Frank Lloyd Wright Home In Riverside Terrace

[spikey2]

An article in the Houston Business Journal state that Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home in the Riverside Terrace area. Do anyone know if this is true, and if so where is the home?

[Dan the Man]

I've never heard of this. There are many homes in Riverside Terrace that were probably influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's style, but I don't think any were actually designed by him. The only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Houston is the Memorial area, but its appearance has been altered.

[sevfiv]

Here's the quote:

Gerald Womack, a broker with Womack Development & Investment Realtors, says home buyers are beginning to understand the historical significance of Riverside Terrace and the appreciation potential of the homes and lots.

He notes that many homes in Riverside Terrace — which was once on the same affluent level as the swanky River Oaks area — were at one time residences to the well-known Finger, McGregor and Weingarten families and were built by noted architects such as John Chase, John Stubbs and Frank Lloyd Wright.

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto.../18/story3.html

No idea! And I'm not familiar with John Stubbs. If the writer of the article is mistaken about FLW, maybe he also meant "John Staub."

[NenaE]

I've never heard of this. There are many homes in Riverside Terrace that were probably influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's style, but I don't think any were actually designed by him. The only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Houston is the Memorial area, but its appearance has been altered.

My reference books back up your statements. Bailey A. Swenson & Mackie & Kamrath were two. No mention of Frank L. Wright in Riverside, only Memorial.

[marmer]

It is well documented that the only Wright house in Houston is in Memorial, on Tall Oaks Road and not particularly visible from the road. The most charitable view I can take is that the author was referring to the modern-style houses and mentioned Wright as a layman's frame of reference. Interesting that he should have mentioned Chase. He was the first significant African-American architect in Houston and he did design a few great houses in Riverside, including his own. His body of work, however, was largely institutional and commercial. Additionally, I think there's one Staub, one Briscoe, and a coupla Bolton and Barnstone. When I think Riverside, I think Joseph Finger, Bailey Swenson, Lenard Gabert, Philip Willard, Lucian Hood, Mackie and Kamrath, et al.

[NenaE]

The Chase story is good to know. Thnx.

The statement did have the words "such as", which I keep going back to...suggesting talented & well-known architects. I think some who don't delve into the architectal world (on the scale that we do) make assumptions.

[Dan the Man]

...I think there's one Staub, one Briscoe...

The John Staub house is on South MacGregor, very close to the Weingarten estate. Unfortunately, it has been butchered beyond recognition. The Birdsall Briscoe house is on Riverside Drive. For $490K, it could be yours! http://www.har.com/2785618

[Specwriter]

If you are familiar with the synagogue for Congregation Emanu El on Sunset Blvd. you can see how a very modestly informed reporter or broker could confuse the work of Mackie and Kamrath with Frank Lloyd Wright. Speaking of looking "Wrightian," there is a Unitarian church on Bering Drive that must have been designed by a avid admirer of FLW.