The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

 Photos and text (c) Mark Hertzberg

   Many of those people may think of Wright only as an architect of homes for the wealthy, and recognize only his Prairie-style designs. Part of Wright's genius was that there were so many dimensions to his work, including decades of focus on affordable housing. His work evolved from the Prairie-style to his Usonian homes in the 1930s. Richards became a client of Wright's in 1911, after Wright returned from Europe. His work for Richards is part of his interest in housing for the working class.

      Milwaukee's six Richards American System-Built homes are in one block - perhaps the greatest concentration of Wright work in a small area other than Forest Ave. in Oak Park and Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla. The American System-Built Homes, Model C3 (sometimes known as the Richards Bungalow) is to the east, at the corner of Layton Blvd. and W. Burnham St. Then, continuing to the west, are the American System-Built Homes, Model B1 (sometimes called the Richards Small House) and then the four American System-Built Homes, Model Flat C (sometimes known as the  Richards Duplex Apartments).

From right to left: Models C3 (Richards Bungalow), B1 (Richards Small House), and the four Flat C (Richards Duplex Apartments).    

     The Frank Lloyd Wright ® Wisconsin Tourism Heritage Program (Wright in Wisconsin), which I am on the board of, owns the Richards Small House and two of the duplexes. We have been fortunate to receive a Save America's Treasures and other grants to restore the house to its original design.

Board meeting to discuss Burnham Street properties: April 16, 2005. The porch of  the Richards Small House was enclosed in 1939. The restoration will have an open porch, like the one Wright designed. The home will be come a house museum. Tours are regularly offered. There are no immediate plans for restoration of the two duplexes the group owns. They have apartments which are rented out.

 
   The most noticeable change in the appearance of the house will be the porch: enclosed by a later owner of the home, it is now open again. The exterior of the house was taken down to wood studs, and is now being re-stuccoed to very exacting specifications, to match the original finish. All of the original wood lathe was replaced with a wire mesh lathe because the old wood lathe had a lot of asbestos between the lathe slats (for adhering the old stucco).

A model of the Richards Small House.   

 
    The final coat of stucco is expected to be applied the week of June 20. Slide shows of various stages of the work until now are below.

Exterior of the house - The house was enveloped in white covering earlier this year during asbestos abatement. The wood framework of the new porch, and the new concrete for the planters, are at the front of the house.