An Open Letter to our Arcadia Neighbors Over the coming weeks building preservation plans will be filed with the City of Phoenix to preserve the David & Gladys Wright House. The home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his son David and daughter-in-law Gladys and was completed in 1952. Because the couple lived so privately in the home, many residents are unaware of the treasure that exists in their own backyard. The home is one of 3 spiral designs realized by Mr. Wright and was a precursor to arguably his most famous design, the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Q: Who owns the David and Gladys Wright House? A: David Wright House LLC holds title to the property and three adjacent parcels. The owner’s family is in the process of consolidating those parcels into one. They will transfer ownership of the house and grounds to the David and Gladys Wright House Foundation, an Arizona nonprofit organization, to ensure the preservation of the house in perpetuity and to provide public access to the site for educational programs and cultural events. When the owner’s family originally purchased the David and Gladys Wright House in 2012 from a developer who wanted to tear it down, they antici- pated that they could complete the restoration of the home and garden and anonymously gift the property to a nonprofit. The nonprofit would then be responsible for maintaining and operating the house and grounds as a house museum. It was always our intention that the family name would not be as- sociated with the David and Gladys Wright House, which is why it was pur- chased through an LLC. David and Gladys lived in the house from 1952 until David’s death in 1997 at age 102 and Gladys’ death in 2008 at age 104. They carved out a portion of their original 10-acre estate for their son, David, Jr., who built a Lloyd Wright designed home and raised his daughters on the property. This is a Wright family property, and it is the Wright family legacy that the family wants to celebrate. Q: What are the next steps to ensure the home is preserved and gifted to the community? A: the family is in the beginning stages of a zoning application process for a Special Permit to open the house to the public for tours, educational programs, cul- tural events, art and sculpture ex- hibitions, and to have a museum café and bookstore. Two condi- tions of the proposed Special Permit that the family will voluntarily agree to are: Title to the property will be transferred to the David and Gladys Wright House Foundation, which will be dedicated to preserving and maintaining the house in perpetuity for educational and cultural uses. A perpetual conservation easement on the home so it is never again threatened with demolition. Frequently Asked Questions DAVID AND GLADYS WRIGHT HOUSE FOUNDATION     PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The Foundation’s architects and engineers anticipate completing restoration construc- tion drawings by the end of April 2015, to submit to the City of Phoenix for a building permit to start restoration of the house. We will provide those plans to the City’s Preser- vation Office for its review prior to filing a permit set of drawings with the City’s Building Department. The architect for the restoration is Organic Architecture, Inc. Its principal is Guy West. Also consulting on the project is Wallace Cunningham, a globally rec- ognized designer who studied at Taliesin in the 1970s. The engineer for the restora- tion is ARUP, the firm that designed the structure for the Sydney Opera House, among many other recognizable buildings. We hope that restoration work will begin this summer and anticipate that it will take approximately three years to complete. The goals of the restoration are to reinforce the structure to ensure that the building survives indefinitely and to restore all of the finish materials to their original 1952 condition. We will have an architect on site at all times to make sure that all preservation protocols are adhered to during the restora- tion construction. What will be the nature of the performances? A: The mission of the David and Gladys Wright House Foundation, an Arizona non- profit organization, is to: PRESERVE Frank Lloyd Wright’s last residential masterpiece built in 1952 for his son David and daughter-in-law Gladys on 10 acres of citrus groves, now 5.6 acres, at the base of Camelback Mountain; to CELEBRATE the artistic legacy of Mr. Wright, the Wright Family and the history and culture of mid-century America through tours, lectures, cultural events and per- formances, and educational programs; and to INSPIRE future generations of artists and architects through field trips, educational programs and internships. For a complete list of questions please visit our website. “As a longtime Arcadia resident, I am very happy to know that the Wright House will be preserved and available for our community to celebrate what has al- ways been special about our neighborhood.” —Shawn Brown, Arcadia Resident “The David Wright House pre-dates most of Arcadia and is a gem in our own backyard. I want to see that longstanding estate property tradition continue. I am pleased to see plans to preserve that tradition with the David Wright House and also that the plan includes replacing up to 200 citrus trees on the property.” —Patricia DiRoss, Arcadia Resident "As the owner of a historic home, I have taken a special interest in the David Wright House historic preserva- tion project. The incredible vision of those saving this national treasure should be applauded and supported." —Karen Goldblatt, Arcadia Resident “The David Wright House Foundation has taken a re- sponsible approach to planning for the future of the home in Arcadia. The limitations they have put on the uses of the property prevent commercialization of the home and maintains our estate tradition.” —Ron Passarelli, Past Chair, Camelback East Village Planning Committee WELCOME TO THE DAVID WRIGHT HOUSE. We invite you to tour the David and Gladys Wright House and experience firsthand the vision that Frank Lloyd Wright had for this iconic Arcadia property. For more information visit www.DavidWrightHouse.org or call 602.689.6140 The David and Gladys Wright House Foundation • PO Box 60190 • Phoenix, AZ 85082 DavidWrightHouse DavidWrightHouse DavidWrightHouse WrightHouseAZ