Fall 2007/Winter 2008

PHASE IV RESTORATION – SUMMER 2007

The 2007 construction season is occupied with Phase IV restoration, which includes repair of exterior masonry, as well as reconstruction of the Martin House veranda, and the reversal of some renovations that occurred after 1907, the designated “year of significance” chosen for the restoration. This is a dramatic phase in the project as it involves demolition of some exterior walls along the north and south second floor elevations that had been moved outward by the Martins in 1920. As well, the Martins added a “trunk room” above an open area next to the service entrance. All of these non-Wrightian renovations are being reversed to restore the architect’s original design for the Martin House.

Although during much of 2007 the exterior of the Martin House will be under renovation, and at times will be covered with scaffolding, the ultimate goal of Restoration Phase IV is to return the building envelope to its original pristine condition. Commencing in February, a bit of unsightliness will temporarily shroud the house. But it will soon emerge again as the glorious building that Frank Lloyd Wright first designed for Darwin D. Martin. The Martin House will remain open for tours all the while that general construction is going on, with the exception of a few days of asbestos abatement work. This phase will last one year and will bring the exterior structure back to its original condition by repairing all concrete and masonry that has deteriorated. Other work includes drilling of 24 wells for the geothermal HVAC system, and completing restoration of the verandah and the main fireplace.

“At times, the envelope of the building will be literally opened up as we reconfigure exterior walls and remove deteriorated materials that need replacing,” reports Mary Roberts, MHRC Chief Operating Officer. “Approximately 80% of the mortar needs attention. Blending the new mortar with the historic material will be especially challenging. It’s an interesting exercise in getting the porosity and color right so that we can create a seamless match between old and new. ”

ADA Access to be addressed A new lift will be installed to allow access to the Martin House for persons with disabilities. “We are delighted that this phase of work will allow us to provide access to the main floor for visitors who cannot manage the entry stairs,” says Roberts. “Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects, our restoration architectural firm, has devised an extremely clever solution to the access issue while maintaining the historic appearance of the house. A lift will bring visitors directly onto the main floor by way of Darwin Martin’s private entry, which is located at the front of the house and lead into his “inner sanctum” home office. It is a doorway that is one of the signature portals in a house that Wright intended as “a portrait of his client.”

Reversal of previous renovations also reverses time The most dramatic portion in Phase IV will be the reversal of exterior renovations that the Martin family commissioned Andrew Willatzen, a former draftsman in Frank Lloyd Wright’s office, to make in 1920. A Scholar’s Conference was convened by the University of Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning in 1997 to determine the “year of significance” for the restoration. To honor their decision that 1907 would be the chosen date, the MHRC intends to return the structure to its condition at that time, and to reverse the changes made by the family. This will recreate Wright’s original work.

Second floor exterior walls on the north and south bedroom elevations will be brought back approximately three feet to their as-designed-by-Wright location. Framework for artglass windows on the exterior walls that was altered or removed in the 1920 renovation will also be restored to original configurations.

The Martins also had a “trunk room” built in 1920 on the northwest corner of the second floor. This room was created by enclosing the deeply cantilevered eaves above what Wright intended to be an open “area” near the kitchen entrance. The room later became a kitchen in a renovation done by architect, Sebastian Tauriello, who bought the Martin House in 1954 and created rental units in the west end of the building. The trunk room will be removed entirely, and the exterior corner will be reconstructed.

The beautiful, four-sided, glass mosaic-covered fireplace that Wright designed for the entry hall and living room is another of the Martin House’s main features that has suffered over time. The Wisteria patterned glass tiles that once covered the entire surface failed in the years that the Martin House stood empty – 1938-1954. Tauriello substantially altered the appearance of the fireplace by closing off one side of it. Phase IV will see the original structure reconstructed in preparation for installation of replacement tiles.

For the comfort of all Although not a visible, cosmetic change to the Martin House, the drilling of additional wells for the efficient, environmentallyfriendly HVAC system is a vitally important part of this phase. The geothermal exchange system to be utilized throughout the Martin House campus captures and converts the consistent temperature of the earth’s core at approximately 350 feet below the surface to “fuel” the system. Wells that service the pergola, conservatory and carriage house have already been installed and are fully operational.

The Wisteria Shop at the Martin House has taken up new residence in the recently reconstructed carriage house (garage). The shop and the volunteers who manage it, are poised to provide visitors to the site with a unique shopping experience set in a splendid new building originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright more than 100 years ago.

Museums worldwide rely on sales of keepsakes and educational items to help sustain operational budgets. For many visitors, “The Shop” is one of the most popular aspects of the entire museum-going experience. It is a place to find a distinctive reminder of their visit or to take home an item that cannot be found anywhere else. Merchandise offered for sale in the Wisteria shop carries a “provenance” that attributes its selection: “The Wisteria Shop specializes in items related to the 1903-05 masterpiece Prairie House Wright created for his most loyal patron, Darwin D. Martin. The collection also alludes to Wright’s illustrious architectural career spanning from the Arts and Crafts era to the middle of the 20th century, and honors his lasting influence as an architectural pioneer with examples of modern and contemporary design.”

To have these items now on display for sale in the carriage house is icing on the cake in terms of providing a great shopping experience. The MHRC is thrilled to offer visitors this exceptional way to view the building while indulging in a favorite pastime.

