Frank Lloyd Wright homes in New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania require costly upkeep

Owning Frank Lloyd Wright homes involves constant, costly upkeep because his designs often prioritized artistry over practicality. At Petra Island, New York, owner Joe Massaro spends about $120,000 yearly on taxes and maintenance. Other owners have invested over $1.7 million restoring two Michigan homes, while Fallingwater required an $11.5 million stabilization project. Wright, who died in 1959, left roughly 400 standing houses with quirks like leaking flat roofs and smoky fireplaces, yet preservationists continue buying and restoring them for their historic value.