Frank Lloyd Wright Home in Rogers Park Hits the Auction Block

By Andrew Peerless in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 22, 2005 2:59PM

Do you like architecture? Are you positively swimming in money? If so, consider this: A Rogers Park home designed by America's most famous, and famously-kooky, architect is about to hit the auction block.

The landmark 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom house - designed for Chicago brick manufacturer Emil Bach in 1915 - was built during a time when Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural stylings were beginning to move from his streamlined, opulent "Prairie" designs to the "Usonian" concept, which merged his signature design wizardry with affordability and focused on meeting the needs of the average American family. The Bach house was designed specifically for urban living, with a hidden main entrance and inward orientation... damn good thing, considering it sits directly on Sheridan Road (7415 N., to be exact).

Interested in claiming the Emil Bach House as your very own crash pad? The auction, only the second ever for a Wright house, will take place on March 8, with bidding expected to start at $750,000. If that seems steep, keep in mind that the asking price also includes an adjacent, 45' x 150' vacant parcel that has been designated for "development" (new construction).

Chicagoist shudders at the word "development," and hopes this Wright masterpiece doesn't wind up flanked by another of those ubiquitous 3- or 6-flats with a red brick front and concrete block sides...

Photo courtesy of The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Market.