RESTORING THE WRIGHT ROOF 

In the Fall of 2025, the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park will take on the largest restoration project since the home was purchased from Russell Kraus in 2001. A new cedar shingle roof will be installed, replacing the asphalt shingles installed by the original homeowners in the 1990s and returning the home to as built in 1951. This project will restore the house to Frank Lloyd Wright’s original design and preserve and protect the home for future generations.

The 2025 restoration will involve the entire roofline, including installation of new cedar shingles, replacing the flat roof membrane, restoring the cedar fascia, restoring the chimney masonry, and installing new custom skylights. The project is led by Harboe Architects (Chicago, IL), specialists in Wright building preservation with experience on notable projects, including Taliesin West and Unity Temple, and St. Louis-based McMillan Construction Group will serve as the general contractor. Construction begins in September 2025 and is expected to be completed by spring 2026.

A generous matching grant has been made by Clare Davis and David Obedin.  This grant will match all donations for the roof restoration up to $100,000 through December 31, 2025.  The FLWHEP is deeply grateful for Clare and David’s demonstration of leadership and commitment to this critical project.

Please consider supporting the roof restoration. To make a match-eligible gift simply donate below and/or note on your donation memo that it is for the roof restoration.

Follow Along! The FLWHEP is partnering with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy to publish detailed information and progress updates on the roof restoration. Our hope is that this Case Study will serve as a valuable resource to the stewards of other Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings.

All contributions to the roof restoration up to $100,000 and through December 31, 2025 will be matched by the Clare Davis and David Obedin Matching Grant.