As we watched in horror when Notre Dame Cathedral’s spire and roof were engulfed in flames in April, the thought “this can’t be happening to Notre Dame!” passed through the minds of many. It was a sobering reminder that the worst can happen to a beloved structure. In November 2018 the Wright community we recently learned with sadness that wildfire decimated the Oboler Estate in Malibu, California. In response to…

In the fall 2018 issue of the Conservancy’s magazine SaveWright, former Conservancy executive director and current board member Ron Scherubel provided a useful outline of protections and historic designations that building stewards may consider to safeguard their homes. Among the most prevalent, yet least understood designations, is listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NHR). More than 1 million properties are listed, including more than 150 individually listed Wright-designed…

While it may seem unlikely that your building will be struck by a full-blown disaster, preparing for worst-case loss scenarios is a wise stewardship practice. The devastation of the Wright-designed Arch Oboler Complex (1940) in the mountains above Malibu, California, in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, is a tragic reminder of the need for disaster preparedness. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is in the process of updating its building owners’ guide…

There are a number of ways to provide for the future protection of historic properties such as those designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The most common way is through the designation of the property as a local landmark. While many local historic preservation ordinances have strong protections, the level of those protections can vary between municipalities, and political pressures can influence the degree to which they are followed. Listing on…

It was a gorgeous late fall day. Leaves still clung to the trees, shaking as the wind swept through the urban but cloistered beauty of Columbia University’s Upper West Side campus. My husband John and I breathed in the snap of autumn cool as we walked quickly toward the Butler Library, where we were to pick up our credentials, which would allow us to enter the inner sanctum of the…