No Wrecking Ball. Hinsdale's Wright House Saved

HINSDALE, IL — In Hinsdale, historic preservationists have suffered their share of losses. On Tuesday, they got good news.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy announced that the Wright-designed house at 121 S. County Line Road has been saved. The structure, known as the Frederick Bagley House, was listed for sale in July and faced possible demolition.

Preservationist became alarmed when the house went up for sale and contacted the conservancy, which then raised regional and national interest in the house.

According to a conservancy news release, that effort inspired Safina Uberoi and Lukas Ruecker, owners of the Wright-designed Tonkens House in Cincinnati, to put in an offer with a preservation guarantee, which the sellers accepted.

“While we were concerned about the potential risk to the Bagley House, a vital part of Wright’s canon whose loss would have been tragic for the Wright community, we are grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response and support from the Village of Hinsdale, especially its Historic Preservation Commission, and the broader community of Wright lovers in the U.S. and abroad," Barbara Gordon, the conservancy's executive director, said in the release.

Alexis Braden, a neighbor and a member of the village's Historic Preservation Commission, said the possibility of the demolition of the local Wright house highlights the need for preservation efforts.

“Fortunately, the story of the Bagley House had a happy ending. It also re-energized discussions around developing preservation guidelines for our community," she said in the release.

The village is considering new regulations that would provide incentives for historic preservation.