Buyer steps up for Frank Lloyd Wright house
Nov 1, 2012, 5:56 PM | Updated: 5:57 pm
A home in the Arcadia area of Phoenix that has been the subject of public attention is apparently here to stay.
Developer Steve Sells has agreed to sell the 2,500-square-foot home, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, to an anonymous buyer for $2.5 million dollars.
Wright designed the house for his children. The home near 56th street and Camelback was the subject of controversy after Sells’ original plans for the home became public.
“It’s been on and off the market,” said Valley realtor Robert Joffe. “It really didn’t have much attention. Ultimately, [Sells] came in, and his thoughts were to demolish the home, and build two spec homes on the property as an investment.”
That led to the outcry by preservationists. The home sits on two acres of land and its spiral design is similar to the Guggenheim museum, also designed by Wright. Joffe said Sells gained a new appreciation for the home, and decided to sell it instead of demolish it.
A buyer came forward on Wednesday. Joffe said the buyer wishes to remain anonymous, but appears to have good intentions for the property.
“He’s not buying it for public awareness, and he’s not doing it to make money,” said Joffe. “He’s doing it for the right reasons. He wants to keep the house, restore the home, and bring it up to what it used to be.”
Joffe does not know if the new buyer will actually live in the home.
