Preservationist: Breathe life into Frank Lloyd Wright house

It was almost three years ago when Arizona's preservation community woke up to the news that the David and Gladys Wright House was threatened by developers who intended to demolish it, subdivide it, and build multiple homes on the iconic property at the base of Camelback Mountain.

It was one of those rare moments in a city's history when something so universally wrong galvanizes an entire community. People across our city, state, nation — and yes the globe — joined Arcadia neighbors, preservation advocates, historians, architectural scholars, and artists in opposing those plans and fighting for what was right — or Wright — in this case.

An online petition garnered nearly 30,000 signatures. Volunteers collected hundreds of signatures. Hundreds more mailed postcards to city leaders. The New York Times, CBS News, and Le Monde covered the story. School kids carried homemade signs: "Save The Wright House!" A replica gingerbread house was auctioned off to support the cause. Even a city police officer stood guard to protect the threatened landmark.

All eyes were on Phoenix to "Save The Wright House."

Thankfully, a "preservation angel" swooped in at the 11th hour to buy the property and save one of Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest works and his last residential masterpiece.

The next steps to protect and designate the Wright House were left to the new owner, city officials and the Arcadia neighborhood.

Some neighbors who care about their community have raised concerns about the future use of the house and grounds. That is their right. But I'm confident that both fans and foes can resolve their differences for the benefit of all, not to mention what brought everyone together in the first place: the unique David and Gladys Wright House itself.

I'm heartened by the fact that the owner and the newly-created David and Gladys Wright House Foundation encourage you to see for yourself the considerable work that has already taken place, inside and out, and to hear firsthand their plans for the future.

The proverbial phrase, "go to the website," applies here — to read up on Frank Lloyd Wright, the Wright House and, better yet, to schedule a private tour. I urge you to click on DavidWrightHouse.org.

The foundation's goals are threefold:

--Preserve Frank Lloyd Wright's last residential masterpiece and Arcadia's estate tradition.

--Celebrate the artistic legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Wright family, and the history of mid-century America through tours, lectures, cultural events, performances and educational programs.

--Inspire future generations of artists and architects through field trips, educational programs and internships.

The first and most important step will be preserving the home. In the coming weeks, the David and Gladys Wright House Foundation will be filing permits to do a top-to-bottom restoration of it. A tremendous amount of work involving structural engineering and the preservation of original materials will meticulously restore the building to its original vision. That's everything preservationists hope for and work toward.

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Mr. Wright designed and built this home for his son, David, and daughter-in-law Gladys, between 1950-52, a majestic spiral rising above orange groves with unparalleled views of the mountains in all directions.

From a preservationist's perspective, today's plans respect the history and legacy while working to celebrate this treasure in Arcadia, whose significance is important not only locally but worldwide.

A treasure that was almost lost to demolition.

Jim McPherson is board president of the Arizona Preservation Foundation