Then, for reasons no one was willing to discuss, a scheduled closing last Friday was canceled. Mr. Grutza said the buyer had threatened to sue the village board if it interfered with the sale. Some historians say it was the last house Wright designed before he died in 1959. It brings us right up to the end of his life. While as many as 200 Usonian houses may be scattered across the country, the house is unusual because of its Y shape.
Preservationists try to cushion the impact of building restrictions with tax breaks for owners.
Still, some people bristle at the notion of asking permission to make a change. I'm distressed that the conservancy can hold the buyers and the owners off from this. The conservancy, which has been in the business of saving Wright's work since 1989, says it wants only what is best for the house. Our goal is educating the public, and if they know how to save the homes, they won't be at risk. The owners of these homes don't want to see them destroyed.