The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust’s proposal to restore the 931 Chicago Avenue house to its original character and to move or remove the house at 925 Chicago Avenue in order to create a Visitor and Education Center was denied by the Oak Park Historic Commission last week. The Trust understands that the commission is obligated to adhere to preservation ordinances, and we heard and are sensitive to the arguments of opponents to our plan at the commission’s special meeting. Our next steps are under consideration.
As a 21st-century organization, the Trust is resolved in its mission to honor the innovative vision and legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright and to further contribute to the vitality of Oak Park as a living museum of significant architecture.
The Trust has made a lasting contribution to the preservation of Wright sites over its 45-year history. The plan for a Visitor and Education Center does not put any Wright-designed buildings at risk. Rather, it elevates the significance of the site where American architecture began. Our commitment to design education will ensure that future generations value achievement in art, architecture and design for which Oak Park is renowned.
American architecture was born in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park Studio. This is where the story begins. This is where Unity Temple, Robie House, and all of the great Prairie houses were created. A new Visitor and Education Center should express architectural excellence.
To retain the value the Trust has added to Oak Park over the years, we must keep pace with standards of best practice in cultural tourism and education and set a tone of forward thinking that Wright himself advocated.
Frank Lloyd Wright Trust
Oak Park
