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Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed Guest House At Barnsdall Park To Be Restored
A guesthouse built for the recently restored Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hollyhock Houseat Barnsdall Art Park in Los Feliz will soon undergo its own much-needed makeover.The 1920s Arts and Crafts-style building—also designed by Wright and known as "Residence A"—has been closed for nearly two decades and has sadly fallen into disrepair. But, thanks to a new plan backed by L.A. City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, the ailing 2,600-square-foot structure will soon receive a $3.2 million restoration, reports Curbed LA. The building closed in 2000 due to tunneling for the Red Line, and was vandalized a few years ago, which some attributed to a lack of funding for the park. The timeline for the restoration has not yet been released, but is expected to include restoration of major parts of the building, roof and drainage system upgrades, and seismic retrofitting, according to City News Service.
Residence A is sometimes referred to as The Director's House, as it was initially intended to house directors for the theater that oil heiress Aline Barnsdall had planned for the park. Barnsdall had hired Wright to build a massive theater complex, which she hoped would be “one of the most exquisite theaters the world has ever seen,” according to the park's history. But apparently she and Wright had a number of disagreements, most of which centered around finances ultimately leading to Wright's firing and the theater never materializing, according to Curbed LA.According to Councilman O'Farrell, $1.9 million in redevelopment excess bond proceeds have been allocated for the restoration project, and his office is seeking to work with nonprofit Project Restore to raise the rest of the $3.2 million.
“The restoration and preservation of Residence A is essential to maintaining the integrity of the Hollyhock House and Barnsdall Art Park,” Ed Avila, president of Project Restore, said in a recent statement. “The people of Los Angeles feel great pride in the ownership of this incredible facility.”
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