Frank Lloyd Wright homes remain unsold

PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Pasadena, Calif., could be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere, says the real estate agent listing the property.

La Miniatura, one of four textile-block homes designed by Wright, has been on the market for more than two years and reduced in price by more than $2 million, but no one in the United States has offered to purchase it, the Los Angeles Times said Monday.

Los Angeles-based listing agent Crosby Doe said he is talking to an international art dealer with Japanese clients who might be interested in buying it. Asking price: $4.99 million.

"With my position in the preservation community, I will probably be crucified for saying this," Doe said. "But we have to consider all options. We moved the London Bridge to the Colorado River. Why couldn't we move this house to Japan?"

Only four of the homes were built, all of them in Southern California. Another, known as the Ennis House, remains unsold after more than a year. It was listed for $15 million; in an effort to sell it the price was cut in half, the newspaper said.

Even with their multimillion-dollar price tags, some wonder why they haven't sold.

"There's still a lot of money in this city. It's hard to believe that someone isn't stepping forward to support these houses," said Ken Breisch, who oversees another of the textile-block homes the architect designed. Harriet Freeman gave that house, which bears her name, to the University of Southern California in 1986.

"Taken as a group, these houses are one of Wright's biggest accomplishments," Breisch said.