In September 2000, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy purchased the Westcott House from Sherri Snyder with the expressed intention of selling the property to the newly-created Westcott House Foundation. The purchase agreement afforded the Westcott House Foundation the necessary time to apply for and receive tax-exempt status. It further established an easement on the property guaranteeing the protection of the property as a Frank Lloyd Wright site in perpetuity. The Westcott House Foundation was granted tax-exempt status in early 2001.
Established in 1989, the FLW Building Conservancy's mission is to protect and preserve the remaining Wright properties. The Chicago-based Conservancy provides architectural, engineering, technical support and assistance, and other professional services for its constituents. The Westcott House is the first house purchased through their Hanes Revolving Fund by the Conservancy in order to save it.
About one hundred of Wright's houses and outbuildings have been lost over the years, torn down, destroyed by fire, or remodeled to the point where the original design cannot be seen. The Westcott House is only one of about 350 Wright houses remaining in the world.
The FLW Conservancy has over 1,500 members worldwide representing all those interested in Wright, including architects, scholars, preservationists, architecture buffs and artisans, and especially, Wright building owners. This vital network of dedicated members links individuals and organizations whose shared enthusiasm, expertise, and resources make a critical difference in the survival of Wright's work. In the Conservancy's second decade, it is proud to report that not one Wright building has been destroyed since the Conservancy was formed.
