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$800,000 Restoration Revives Milwaukee's Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Home

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  Published in House and Home on Tuesday, December 9th 2025 at 11:10 GMT by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Restoring a Milwaukee Treasure: The $800,000 Revitalization of a Frank Lloyd Wright Home

On December 9, 2025, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that a mid‑century‑old Frank Lloyd Wright–designed house on Milwaukee’s North Side would undergo a major restoration that will cost roughly $800 000. The project, led by a local preservation‑focused construction firm, promises to return the home to its former glory while preserving the unique architectural features that made the house a landmark of the Prairie School movement. Below is a thorough look at the house, the restoration plan, and why this work matters not just to Milwaukee, but to the wider conversation around preserving American architectural heritage.

The House in Context

The house, located at 1334 W. 15th Street in Milwaukee’s historically vibrant North Side, was built in 1925 for a prominent local businessman, Robert H. McKee. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright—who had already earned acclaim for his “House on the Rock” in Wisconsin—McKee’s house was one of only a handful of Wright‑designed residences that Milwaukee still owned outright. The structure exemplifies Wright’s early Prairie style, featuring a low, horizontal profile, overhanging eaves, and a careful blend of brick and timber that echo the Midwestern landscape.

The house sits on a half‑acre lot that has long been praised for its mature oak trees and a winding drive that leads visitors straight into a sun‑lit living space. Its interior once boasted a sweeping staircase, built‑in bookcases, and a fireplace that was a perfect example of Wright’s “integrated” design philosophy. Over the years, however, the property fell into disrepair, with the roof deteriorating, windows replaced with incongruous vinyl units, and the original floor plan altered to accommodate modern living needs.

The Journal Sentinel article links to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination form (accessible via the National Park Service’s online portal), which lists the house as a “significant example of early 20th‑century Prairie architecture” and notes that it is “the only surviving Wright‑designed home in the city that retains much of its original layout and material palette.” The NRHP form gives a detailed architectural description and a history of the property’s occupancy, which adds weight to the restoration’s importance.

The Restoration Blueprint

Scope of Work

• Roof Replacement: The original slate shingles, replaced with modern roofing during the 1970s, will be removed and replaced with a new slate roof that matches the historic pattern.
• Window Restoration: 28 of the original wood‑frame windows, many of which were replaced by energy‑efficient vinyl, will be painstakingly restored by a specialized glazing company.
• Interior Refurbishment: The contractor plans to uncover hidden architectural details—such as original tongue‑and‑groove paneling—and restore them. This includes re‑installing the built‑in bookcases and the original fireplace mantle.
• Landscaping & Exterior: The surrounding trees will be preserved, and the drive will be re‑graded to improve drainage, while the original stone pathway will be resurfaced.

Materials & Techniques

The restoration team will use archival research to replicate the original paint colors and textures. For example, the interior wall colors are to be matched to the 1925 paint samples found in the NRHP form’s color charts. The roofing contractor cited a Wright‑approved slate company that sources stone from the same quarries used in the original construction.

Timeline & Funding

Work is slated to begin in February 2026, with completion expected by October 2026. The $800 000 budget is a blend of private investment from the house’s new owner—Elizabeth & Michael Hargrove, a preservation-minded couple—and a $250 000 grant from the Milwaukee Historical Society. The grant was awarded under the Society’s “Restore the Past” initiative, which funds projects that protect and restore architectural heritage sites in the city.

The article also links to a Milwaukee Historical Society news release that details the grant application process and highlights other projects funded in the same fiscal year. That release explains that the Society prioritizes projects that have high educational potential, and the Wright house’s restoration will be used in local school curricula to teach students about architectural history and conservation.

Voices Behind the Work

Preservation Architect – Dr. Lila Chen

“Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius was not just in the big ideas, but in the meticulous details that created harmony with nature,” Dr. Chen, who consulted on the project, said. “The restoration isn’t about making the house look ‘new’; it’s about revealing the layers of history that still exist in the timber and brick.”

Owner – Elizabeth Hargrove

“I’ve always admired Wright’s work, but the challenge was that the house had been stripped of its character over decades,” Elizabeth Hargrove explained. “This restoration is a chance to bring back the home to its rightful place on the streetscape and to ensure that future generations can experience Wright’s vision firsthand.”

Restoration Contractor – James “Jim” O’Neill

James O’Neill, the head of the construction firm undertaking the project, emphasized the technical challenges. “We’re working with an aging structure that no longer follows modern building codes,” O’Neill noted. “The job is to keep it safe and up to code while staying true to Wright’s original design.”

Why It Matters

The restoration of this Frank Lloyd Wright home is more than a cosmetic refurbishment—it’s a reaffirmation of Milwaukee’s architectural identity. The city has long been a crossroads for American design, with architects like Gustav Maelker and John Wellborn Root leaving their mark. Wright’s work, especially his Prairie School homes, introduced a new architectural language that celebrated horizontality and integration with the landscape—principles that resonate with Milwaukee’s rolling farmland and riverfront.

According to a link to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s educational page, the restoration will allow the public to visit the house during selected open‑house events, providing an immersive learning experience. The Foundation’s website outlines that the house now qualifies for “Living Museum” status, a designation reserved for properties that actively engage communities through tours and educational programs.

Additionally, the restoration is being framed as an economic stimulus for the local community. The article quotes a local economist, Dr. Maria Torres, who argues that historic preservation projects generate jobs, increase property values, and stimulate tourism. “This project will likely lead to an increase in the value of neighboring homes by at least 7 %,” Dr. Torres said.

Moving Forward

The Journal Sentinel article concludes by noting that the restoration is a part of a broader trend of “heritage-driven urban renewal” in Milwaukee. Other historic homes, such as the Baker House and the Harrington–Ridgeway House, are slated for similar preservation efforts in the coming years. The article encourages readers to stay engaged with the city’s Milwaukee Historical Commission, which regularly updates the public on ongoing projects.

In sum, the $800,000 restoration of the Frank Lloyd Wright home at 1334 W. 15th St. is an ambitious, community‑supported endeavor that promises to honor one of America’s greatest architects while invigorating Milwaukee’s cultural landscape. Through meticulous craftsmanship, thoughtful use of historic materials, and a strong commitment to public education, the project will bring the Prairie School’s vision back into the everyday life of the city’s residents.