“We started our planning process with a remarkable building – one of the most beautiful garages ever,” says Wisteria Shop Manager, Rebecca Lee, “and made every effort to retain its original integrity while fitting in a comfortable and functional shop.”

Hadley Exhibits of Buffalo was given the assignment to fit shop fixtures into what essentially is the brand new “historic” envelope of a building – one originally designed with warm brick and wood finishes, but mostly “blank” in terms of other interior details. “Our team at Hadley headed by project manager Jean DuBow, walked us through the planning process,” continues Lee. “After months of back and forth discussion, we came up with what we feel will be a very pleasing shop that lets Wright’s architecture shine through.”

For the MHRC, installing a shop in the carriage house makes perfect sense. In the process of planning visitor experiences at the complex once the pergola, conservatory and carriage house would be complete, it became evident that tours would flow quite naturally through the historic spaces of the Martin House and conclude in the carriage house, where visitors would be most inclined to browse for their mementoes. Historically speaking, the carriage house offered a blank canvas as there is not a lot of detail in the archival record of what items may have been stored there or how it was “furnished.” Other than what is evident in Wright’s drawings for the space: such as horse stalls, a hay loft, and blanket cabinets, as well as the second floor apartment for the coachman/chauffeur, there is no known interior layout specified by the architect. Unlike the main Martin House where Wright-designed furnishings still reside in the museum’s collection and will eventually furnish the house once again, there are no artifacts remaining from the carriage house that help interpret Wright’s design intent.

“We hope our guests will feel comfortable and engaged both by the setting and by the merchandise,” says Lee. “We are expanding our current collection to include items that represent modern and contemporary design, and are finding creative ways to use Martin House building materials to craft one-ofa- kind items.”

For years, the Wisteria Shop was located in the snug quarters of the Barton House. Although homey in character, the Barton House shop had spatial limitations that hampered proper merchandise display. The many volunteers who assist with sales will now have the luxury of a new shop that has been planned from the outset to operate appropriately as a retail operation. “I can’t wait to see the volunteers enjoy the shop. I hope they love it, “ says Lee. “Mostly I am anxious to see our volunteers and our visitors react to the new interior. I hope it will make everyone here very proud.”

As for the carriage house itself, Martin House docents will provide information about the building as part of their tours, pointing out interesting aspects of the architecture and the uses of the building. (See next page for Fast Facts on the new building)

• 260 (Martin House)
• 11 patterns (windows, doors, pier cluster casements, skylights, laylights, sidelights, etc.)
• Tree of Life windows: 57 "three-pot"; one "four-pot"; and a few one-pot varieties. The "pots" are the yellowish-green squares at the bottom of the windows.
• 45 (Barton House)
• two patterns (window and cabinet door)
• 89 (conservatory/carriage house)
• one pattern each

• Still in the complex: 101, including 56 in the Martin House and all 45 in the Barton House
• Storage: 79 (originals and reproductions)
• Museums around the World: (including New York City; Ithaca, New York; Paris, France; Canberra, Australia; Glasgow, Scotland; and Victoria, British Columbus, Canada).

PREMIERE OF THE "LOST BUILDINGS" WAS A DAY FOR CELEBRATION

October 4, 2006 was a day of celebration and ceremony at the Martin House as dignitaries, special guests, volunteers, neighbors, supporters and staff gathered to "dedicate" the reconstructed "Lost Buildings" of Frank Lloyd Wright's original design for Darwin D. Martin's complex.

The pergola, conservatory and carriage house, torn down in the early 1960s, are now rebuilt in one of the most ambitious restorations of Wright buildings ever undertaken. Visitors walked through these buildings for the first time this day - the first time in more than 40 years that the complex has been seen in its entirety as Wright designed it.

In addition, the MHRC unveiled the recently acquired Gardener's cottage, a new greenhouse, the Martin House reception room furniture, the verandah art-glass replica doors, the Martin family Steinway piano, and a special Tree of Life exhibit sponsored by Stanford Lipsey, publisher of the Buffalo News, and his wife, Judith.

New York Governor, George E. Pataki, Senators Hilary Rodham Clinton and Charles E. Schumer, and NYS Parks Commissioner, Bernadette Castro spoke to a crowd of 300-plus well-wishers, hosted by MHRC board representatives, Stanford Lipsey, who served as master of ceremonies, Robert D. Gioia, president, Robert J. Kresse, chairman, Charles W. Banta, past president and Howard Zemsky, immediate past president.

Darwin Martin Foster and Eric Lloyd Wright, grandsons of the famous architect-client partnership that created the Martin House complex, performed the ceremonial cutting of a giant red ribbon in a befitting gesture symbolic of their grandfathers' legacy.

On October 14, 2004, the Martin House Restoration Corporation held a media conference to celebrate reconstruction of three original Darwin D. Martin House buildings, the pergola, conservatory and carriage house, that were demolished in 1960. These will be the first demolished Frank Lloyd Wright buildings ever to be rebuilt in America. When the restoration is complete in 2006, the three missing elements will join the extant Martin House (1904-05) and Barton House (1903) on the re-assembled site returned to the original condition as designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Among the special guests at the event were Darwin Martin Foster, son of Dorothy (Martin) Foster, who was Darwin D. and Isabelle R. Martin's daughter.