Frank Lloyd Wright House Moves to the Hamptons

It's been a long road for architects Sharon and Lawrence Tarantino of Tarantino Architect and their connection to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Bachman Wilson House in Millstone, N.J. After painstakingly convincing the third owners of the house they finally acquired the 3-bed, 4.5 bath, 3,200-square-foot home on two acres along the Millstone River, in 1988. In dire need of repair at that point, the Tarantinos lovingly labored to restore the house to its original glory, all the while keeping the famed architect's original design in mind. After all this, they've decided to find it a new location in Sagaponac, N.Y., in the Hamptons; and it's selling for $5 million.A little background on the house -- original owners Abraham Wilson and Gloria Bachman (hence the home's name) commissioned Lloyd Wright to design the house in 1954. The structure is an excellent example of the architect's Usonian style, which makes the owner feel at one with nature. The seamless design, open floor plan, horizontal and vertical planes, a wall of glass, seamless flow between the main and guest house and the fact that it's set within the natural surroundings, away from the main road, are all signature features that made the famed architect the respected legend.It's that legendary style and respect of nature and, unfortunately, the constant flooding problems the home has experienced that played a role in the decision by the Tarantinos to relocate the home to the Hamptons.AOL Real Estate acquired a private link to the YouTube video from Sharon Tarantino of her presentation at the Architectural Digest Home Show. It explains in detail the issues and reasons for relocating the house.She explains that "flooding continues to worsen through climate change and there is also a lack of enforcement of construction regulations related to storm water controls. New Jersey has their own agenda when it comes to development and protecting historic properties is not their priority. On top of that, federal funding for flood protection is now virtually non-existent."So, "after 20 years of flood mitigation research and finding no feasible plan, we've struggled with the realization that relocating the Bachman Wilson House and finding a buyer with a passion for Frank Lloyd Wright's work would be the best viable solution to secure it's future."Deciding to relocate to the Hamptons came after reading a New York Times article describing the reviving of a modernist development in the area. The Tarantinos immediately visited Sagaponac and decided it was indeed the ideal location for the home.Co-broker Amelia Doggwiler of Brown Harris Stevens in the Hamptons told AOL Real Estate "the house is currently in Millstone, New Jersey, and will be relocated, only after we find a buyer, to 21 Forrest Crossing, Sagaponac, New York." The move is significant because "it will be the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in the area."Charged with the task of rebuilding and incorporating the Tarantino's new elements including new sustainable building technologies of solar energy and geothermal mechanical systems, are custom builders Reinhardt O'Brien and Oza based in Bridgehampton, N.Y.