Frank lloyd Wright designed Turkel House, Detroit

[labatts]

this is house is amazingthe company i work for has done the landscaping and dale and norm are complete geniuses. its beautiful inside and out

[Larsky1010]

What do Frank Lloyd Wright's structures all have in common? They all leak. Even when new. That seems to have been a general axiom among his contemporaries.

[moocowdad]

@Larsky1010 they all leak?? hm ok so that is the architects fault? I would say that is the roofers fault for not following procedures to code..and when re roofed..following updated codes..with proper permits and inspections.

[carter84262]

Dorothy is (was? I'm not sure if she is still alive since I have had no contact with her in decades & she would be in her 90's) my mother's sister (my mother was adopted though). I spent a lot of time playing in the house with my cousins and my mother's wake (shiva) was held there in November 1971. I don't know why the fuss about the roof leaking...it leaked as far back as I remember so maybe 1962, when I was 2.

[brianmckinleyharris]

With all the dilapidated homes in that area, i find it totally heroic that these men are restoring this home. These original homes are very hard to maintain. For all the people that think they are destroying it by not restoring it to its original state, do YOU have the money to dump into it? This is a piece of Detroit history, any kind of reconstruction in that area is a huge plus!!!!

[gigidetroit]

If you are going to make a negative comment about any area in Detroit please be accurate and careful of your generalizations. The Frank Lloyd Wright home is not located in a dilapidated area.

[lady2003corvette]

Dorothy Turkel was my dad's cousin also!!.. I have always loved the house and am so glad it is being restored. Spent a lot time at this house!!

[carter84262]

@lady2003corvette Although my mother was adopted that makes us relatives, sort of.

[ismynm]

That's my dad's cousin! lol. It is! My dad was just there in detroit for their grandmother's memorial. He also got a tour of the house, he says it's his favorite house(architecture).

[skipperstraydog]

I applaud the restoration/renovation of the Turkel House, even if not exactly historically accurate. Thank you. It has sat vacant on and off for many years. What's the alternative? I've been through it numerous times since the 1970's and it appeared worse each time. Good luck and best wishes in your undertaking.

[wordsport]

They may not be restoring the Turkel House to it's exact origional, but what is the alternative? Would it just stay vacant for another decade degrade to somthing nobody would ever want. It is big bucks to deal with anything FLW. So what if they make some alterations to make it livable to todays standards. Hat's off to what ever they do.I would like to see the construction in progress as I'm a contractor who is into restoring and saving and very interested in anything FLW.

Paul M, WBloom

[lilpoindexter]

This house is featured in the Free Press today, June 15, 2008. I think the spirit of the original is being kept intact, while modernizing it a bit. It sounds to me like the owners are trying to fix it up to sell it, but It will make someone a very nice home.

[bedtime1250]

Congratulations!

You have destroyed a Wright home! why

You fucking goofs!

RB

[tonisthamenace]

it needed a lot of repairs! many people in the neighborhood (according to interviews i have read) had mixed reviews on tearing it down, due to repairs and it swiching so many hads. the women and children it was built for only lived there 22 years.

the only way it would be destroyed is if it were to be demolished and forgotten about. it is going to be lived in the way Mr. Wright intended.

welcome to detroit city!

thanx all

born and raised on the east side

[greatbenzini]

If anyone in the Detroit area could have transformed this house to its original grandeur with grace, elegance and style...all while preserving the originality and integrity of Wright's design, it would be Silk & Morgan! I can't wait until they are finished and move in! Wright designed his homes to be lived in and I'm sure if he was around today he'd have an updated shower! ;-) Cheers to Silk & Morgan for saving yet another of Detroit's unique architectural masterpieces!

[uther450]

To bad the owners didn't hire a restoration contractor. It's a shame to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house bastardized to beyound recognition and no attempt to restore to original.

[t9106]

Yes, you know you are so right! That house is the only one in Detroit, as they said. Like many of Wright's houses, It is breathtaking! it shouldn't be destroyed with an entertainment center and walk in shower! It should be restored to as full of an extent as possible! and possibly even be made a landmark. I know if I was privilaged enough to actually own a frank lloyd wright home, I would Put all my effort into bringing it back to what it once was. You are right, they are almost bastardising it!

[uther450]

Exactly.

[urbanologist1516]

Well move it to Oak Park (IL)! As a FLW fan, I can agree to a point. However, my wife would have a say in the design/restore of the hnome -- she is not about to live in the PAST!

[senorzeta]

Exterior is being restored to its original condition, Kitchen is being reconstructed to match original with custom plywood.

The architect is a Wright veteran of impeccable credential,former intern under Wright @ Taliesen, BoardMember of Preservation, etc.Contractor has over 25 years restoration experience. The owners should be commended for saving this unique home at great personal expense and risk. Wright,himself was not beyond remodeling, updating, or refining. Living home not a museum.

[t9106]

the exterior is fine, but if people fifty years ago didn't need a media centre built into a wall and a shower room with a glass door then I don't see why they should. the structure does not need to be altered at all, so they shouldn't need to put in a glass door to have a walk in shower. how did the previous owners manage without it?

[urbanologist1516]

This 2010, not the past. Put your money into the project and restore it -- just because it's not to the level of FLW, doesn't mean the project is a failure. I applaud the effort of all working on this project!

[ddmw11]

@uther450 get you facts straight..I know the owners and it has been restored to the orig. FLW..dumbass

[ericexp]

cool

[senorzeta]

This is from General Contractor Gary Zirulnik. Please note that my company name is Guild Construction. That's Guild as in an association of Craft Workers....