Wright Foundation facing severe problems

PHOENIX, March 7 (UPI) -- The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation faces organizational problems that threaten the program supporting the work of one of the pre-eminent U.S. architects.

The Arizona Republic, following a yearlong investigation, reported Monday the foundation is battling legal and financial problems and leadership that has changed often in the last year.

"We are an organization in chaos," foundation Vice President Beverly Hart told the Republic.

The newspaper said the foundation board of directors approved an emergency proposal to raise $100 million to help the fiscal part of the crisis. However, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation had less than $2 million in donations over the last five years.

Since last April the foundation has lost two chief executive officers and a licensing director. The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture has lost its dean, many faculty members and half its enrollment, the Republic said.

Wright, who died in 1959, developed the "Prairie style," which became the basis of much of 20th century design in the United States. Many of his papers are housed at Taliesin West, a 540-acre camp near Scottsdale, Ariz., Wright started in 1937.