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Buyer Scoops Up Wisconsin Fixer-Upper Designed in Style of Frank Lloyd Wright

Thursday, 05 January 2023

Attention, Midcentury Modern Fans: Bargain Fixer-Upper by a Frank Lloyd Wright Devotee in Wisconsin Finds a Buyer

Realtor.com

A home inspired by architect Frank Lloyd Wright usually commands a pretty penny. Not this one.

The home was initially listed for $265,000, with Shaun Olejniczak of Nest Group and Realty Executives. The price dropped by $10,000 in December, and the house was eventually sold for $240,000 in a cash transaction.

Fans of midcentury modern design inspired by Wright who aren’t afraid of a project should take note. Bargains can be found, if you’re willing to put in some work.

The 2,107-square-foot home in Racine, WI, was designed by architect John Randal McDonald and built in 1956. It spans two levels and comes with three bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

Born in Milwaukee in 1922, McDonald had a career that was most active during the 1950s and 1960s, resulting in residential and commercial commissions in Wisconsin and Florida. He died in 2003.

Although he never worked directly with Wright, McDonald held similar ideals, as he designed in accordance to a site’s natural setting and wove in natural materials.

Celebrities such as the actress Maureen O’Hara and New York Yankees player Mickey Mantle reportedly asked McDonald to design their homes.

‘Needs work’

“It’s a fixer-upper,” says Olejniczak of the Racine home. “It’s being sold as is. We priced it accordingly.”

A now-enclosed carport is the only recent update. Improvements are needed in the kitchen and baths, the patio, and the eat-in kitchen.

Another necessary upgrade would be to dismantle the pool and either add a new pool or increase the lawn size.

Green theme

Here’s a delightful detail that’s survived over the years: Two trees are thriving inside the home—one in the foyer and the other in an atrium—and they are a definite nod to Wright.

“It seems like these two trees are original,” says Olejniczak.

Walls of windows on the back of the house invite nature in, as McDonald intended.

The property includes a two-car garage.