Ennis House restoration - completed?!

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SpringGreen
Posts: 539
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:00 am

Ennis House restoration - completed?!

Post by SpringGreen »

A year & a half after the collapse of the retaining wall, Curbed LA reports that the restoration of the Ennis House is complete. The small item also provides a link to photographs from the LA Conservancy of the restoration process. Unbelievable. I'll have to start saving my pennies for a trip to LA one of these days to see the completed work.
"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".
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SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Wonderful. Who knew it would happen so fast ? Seeing new textile blocks is a thrill. Quite a frame, no ?

Thanks for the link. SDR
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pepsigns
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:23 pm

Happy Day - Thanks Franklin!

Post by pepsigns »

I am glad to see this!

I would like to salute a man who is overlooked in the saving of this house. I met Franklin Degroot just after Gus Brown died. Franklin was the gentleman who was left in charge when Gus died.

We became personal friends and visited, dined together, talked about the house on a regular basis. I can tell you he is the guy who suffered through the over flowing pool and leaky house when the January rains came. I have phoned him and found he was at the house mopping water and had been for hours.

He also was left no significant money to keep the house going and struggled through developing plans for the house restoration and fighting the city who at one point red tagged the house and would not let anyone in.

This guy worked tirelessly to save this house and worked to get it with the help of the conservancy on the 11 most endangered buildings list.

I could go on and on but the most selfless thing he did was to step aside when a new group of people came along with the where with all to repair the house.

I think he was there 5 or 6 years with the aid of one assistant. With out his work in that period of time, we may not have this house to enjoy today.

Below is a photo of Franklin and me with my adopted block.

Salute to my friend,
Franklin Degroot

Image[/img]
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SpringGreen
Posts: 539
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:00 am

Post by SpringGreen »

No idea how something like that could happen so fast. I think the restoration planning has existed for a long time (just waiting for the money), but I don't know if the same plan was used once the money was secured. And $4.5 million is a very good price tag for what they got, IMO.

I'm keeping my eye out for more details in the press.
"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".
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SpringGreen
Posts: 539
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:00 am

Franklin DeGroot

Post by SpringGreen »

I have a lot of respect for that man - very cool, knowledgeable, passionate, and, as you said, left with a lot of problems and no money. pepsigns, can you tell me where he is now? I've wanted to write him just to keep in touch. If you are amenable to giving me his contact information, could you can send me a private message? Thanks.
"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".
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EJ
Posts: 240
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:24 pm

Post by EJ »

Is the retaining wall done? When I was there two years ago is was completely destroyed...
"It all goes to show the danger of entrusting anything spiritual to the clergy" - FLLW, on the Chicago Theological Seminary's plans to tear down the Robie House in 1957
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SpringGreen
Posts: 539
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:00 am

Reply to EJ

Post by SpringGreen »

Is the retaining wall done?
Looks that way. They've got the photo of the "South Wall" in its collapsed state (I've always thought that was the retaining wall); then an "after" photo of the same wall.
"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".
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SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Handsome and uniform wall -- though I would have expected a warmer color ? Perhaps it will migrate with time. What a pleasure to see it. . .

SDR
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Mobius
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:20 pm
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Contact:
Contact Mobius

Post by Mobius »

Fantastic.

A point of inaccuracy though: it is not possible that 500,000 tons of concrete has been used in the motor court reconstruction. That's enough to build a pretty decent hydro lake damn.
How many escape pods are there? "NONE, SIR!" You counted them? "TWICE, SIR!"

*Plotting to take over the world since 1965
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SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

500,000 *pounds* would be 250 tons -- maybe that was it ?

Can't wait to see more pics.

SDR
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LikaComet
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:08 am
Location: Lowlands of Maryland

Post by LikaComet »

Am I the only one that would have liked to have a piece of the original concrete block wall?
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SDR
Posts: 22359
Joined: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:33 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by SDR »

Hmm -- is that a fund-raising opportunity going begging ? Good idea !

SDR
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Roderick Grant
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Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am

Post by Roderick Grant »

Years ago, Gus Brown made blocks to sell as a fundraiser, $75 per. I bought two of them. I'm sure they could get a lot more for them now. I leant one to a museum show, and had a hell of a time getting it back.
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LikaComet
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:08 am
Location: Lowlands of Maryland

Post by LikaComet »

Who would have access to the debris from demolition? There must be tons of it.
I wish I lived in L.A. That would be some interesting debris.

Would anybody be interested in finding the demolition contractor?
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jim
Posts: 237
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:53 pm
Location: San Francisco

Post by jim »

Yes! More pictures please. I am anxious to see the real color both inside and outside. The posted photos show some warm to very cold colors. Which is it?

In any case, one of the most spatially exciting of Wright's many spatially exciting houses! Ennis sometimes gets a bad rap as "too monumentall" or "too Mayan temple" but just go to the front door, walk up those stairs...my heart still palpitates ten years after I had that experience!

Hooray for the restoration!
Jim
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