, the proposed location seems as good as any. And if the current owners make some money in the process, then God bless. They make bank, and another Wright house is preserved for at least another generation.

[Paul Ringstrom]

Four feet would not be enough.

Comments on Bachman-Wilson from John Thorpe:

"I have been involved in raising and also moving several houses, and agree with the posters that raising certain flood houses is cheaper and certainly historically better than moving them as long as the site would not be compromised.
That would be the case at BW which has quite a slope up to the road. But the worst flood was about 9 ft above the first floor (in second floor joist space) so that would be quite a change and make a tree house out of it down to the Millstone River and parallel Raritan Canal."

[Roderick Grant]

In addition to the problem of occasional flooding, as I recall, the street side of the house is no treat, either. Main Street accommodates a lot of noisy traffic. It would appear that moving the house is the only sensible thing to do, which is a better solution than letting it rot where it is.

How about Miller? Would raising that house perhaps five feet be a reasonable solution? Will it be flooded again this spring? peterm, what is the likelihood of a major flood in Iowa this spring? Oskaloosa is flanked by the South Skunk and Des Moines Rivers, but your house seems to have escaped the flood of a few years ago. Are you in any danger this year?

[Paul Ringstrom]

Roderick,
The Lamberson House is quite a bit higher than the street and about a mile from the nearest creek.

[peterm]

Our house sits near the top of a knoll in a hilly neighborhood well away from the rivers outside of Oskaloosa. At least flooding is one less thing we need to worry about...

[JPB_1971]

Peterm, isn't the Alsop house close to your residence? Is it out of the danger zone too as far as flooding goes?

[peterm]

Yes, in fact I was just there visiting Gordon Bollinger, the current owner, on Friday. His house is about a block from ours, also on the top of a knoll, well out the way of any potential flooding.