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JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS
IN SUPPORTING THE
DAV I D W R I G H T H O U S E
A
s Arcadia Camelback Special Planning District
residents, we are awed by the transformation of
the David and Gladys Wright House. As neighbors we are humbled by the generosity being afforded to our
community through the preservation of the home and
grounds by the David and Gladys Wright Foundation. If
you have not done so already, we encourage you to take a
personal tour of the property – it is free of charge.
(www.davidwrighthouse.org)
facilities, events, and performances to inspire the creativity
of future generations of artists and architects.
Fortunately, for the Foundation and for Arcadia, the church
adjacent to the property located along Camelback Road,
has offered its south parking lot so that everyone can experience this treasure. The partnership with the church benefits the neighborhood by alleviating traffic concerns.
Unfortunately, a few neighborhood residents have distorted
We believe the active, ongoing preservation efforts are of the intentions of the Foundation, spreading rumors that the
house will “commercialize” our
monumental importance to
neighborhood. We have spoour neighborhood and comken with the owners and have
munity, our city, our state,
been assured that the special
and our country.
permit will define hours of operation, sound attenuation
In 1950, at the age of 84,
measures,
and other limitaFrank Lloyd Wright, Amertions on events, to ensure that
ica’s most famous architect,
the property is nearly invisible
designed the home for his
and inaudible to our adjacent
son, David, and daughter-inneighbors.
There will be
law, Gladys. Both David
ample opportunity for the
and Gladys lived in the
community to comment on the
home until they passed at
special permit in draft form.
the respective ages of 102
and 104.
Completed in 1952, the
David and Gladys Wright
House is regarded as Mr. Wright’s last residential masterpiece. The home was designed specifically for its location at
the foot of Camelback Mountain with a view of Papago
Buttes. It is one of three spiral designs by Mr. Wright standing alongside his most famous, the Guggenheim museum in
New York City.
Again, the David and Gladys
Wright House Foundation is
a not-for-profit entity, the sole
purpose of which is to preserve the house through its philanthropic and educational missions – it is not a commercial
enterprise. As we recommended earlier, see for yourself, sign
up to take a tour at www.davidwrighthouse.org, or call at
602.689.6140. It’s well worth your time.
By preserving this American treasure, we preserve and celThe mission of the David and Gladys Wright House Foun- ebrate the integrity and history of our neighborhood, the
dation is to restore and preserve the home and grounds, as beautiful place we call home.
well as celebrate the artistic legacy of its designer through
Sincerely,
tours, educational programs, exhibitions, lectures, research
Your Arcadia Neighbors
Traci Chandler
Susan Hamilton
Deb Rochford
Nicole Brown
Caitlin Beall
Nathan Learner
Julie Flatley
Patricia DiRoss
Barrett Coughlin
Stephanie Butler
Zach Rawling
Nancy Alpert
Paula Rodgers
Charlene Whitfill
Melissa Bertolino
Taylor Larson
Jessica Lehmann
Patricia Beall
Connie Booker
Anne Lloyd Wright Levi
Fred Prozzillo
Tayler Coady
Sarah Levi
Anne Pyron
Whitney Heglie
Susan Catton
James Patterson
Brooke Kopp
Kelly Beall
Stephen C. Sargent
Anne T. Garrett, M.D.
Daniel Hobaica
Christopher Beall
Bridget Hay
Roni Shadle
Park Howell
Lora Hobaica
Bud Londeree
Ron Passarelli
Christina Worden
Karen Goldblatt
Deanna Vickers
Michele Howell
Lee Vickers
Tristan Jones
David Hay
Joe Chandler
Dan Hamilton
Terry Rochford
Shawn Brown
Paul Flatley
Chuck Coughlin
Bill Bertolino
Alex Catton
Greg Lehmann
Jeffry Beall
Phil Booker
Tom Levi
Alex Coady
Max Shadle
Brandon O'Rourke
Kathy Londereeand
Brad Butler
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YO U R Q U E ST I O N S A N SW E R E D
We have posted a complete list of Frequently Asked Questions on our Website.
Please visit www.DavidWrightHouse.org for more information.
Q: How will you ensure that traffic stays off neighborhood
streets?
A: The Special Permit application will ask for signage rights
on Camelback Road at the northwest corner of the Church
property. The south lot of the Church provides a direct connection to the David and Gladys Wright House public entry
gate. A solid wall will be built on the Exeter frontage and on
the Rubicon frontage. There will be limited lines of sight to
the house from both streets, so there should be no reason for
visitors to drive into the neighborhood.
There will be no public entrances on Rubicon or Exeter. There
will be limited service traffic for deliveries or the occasional
maintenance vehicle on Rubicon at the far north end of the
property. All construction traffic will enter and exit from the
north Rubicon entrance.
Q: What other steps would you take to accommodate
neighborhood concerns?
A: There will be an agreed upon sound decibel level at every
property line, which will be no more than a conversational tone
– less than what anyone would hear from a lawn mower on a
neighbor's property currently.
There will be limited hours of operation. There will be site occupancy limits and a cap on the number of visitors for special
events or performances.
Lastly, a mechanism that has given neighbors some comfort
is the ability to have a one-year review process of the Special
Permit. After a year of operation, the Foundation would ask
the City Council to revisit the Special Permit case with neighborhood comments and concerns. The City Council would
have the authority to make amendments to the Special Permit.
Aside from that, the Foundation Board will be listening to
neighborhood concerns and finding solutions to those con-
cerns. I am an Arcadia resident, and I am committed to making the David and Gladys Wright House a celebration and
enhancement of the area. The David and Gladys Wright
House is one of the earliest homes built in Arcadia. I am confident that we can share it with the public in a way that is both
invisible and inaudible to any neighbor of the property.
Q: What is the educational vision for the property?
A: Central to the mission of the David and Gladys Wright
House Foundation is opening the property to school children
for field trips, educational programming and arts and cultural
events. Our goal is to create educational opportunities from
preschool through post-graduate.
For younger children, we’ve seen that visiting the home sparks
their imaginations. They often describe the house as a castle
or a dragon. Some children begin to build spontaneously if
blocks are available in the house or to color Frank Lloyd
Wright stained glass window patterns with crayons available
at a children’s table in the living room. Others throw open the
doors to the courtyard balcony and begin performing. Fundamentally, this is a joyful house. It is a celebration of love and
family. Children respond to it immediately.
For older children, we plan to supplement those experiences
with more formal curriculum that will be developed in conjunction with teachers and professional educators. The entire history of the Southwest can be told from this home. The citrus
groves will be flood irrigated, watered by a canal system that
dates back more than 1,000 years to the first Native American inhabitants of this area. This history extends through the
post-WWII movement when the suburbs and the American
West began exploding in population. The history of architecture can be told from this one building. Mr. Wright incorporated references from cultures around the world and
throughout time in his design.
DAVID AND GLADYS WRIGHT HOUSE FOUNDATION
PO Box 60190 • Phoenix, AZ 85082
For more information visit www.DavidWrightHouse.org or call 602.689.6140
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