Last week Frank Lloyd Wright’s old studio at 25 E Cedar St in the Gold Coast went on the market for $1.7 million. Wright didn’t design the 6,000 square-foot single-family home, but he did live there following a deadly fire at Taliesin. As Blair Kamin reported last month, the home allegedly suffered some structural damage during the construction of George Giannoulias’ home next door, and its listing hints at the work that may need to be done: “Rare opportunity to own and rehab…ability to tear down and build your dream home!”
This had me wondering — how many real-deal Wright homes are listed for sale right now? I found these four, located in Chicago and three western suburbs.
- A three-bedroom townhome at 2848 W Walnut St in East Garfield Park, being sold as-is for $149,000. This is one of the old Waller Apartments, designed by Wright in 1895. The 1,290 square-foot unit has one bath, hardwood floors, crown molding, 42-inch maple kitchen cabinets, a separate dining area, and a full, unfinished basement. Because of its landmark status, its 2008 taxes were just $457.
- The George W Furbeck house at 223 N Euclid Ave in Oak Park, priced at $1.1 million. This home, built in 1897, “is an important example of Wright’s transitional period” leading into his early modern Prairie style, according to the listing from Jack Strand of Strand & Browne Real Estate. It has five bedrooms, three baths, art glass windows, twin octagonal towers, and an octagonal living room and library. Taxes in 2008 were $22,735.
- A three-bedroom / 3.5-bath home at 300 Scottswood Rd in Riverside, priced at $1.29 million. “I put the best of me into this house…this was the best I could do in a house,” says a quotation attributed to Wright attached to this listing. The home, built in 1910, features wide, overhanging eaves and bands of art glass windows. 2008 taxes were $13,813. The home sold in 1999 for $620,000, according to Redfin.
- A 5,100 square-foot home on 2.3 acres at 637 N Batavia Ave in Batavia (pictured above), priced at $1.55 million. The home, built in 1906, has five bedrooms, three full baths, three half-baths, three fireplaces, and a new kitchen, media room, game room, and ironwood veranda, “all added with historic sensitivity.” 2008 taxes were $19,898. The home sold in 2004 for $980,000.
(Visited 140 times, 1 visits today)