Allen Friedman House - Frank Lloyd Wright Designed Buildings on Waymarking.com

The Friedman House has the distinction of being the last Wright home to be built during his lifetime. A 120-degree in-line plan, the design started as a version of the Fawcett house (visit link) . Originally built on a generous ten-acre parcel just south of Lake Forest that extended almost to the I-94 Tollway, the house continues in touch with the surrounding tall grass and prairie plantings in a way many of Wright's prairie-period residences never attained. The fireplace is even more prominent that usual with the 10-foot hearth the center of this 3500 square-foot dwelling.

The Friedman house has only had three owners. The Friedmans sold the house in 1976. Back on the market by its second owner, it had been listed on Wright on the Market for nearly a year when in 2001, a reporter called the FLWBC upon learning that a potential buyer had approached the Village of Bannockburn seeking information about a demolition permit. The FLWBC met with the prospective buyer and his attorney and discussed alternatives to demolishing the house. An intensive search was initiated to locate another suitable lot on which to build his new house, and find a preservation-minded buyer for the Friedman House. The buyer cancelled the closing at the last minute for undisclosed reasons. Within weeks, both the FLWBC and the listing agent received several inquiries about the house, and happily a suitable new owner surfaced who has lived in and maintained the house in excellent condition.

The new owners Jamal and Salwa Alwattar met the original owner Allen Friedman in an episode of PBS’ Handy Ma'am home improvement television series (visit link) . The 84-year old Friedman was still working selling furniture at the Adler and Sullivan-designed Carson Pirie Scott store in downtown Chicago (visit link) . While Friedman had walked around the outside of the home, he hadn't actually been inside the home in many years. In an emotional meeting and reunion with the house, Jamal Alwattar answered the door and in his deep baritone voice, Friedman said, "What a joy to meet the savior of this house. I hope you have many years of good living in it."

I had the fortune of touring the Friedman House as part of the 2008 Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy conference. The house is at the end of a private driveway and not easily visible from the street.

Year Completed: 1956 - Designed, 1959 - Built Commissioned By: Allen Friedman Nearest City or Town: Bannockburn, IL Public/Private: Private Website: [Web Link] Tours Available?: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
There are no specific visit requirements, however telling about your visit is strongly encouraged. Additional photos of the building or house to add to the gallery are also nice, but not required. Pictures with a GPS or you in them is highly discouraged.

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