Page 16 January 2015 Historic overlay postponed to settle differences, city says Hillary Gurley 5001 E. Flower St. $450,000 YourArcadiaRealtor.com | 602.463.3359 Sold 3914 N. 42nd Pl. Pre-MLS Brought Buyer Sold Pending Sale Biltmore Optima Brought Buyer $395,000 Leased • 3314 N. 68th Street #222, Scottsdale • 6531 N. 81st Place, Scottsdale • 19777 N. 76th St., #2302, Scottsdale By Danika Worthington The Phoenix City Council voted to grant continuance on the issue of historic preservation overlay for the David and Gladys Wright house, giving the owner and neighbors time to settle differences. “Nothing is going to happen in the city unless the neighbors are okay with it,” said Councilman Sal DiCiccio in the meeting. “So giving them plenty of time to work an agreement with the neighbors I think is positive.” A historic overlay would not change the original zoning, but add zoning on top of the property that would include it on the Phoenix Historic Property Register, said Michelle Dodds, historical preservation  The historic overlay process was initiated in June 2012 in an effort to halt the owner at the time from demolishing the property, Dodds said. The continuance delays the historic overlay decision until October 21, 2015. Although the paperwork has not been              open the house on Exeter Boulevard and Rubicon Avenue to the public. “[Rawling] doesn’t want us to designate it as a landmark until we’re also ready to designate the zoning to open it to the public,” Dodds said. The house is the third most recognized Frank Lloyd Wright building in the nation, making it a point of pride for Phoenix, said Dennis Newcombe with Beus Gilbert           “With this additional time, we hope to have a good majority, if not all, the issues worked out,” Newcombe said. According to Newcombe, Rawling, who lives in Las Vegas, grew up in Arcadia and his mother would show him Frank Lloyd Wright houses. He bought three adjacent properties, which will eventually be torn down to provide open spaces around the house, as it was initially designed, as well as potential meeting spaces. Grass and non-fruit bearing olive trees were added. The olive trees will be an attempt to replicate the citrus trees on the grounds when the house was built in the ’50s, Newcombe said. Rawling hopes to build an underground education center and meeting space with potential for gatherings, poetry readings and archival space, Newcombe said. Paul Gilbert, Rawling’s lawyer, said the underground education center would also include lectures for children. “[The education center is] bringing into fruition Frank Lloyd’s vision of bringing together all of the arts,” Gilbert said. Gilbert said they would try weddings on a trial basis to see how they affect the neighborhood. They would also be limited to 10 to 12 weddings a year. Newcombe said the key part of the project is its educational component, which would teach people, children especially, both the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright as well as the arts in general. Gilbert also emphasized the importance of education to the project. The entrance would be through the parking lot of the Camelback Church of Christ, with whom they have leased parking spaces. There will not be a public entrance      !  !" into the neighborhood. Additionally, the Church will only have a limited number of spaces so there will not be       "     Gilbert said some neighbors are concerned about the commercialization of the neighborhood. He said the city decided to preserve the building so it would be open to the public. #         application for rezoning, which would be necessary to open the property to the public, only paperwork for a historic overlay. He also said the house has been stabilized, putting a hold to any further deterioration. Newcombe said they are hoping to work with the neighbors, but as of now, Rawling does not have any back up plans if he were not to get the permits. “We haven’t gotten to the point of what ifs,” Newcombe said. Neighbors have suggested that Rawling continue with his vision, but move the house to city-owned land in another area of Arcadia so as not to disturb the neighborhood. “The location is just as critical as the house, in some ways almost equal,” Newcombe said. The house was designed around the views of Papago Mountain as well as the head of Camelback Mountain, he said. “It’s like a tree,” Newcombe added. “It’s grown into its space.” Gilbert said the house is too deteriorated for it to survive moving. Additionally, it was designed around the space and moving it would remove the point of historical preservation. Three community members spoke at the meeting in favor of the continuance, simultaneously expressing concern for what Rawling has planned for the home. During the meeting, 39-year Arcadia resident Paul Barnes said, “I hope that the additional time will allow the current owner of the David and Gladys Wright house to rethink his plans and bring them back in conformity with what was originally envisioned when Arcadia leaders enthusiastically endorsed this rezoning to a historic preservation landmark.” Barnes continued, “Unfortunately, this owner appears to be in pursuance of grandiose plans that will allow uses of the scope far beyond what was originally contemplated. This will lead to an end result that is totally unsatisfactory to the Arcadia residents. I’m even hearing some saying they wish the city would just have allowed the previous owners to tear the darn house down.” Jennifer Sheedy, long time Arcadia resident and local realtor, told the council the historic overlay goes “hand in hand” with potential zoning for a Planned Unit Development, which would allow Rawling to open the house to the public. “People work really hard and take on a lot of personal responsibility and make   !     $ she added. Sheedy has met with the owner at the property twice to talk about his plans. She said she is concerned about the potential  %      noise. Although the entrance to the house would be off Camelback Road, Sheedy said there is no way of preventing people from going through the neighborhood. She also said the noise, especially from potential weddings, could be disturbing. James Warne handed the council a packet of information, including more than 100 signatures of people against the proposed changes for the Wright house. “A native Arizonan, I longed to live in the Arcadia area because of what it was, or is, depending on the outcome of the concerns of a great number of families living in the immediate area and extended area of Arcadia,” Warne said. Warne said he and many others do not want any commercial development, public or private, in the neighborhood. He also expressed concern about Rawling’s plans to make the home an international tourist destination. Gilbert said they plan to start a major        "& attending neighborhood meetings, and offering tours to neighbors. “We will be working with the neighbors closely,” he said. “We want to be a good neighbor.” The decision on the historic overlay of the David and Gladys Wright House has been postponed until October, 2015.

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