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Blade Runner house yours for $15m

Frank Lloyd Wright classic seeks loving owner

Fans of Blade Runner with very, very deep pockets are directed to Frank Lloyd Wright's 1924 Ennis House, which featured in the movie and is up for grabs for a modest $15m.

The Ennis House. Pic: The Ennis House FoundationThe last of the architect's four "Textile Block" abodes, the 6,000-square-foot Mayan-inspired pad was built in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles for Charles and Mabel Ennis.

The eighth owner, Augustus Brown, donated the troublesome building - plagued by structural problems - to a public trust in 1980. The house continued to suffer earthquake and rain damage, and despite the Ennis House Foundation's recent completion of initial stabilisation and restoration, it still needs an estimated $5-7m of TLC to restore it to its original glory.

Foundation president James DeMeo said: "Our goal has always been to be a good steward of the house. We've made a lot of progress, but at this point a private owner with the right vision and sufficient resources can better preserve the house than we can as a small nonprofit."

Eric Lloyd Wright, the architect's grandson and Ennis House Foundation director, backed the decision, explaining: "I fully support the Ennis House returning to private ownership. My grandfather designed homes to be occupied by people. His homes are works of art. He created the space, but the space becomes a creative force of its own and uplifts when it is lived in every day."

According to Reuters, the Ennis House's other entertainment roles include appearances in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks. Thesp Diane Keaton is a member of the board of directors, and is expected to play "a public role in the sale".

Interested parties should get in touch with Hilton & Hyland or Dilbeck Realtors, and brace their bank balances for a bruising. ®

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